Program 2024

From 6pm| Friday 18 October
Sweatshop Basement Bar and Yard, 113 Lonsdale St

Your festival pass includes entry to our fabulous opening night party at Sweatshop Basement Bar and Yard, 113 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

9 –  9:55am | Saturday 19 October
Kaleide Theatre and Foyer @ RMIT University, 360 Swanston Street

• Slightly Cracked: Ghosts of the Past (AUS)
• Closure (AUS)
• Greystanes (AUS)
• People Like Us S3 (SINGAPORE)
• Good Grief (AUS)

10 – 11am | Saturday 19 October
Kaleide Theatre and Foyer @ RMIT University, 360 Swanston Street

Attendees are encouraged to fill this form ahead of time: https://forms.gle/aaCQCvp4LrFNiagu6

Participants will use the anonymous answers to build out an outline, logline, synopsis, audience, pitch, and leave with an answer to that classic question: “what else are you working on?”  

Participants will use the anonymous answers to build out an outline, logline, synopsis, audience, pitch, and leave with an answer to that classic question: “what else are you working on?”

Mitch Holland was the winner of the ABC iView Pitch Competition at Melbourne WebFest 2019 for his web series, now turned feature film, UNBOXING set to hit the film festival circuit in 2025. In this workshop, Mitchell will share his approach to independent filmmaking, and in particular the process of developing Unboxing from pitch to production.

Facilitator Bio:

Mitchell Holland is a Melbourne based actor/writer/director/filmmaker. From cutting his teeth with short form children’s entertainment to dazzling viewers with his upcoming thriller feature film, Mitch is a demonstration that there are more ways than a one-way-track to make the most of your filmmaking journey. 

Along with acclaimed theatre work, short films, commercials and TV work, Mitch’s past webseries work includes .WINTER. (screenplay and actor 2016), Grimdustries (actor 2017) and The Followers (actor 2023). 

Mitch has explored many lives in one lifetime. An advocate for wide eyed wonder and humility, Mitch comes to Melbourne WebFest to share his filmmaking journey and trajectory so that you too can inspire your own independence. 

Followed by a sneak, preview screening of Unboxing (2024)

1 – 2:25pm | Saturday 19 October
Kaleide Theatre and Foyer @ RMIT University, 360 Swanston Street

Valuing Web Series: Economic, Industrial, Cultural and Social Value.

1 – 2:25pm | Saturday 19 October
Kaleide Theatre and Foyer @ RMIT University, 360 Swanston Street

• Plausible Deniability (AUS)
• Life of Kea (AUS)
• Dark Arcadia (AUS)
• Swiping Right (AUS)
• Unpalatable (AUS)
• Alina (UK)
• SugarHope Records (AUS)

2:30 – 3:20pm | Saturday 19 October

Kaleide Theatre and Foyer @ RMIT University, 360 Swanston Street

Join us for Stream Queens, an industry panel moderated by RMIT’s Dr Alexa Scarlata for an insightful discussion from the current queens of Australian streaming creation. Featuring producer Katherine Fry and writer Michele Lee of the successful streaming series White Fever (ABC iView). Lucy Coleman, the creator and writer of current hit, Exposure (Stan). Also joining the conversation on stage is comedian, actor Diana Nguyen and creator of web series sensation Phi and Me.

Meet our panel:

Lucy Coleman’s shoestring-budget debut feature film HOT MESS, became a worldwide festival hit, and was nominated for Best Indie Feature Film at the 2020 AACTA Awards and Best Direction at the 2020 Australian Directors Guild Awards. With Lucy being named “one of the most exciting new voices in Australian cinema”. EXPOSURE is Lucy Coleman’s first TV series as Writer & Creator. The series is produced by Justin Kurzel, Shaun Grant and Nicole O’Donohue. Lucy is the sole writer of the 6x30min series, commissioned by STAN and partnered with ALL3 Media. Lucy’s webseries ON THE FRINGE made its online debut in 2018. It swept International Festivals and amassed over 10 million views of DailyMotion. In 2020, Lucy was a part of Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s IMAGINE-IMPACT script development program. Lucy shadowed director Justin Kurzel on his Cannes Award winning feature film NITRAM. Lucy also completed an extensive shadow TV directing placement on S04 of the Australian TV series FIVE BEDROOMS with director Peter Templeman. Lucy graduated with a Masters of Creative Writing from Sydney University in 2013, a Graduate Certificate in Screenwriting from AFTRS in 2014 and an undergraduate degree in Media (Screen and Sound) from UNSW in 2011.

Katherine Fry is a producer and script producer who is driven by storytelling and committed to working with female identifying, queer and diverse writers to tell their stories. A highly empathetic collaborator, Katherine gravitates towards work that is bold and playful. Katherine recently completed work on WHITE FEVER, a 6 x 1⁄2 hour comedy for the ABC, a Series that she co-developed, script produced and produced over a period of 4 years. Katherine has held development positions at Every Cloud Productions, the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) and South Pacific Pictures and she was a recipient of Screen Australia’s sought-after Enterprise People initiative, which supported her to develop her skills as a creative producer Recent script editor credits include KA WHAIWHA TONU which premiered at Sydney Film Festival 2024, and JUNIPER, starring Charlotte Rampling, a
film she championed when it was in its nascent stages while working at the NZFC. Katherine regularly assesses projects for funding agencies, including the NZFC, Screen Tasmania and the New Zealand Writers Guild, and she has mentored several writers through New Zealand’s Script to Screen programs.

Michele Lee is a Hmong-Australian writer based in Melbourne, Australia who works across stage, screen, audio, live art and digital games. She creates character-driven comedic stories, often from the perspectives of imperfect women. Michele’s screen credits include co-writing the final episode on the hour-long horror drama HUNGRY GHOSTS (2020), co-writing two episodes on the half-hour lockdown comedy RETROGRADE (2020) and writing an episode for the half-hour comedy WHITE FEVER (2024). Michele is currently working with Unless Pictures developing her half-hour comedy, STUCK IN PARADISE, and working with Cinaxiom Studios on developing her half-hour animated dramedy DAWN: RISE OF A TEENAGE SHAMAN. With Cinaxiom Studios, Michele is lead writer on the animated short-form series PLAYTIME PALS, due for online release in 2025. Michele has been a story consultant in writers’ room for various local and international production companies. Michele is currently script editor with Toprock Productions and Bunnitten Studios on their Screen Australia-funded scripted dramedy series, LIFE OF KEA.

Previous credits in Australia and the UK for stage work, audio work and live art include: HOW DO I LET YOU DIE? (2023); RICE (2022, 2021, 2017), SECURITY (2022), SINGLE LADIES (2021), GOING DOWN (2018), THE NAKED SELF (2018, 2016), TALON SALON (2014, 2013, 2012) and SEE HOW THE LEAF PEOPLE RUN (2012). She is under commission from Melbourne Theatre Company and RMIT Capitol. Her memoir BANANA GIRL (2013) is published by Transit Lounge.

Diana Nguyen is a comedian, writer and snorter! She calls herself the Creative Entrepreneur. In 2019, Phi and Me web series was released around the world celebrating the love between a Vietnamese refugee mother and her daughter. The show won multiple web festivals around the world including the Melbourne WebFest Ruby award and best supporting actress in Sicily. Since 2019 , Phi and Me has been viewed 40 million times on social media and continues to grow their fanbase. She also has a podcast called The Snortcast, spoke at her first Tedx talk about joy, and dances on Linkedin to her 72k followers. In 2021 she was awarded the Top 40 Official Asian Australian Leadership award for her contribution to the arts.

Alexa Scarlata is a lecturer and research fellow in the School of Media and Communication at RMIT University. With qualifications in law and global media communications, she is a scholar of media and cultural industries with a special interest in internet distributed television, content production and national screen policy.

3:30 – 5pm | Saturday 19 October
Kaleide Theatre and Foyer @ RMIT University, 360 Swanston Street

• My Happiest Days (CAN)
• Imperium (AUS)
• Enter the Wild (AUS)
• Spider-Zan (IRAN)
• Chockablock 2 (AUS)
• Girl Crush (AUS)
• Discrétes (CAN)
• The Struggle for Existence (DEN)
• I Hate People, People Hate Me (CAN)

6  – 7:30pm | Saturday 19 October
Kaleide Theatre and Foyer @ RMIT University, 360 Swanston Street

The moment you’ve waiting for the official awards ceremony with awards, speeches and more!

5 – 6pm | Saturday 19 October
Kaleide Theatre and Foyer @ RMIT University, 360 Swanston Street

Connect with the Webfest community and get your pres in before the Awards!

11:10  – 12:30pm | Saturday 19 October
Kaleide Theatre and Foyer @ RMIT University, 360 Swanston Street

By Mitchell Holland with an introduction by AFI Research Collection 2024 fellow Digby Houghton.

75min, Paranoid Thriller. Written, created, directed, edited, VFX and starring Mitchell Holland

UNBOXING follows Tom, a wannabe streamer who becomes the prime suspect in a missing persons case after ordering a mystery box off the dark web and a series of incriminating evidence continues to be delivered to his home.
Across the duration of a sickening night, Tom pulls every trick he knows for a validating like and subscribe, even if it may be at the cost of those dearest to him.
As more boxes arrive we shift from the POV of the webcam to be placed in the room with Tom, capturing every bead of sweat, each drop of blood and … “what is that rice?!”

Winner of the ABC iView Pitch Competition at Melbourne Webfest 2019, UNBOXING has evolved from a dark, web series concept into a macabre feature film.