National screen industry leaders converge on Sunshine Coast for Screen Summit
As Queensland leads the nation in screen production expenditure, the Sunshine Coast is positioning itself to share in the industry's growth, bringing senior executives and commissioners from Screen Queensland, ABC and SBS to the region for Screen Summit on Friday 23 October.
The annual event, part of SHOWFEST 2026, will connect regional filmmakers directly with the people responsible for funding, commissioning and developing Australian content, with more than 25 speakers participating in this year's program.
Leading industry figures include Tanya Ellen, Head of Content at Screen Queensland; Todd Abbott, Commissioning Editor Comedy at ABC; and Joseph Maxwell, Head of Unscripted at SBS.
Queensland recorded a record $925 million in drama production expenditure in 2024–25, representing 34 per cent of Australia's total. Closer to home, a 2023 industry study identified approximately 115 production companies on the Sunshine Coast, demonstrating an established industry base with potential for further growth.
Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli said Council wanted the Sunshine Coast to be recognised not only as a beautiful filming location, but as a place where screen businesses, creatives and productions can thrive. Events like the Screen Summit and Showfest help build the connections, skills and opportunities that make that vision possible.
“Now in its fifth year, the Sunshine Coast Screen Summit is a strong example of what can be achieved when industry, government and screen organisations work together to support talent, encourage collaboration and grow Queensland’s screen industry."
One of the Summit's headline discussions, AI Tomorrow: Digital Storytelling & Human Generative Workflows, will examine how artificial intelligence is changing screen production and what that means for creative professionals. Moderated by technology and entertainment executive David Gouge, formerly of Wētā FX, Autodesk and Y&R, the panel will explore opportunities to embrace emerging technology while preserving the skills, judgement and storytelling craft at the heart of filmmaking.
Much-loved Queensland actress and presenter Terasa Livingstone will also attend SHOWFEST. Australian audiences grew up watching Terasa on Agro's Cartoon Connection and The Great Outdoors, before she went on to build an international career across film and television. With more than three decades in the industry, her US credits include Lost, CSI: NY and the feature film 21.
The Sunshine Coast's growing screen industry is also reflected in the achievements of its creative professionals. Summit panellist Ivan O'Mahoney produced and co-directed Unbreakable: The Jelena Dokic Story, winner of Best Factual or Documentary Program at the 2025 Logie Awards and Best Editing in a Documentary at the 2026 AACTA Awards.
Fellow panellist Adam Szudrich directed the award-winning short film Extraordinary Rob, which has received international recognition, winning eight awards and securing 17 nominations across 27 film festivals. The film was co-written and produced by Jon Coghill, co-founder of the Sunny Coast Showdown and drummer of ARIA Award-winning Australian band Powderfinger.
Other Sunshine Coast-connected success stories include Catherine Mack's Swimmers, which received Screen Queensland production funding and secured US and worldwide distribution; Amy Parry's Screen Australia-supported Rainbow Bop; and Zip and the Tiny Sprouts, the award-winning animated series from Emmy Award-winning producer Peter Johnston of FadeIn Studios, now screening on ABC Kids and ABC iView.
Beyond the Summit, the Sunshine Coast Screen Collective, with 400 paid members, focuses on building a sustainable regional screen industry through professional training, production opportunities, and infrastructure development.
Its initiatives include ScreenHub Nambour and the Sunny Coast Showdown, which provides local filmmakers with development support, industry mentoring and opportunities to take original projects into production. The Collective is also progressing plans for a regional studio production precinct to expand local production capacity and create more opportunities for screen industry employment.
David Edgar, President of the Sunshine Coast Screen Collective, said the Summit reflects the region's growing industry capability.
“For too long, regional filmmakers have had to travel to capital cities to get in front of the people making decisions. Screen Summit reverses that, bringing Australia's leading screen commissioners and executives directly to the Sunshine Coast.
“We have talented people, successful productions and an industry that's ready to grow. The next step is making sure the opportunities, infrastructure and investment are here to support them.”
Screen Summit forms part of SHOWFEST 2026, celebrating film, television, digital games and storytelling across the Sunshine Coast.
EVENT DETAILS
Screen Summit: Friday 23 October 2026, 9 am–5 pm
Venue: Level 2, Maroochy RSL, 105 Memorial Avenue, Maroochydore
Tickets and program: https://events.humanitix.com/showfest-2026/tickets