In partnership with the Australian Writers’ Guild (AWG)
Screenworks is pleased to be hosting four successful professional screenwriters from around regional Australia who will be discussing their craft, their career pathways and what it takes to succeed in the competitive world of writing for film and TV.
Our highly experienced guest speakers, all of whom are regionally based, will talk about their latest and recent works, covering a wide range of genres and screenwriting craft areas including the following:
· Authentic storytelling
· Creating believable characters and worlds
· Research for screenwriting
· The experience of the writer’s room
· Looking for writing work / sustaining a career in the industry
· Collaborating with other writers, producers and directors
Facilitated by Susie Hamilton, Professional Development Manager at the Australian Writers’ Guild (AWG), these sessions will be delivered online via Zoom. Each will be up to 90 minutes long, including plenty of opportunity for online attendees to ask our speakers questions.
BELINDA CHAYKO – Screenwriter | Director
Belinda Chayko is an award-winning writer and director of film and television.
Belinda is a writer on the upcoming ABC series Fires, due to be released in September 2021 on ABC and ABC iview. Belinda was the showrunner on Safe Harbour, which won the 2019 International Emmy for best TV Series and the AACTA for best screenplay. Additionally, Safe Harbour was nominated for the Silver Bird Prize at the Seoul International Drama Awards, seven AACTAs and four LOGIEs.
Her writing credits for television include the mini-drama series Stateless (ABC), starring Cate Blanchett and Dominic West, which earned her an AWGIE nomination for Best Series, an AACTA nomination for Best Screenplay in Television and a C21 Media Award Nomination for Best International Miniseries. Belinda wrote on the political drama Secret City (Foxtel), starring Jacki Weaver and Anna Torv. Belinda also wrote on Fighting Season (Foxtel), nominated for a Screen Producers Award for Best Mini Series of the year, and additionally earning Belinda an AWGIEs nomination for Best Miniseries. Belinda wrote on the ABC drama miniseries, Barracuda, which won an Australian Writers Guild (AWGIE) Award in 2017.
Belinda has written on a number of television projects including Old School (ABC) for Matchbox Pictures, Newton’s Law, and the hugely popular Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (ABC) for Every Cloud Productions
Belinda’s 2010 feature film Lou, starring John Hurt, screened in competition at a number of international film festivals, including Busan, Rome and Palm Springs. Lou won the Audience Award for Best Feature at the Festival International de Films de Femmes de Créteil, and the Grand Jury Prize at the St Tropez Film Festival. Her first feature, City Loop, premiered at Toronto International Film Festival in 2000.
Belinda has also made a number of award-winning short films and wrote the AWGIE award-winning telemovie, Saved (SBS).
She is in development on several film and television projects.
