2026 So Far: From Private Ideas to the Pitch Room

We kicked off the year by tackling the question we hear most often: “I’ve written the script—where do I actually start?”

Over our From Idea to Screen and From Script to Screen series, we found the answers together. Across six dedicated events, packed rooms of new faces and seasoned practitioners explored how to turn private ideas into tangible realities. We started with the fundamentals of momentum—shooting with no budget, leveraging crowdfunding, and navigating grant pathways.

Once the community was activated, we pivoted to the practical mechanics of production and communication. We broke down how to design achievable stories that balance creative ambition with real-world constraints, and how to clearly articulate those visions to collaborators and funders.

This six-part journey culminated last week with the 2026 MCBA Chinatown Script Pitch Competition. Seeing emerging creators step up to the mic at the Chinese Museum to confidently present their short film concepts to industry veterans Marisa Nanakhorn Brown, Colin Cairnes, and Sam Voutas was the perfect proof of concept. It proved that mastering clarity and communication is how projects move forward.

< The Upcoming Event >

In Conversation with Dale Crawford

Join Screen Presence for a special evening with Writer and Director Dale Crawford, the filmmaker behind the award-winning psychological thriller Lilith.  

Based on real-life cases of 'folie à famille'—a contagious psychosis shared by a whole family—Lilith follows a psychology professor who sequesters his family in a high-rise apartment following the murder of his daughter, only to realise no one there can be trusted.  

This intimate conversation offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from Dale about what it really takes to make a feature film as an independent filmmaker. The discussion will explore the creative and practical realities of independent production, directing a psychological thriller, and the journey from concept to a completed feature. 

Whether you're an emerging filmmaker, film student, or simply love great storytelling, this is an evening not to be missed. 

Event Details 

🗓 When: Thursday 29 October 2026, 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM (UTC+10)

📍Venue: Chinese Museum 22 Cohen Place, Melbourne VIC 3000 
🎟 Click HERE for tickets.

About the Speaker 

Dale Crawford is a writer, director, and producer whose independent feature film Lilith has earned multiple Best Feature Film awards globally. Working alongside cinematographer Rudi Siira and producer Robert Chuter, Dale's work is celebrated for its psychological depth and cinematic intensity. 

Prepare for the Q&A 

Planning to watch Lilith before the conversation?  WATCH THE FILM HERE

Come along to celebrate bold independent Australian filmmaking and gain practical insights from an exciting voice shaping the future of cinema. 

< The Previous Event >

1. Making a Short Film with (Almost) No Budget

How to start before you feel ready — using what you already have.

This session focused on removing the biggest barrier filmmakers feel — waiting for permission. Our speakers share how they made their first shorts using limited resources and community support.

2. Building Momentum Through Crowdfunding with Ravi Chand

Turning a private idea into a project other people can support.

This session explored crowdfunding as a momentum tool — not just raising money, but activating community, testing your idea publicly and building early supporters. We’ll cover how campaigns work, what makes people contribute, and how filmmakers manage the emotional and time demands of running one.

More about Ravi at warriortribefilms.com/ravi-chand

3. Navigating Short Film Funding Pathways

Understanding where funding fits, and how a short film opens doors.

This session broke down how filmmakers move from self-initiated work into formal funding. We’ll discuss grant pathways, what assessors actually look for, and how a short film can strategically lead toward future projects.

4. Writing Achievable Short Films

Designing a story you can actually produce, not just imagine.

Now the focus shifts from making anything to making something deliberate.

This session looked at writing short films that can actually be produced — designing scripts around accessible locations, manageable cast sizes and practical budgets without losing creative ambition.

5. It’s All in the Pitch

A good pitch isn’t just about performance. It’s about clarity.

Our recent session, It’s All in the Pitch, shifted the focus of pitching away from pure performance and onto clarity. Designed for writers, directors, and producers.

Joined by panellists Naomi Mulholland (Producer), Christopher Kam (Script Producer) and Brendan Wan (Writer, Presenter, Producer and winner of the 2025 MCBA Short Film Pitch Competition), the conversational session covered the mechanics of a successful presentation. The panel broke down what makes industry guests lean in or switch off, how to sharpen the core idea beneath a pitch, and exactly what filmmakers need to prepare before stepping into the room.

6. 2026 MCBA Chinatown Script Pitch Competition

Taking the concept from the page to the stage for real-world feedback. This live competition challenged emerging creators to pitch original short film concepts set in Melbourne's Chinatown directly to our industry panel: Marisa Nanakhorn Brown, Colin Cairnes, and Sam Voutas. The event celebrated fresh, diverse storytelling while giving filmmakers a high-stakes platform to test their ideas publicly and field real-time feedback. Ultimately, James Wajura took home the $500 grand prize, demonstrating how a confident, ready-to-shoot pitch can activate the room and attract future collaborators.

7. Time and Tide Industry Masterclass

Demystifying the journey from a guerrilla shoot in China to the international festival circuit. This exclusive masterclass brought director Vee Shi and producer Nicholson Ren to the Chinese Museum to unpack the evolution of their award-winning feature, Time and Tide. The session provided a practical breakdown of hybrid documentary craft, detailing how the team pivoted from a sci-fi concept to an intimate family portrait using a micro-crew. Ultimately, the evening proved that with resourcefulness and strategic self-distribution, fiercely independent stories can command a global stage.

8. YAFF x Screen Presence Asian Showcase

Celebrating the bold, dynamic voices of the next generation of Asian-Australian storytellers. This special collaboration with the Young Australian Film Festival presented a dedicated showcase of incredible, diverse short films. The evening featured a curated lineup of micro-budget projects—spanning quirky animation to experimental horror—that deeply explored intimate themes of queer identity, family dynamics, and belonging. Ultimately, the lively Q&A highlighted the immense power of community in helping emerging creatives get their fiercely personal projects over the line.