Joshua Longhurst will be the guest speaker for the upcoming Screenworks webinar, Innovative Pathways to Production on July 29 2020.
Joshua is an award-winning filmmaker, a co-founder of independent production company Wintergarden Pictures and a producing graduate of the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS).
Joshua, could you talk about growing up in Regional Australia, where you’re from and how that influenced you as you pursued a career as a filmmaker?
I come from a big family of avid storytellers, and now as a content creator, I am drawn to rural settings and the people of my childhood. I grew up in Young, in regional New South Wales where natural beauty and isolation enhanced my imagination and love for film. My grandmother loved movies, and introduced me to many classics at an early age – I will always be grateful for this and the influence she had on my desire to create film and television.
How did you start pursuing your career in film and what were some of the biggest challenges?
I grew up with a camcorder strapped to my wrist, chasing my younger brother and cousins around, forcing them to act out the stories I wrote – so you could say it started there. I moved to Sydney when I was 19, and I was selected for a writers program through Metro Screen, this gave me my first real exposure to the filmmaking process and the industry. Finding confidence and my voice as a filmmaker was challenging. In recent years I have been collaborating with incredible creatives who empower me to feel like I can have a seat at the table.
Why do you think film is such a powerful storytelling tool?
I fell in love with film from a young age when I recognised how it could change a person’s perspective. As a teenager, my experience of the world was shaped by David Fincher and Alan Ball. In turn, my work often explores themes of loneliness, identity, sexuality and responsibility as I explore stories that could challenge an audience’s view of the world.
What have you been working on recently, and what are your proudest achievements?
DING DONG I’M GAY Coming July 22 to YouTube! Season One was produced with principal production investment from Screen Australia and financed with support from Screen NSW – I loved making this series! View Trailer
My short film CHERRY SEASON produced with support from the Screen NSW and SBS Australia: Generator Emerging Filmmaker Fund. I shot this film in Young – this was a childhood dream come true for me. You can watch it on SBS On Demand, in the Queer for Shorts section. There are five other short films in this program, and they are incredible!
In the Screenworks Innovative Pathways to Production webinar, Joshua will share the strategies that he put in place on his journey to success and outline his innovative pathway to production.
Wednesday July 29th 2020 | 4pm – 5:30pm
Tickets are available by donation.
REGISTER HERE
