Strength in Numbers

David is the founder of Compton School and co-founder of Wizer. He is also Chair of Screen Canberra. He was previously Head of Screen Business at the Australian Film Television & Radio School, where he led the highly regarded Masters of Screen Arts & Business program.

He has been involved in the financing of more than a dozen film and television productions including Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom, Dean Cavell’s The Wiggles Movie and Andrew Horne’s The Animated Leunig. As author of Film Assistance: Future Options (Allen & Unwin, 1986), he was policy architect of the Film Finance Corporation established by the Australian Government in 1988. David holds a PhD from the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University.

Baeley Amalfi is a Western Australian production coordinator working across drama and documentary filmmaking. His credits include See Picture’s Runt, Penguin Empire’s We Bury The Dead, as well as ongoing Artemis Media documentary projects.

With a background that includes roles at Screenwest, Curtin University, and Screen Careers, Baeley is passionate about integrating his long-form narrative and documentary experience into the wider industry. He is currently developing his voice as a documentary filmmaker, and in 2025 his short film Third Space premiered at the Revelation Perth International Film Festival.

As a freelance technician and film crew member, Rose has worked in roles such as camera and sound recordist, editing and sound editing. In these roles, she has worked on short films, feature films, long-running TV series, corporate documentary and commercials/CSAs. She has acted as a producer and director on short, community projects.

As a screenwriter, Rose has a slate of concepts and developed storylines and scripts which are new Australian works copyrighted to Rose and ready for development.

Rose has been successful in attracting grant funding in the areas of screen production, education and community arts. She has taught screenwriting, and filmmaking skills to children from 8 years old to adults, in schools, vocational and tertiary settings. She has developed course materials to match the innovative courses she has run.

Rose has worked with budgets on her own small businesses, and as the project manager on grant-funded projects to acquittal. Rose’s focus is now to establish herself as a creator/writer, and see some of her long form drama series developed for distribution into global markets.
Rose is also active in a number of organisations. She is currently an Adjunct Lecturer at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, a member of the Australian Writers’ Guild (since 1989) and is an active member of the international Screenwriting Research Network. She has involved with WIFT over different periods throughout her career.

I grew up in Western Australia and began my career here. Acting, writing, directing. Stage, screen, whatever came my way. It was all storytelling. And it was my passion.

I left Perth in the mid-nineties and built a life as an actor. That became the focus. Maybe rightly. Maybe not. There were times I felt I’d lost my way. That I hadn’t lived up to my potential. But those were fleeting thoughts. I always believed I’d reach a certain point, then expand the dream. That acting would be the doorway. That it would lead me back to what I was actually good at. Seeing the big picture. Building something from the ground up. Working with other creatives to bring the best out of each other and to make work that was exciting. Fresh. Made here. But universal. Accessible. International. And always intentional.

After leaving Perth I lived in Sydney for fifteen years, then thirteen more in the US. There was real success. I kept writing when I could. Directed a bit. I spent several years as Creative Director at a corporate film company, making internal films for major clients. But acting was the engine. It paid the bills. It shaped everything.

Since coming back to WA last year, something’s shifted. I’ve been working steadily as an actor, but I’ve also had space to turn back toward the kind of work I believe I’m here to make. Writing. Producing. Building from the ground up. Being a creator. Not just a cog in the wheel.

Right now I’m developing a slate across film and TV and laying the foundations for a production company. Not just to get my own stories made, but to bring together collaborators. To foster talent. To be on the leading edge of a vibrant industry. To reach a broad audience on a deep level. Whether it’s for pure entertainment or something more layered and dense.

This chapter is about authorship. It’s about building something that lasts. Creating work. Supporting others. Lifting them up. Fostering their voice. Enriching this generation. And creating something for generations to come.

Helena Cohen-Robertson is a multi-disciplinary Producer with a background in corporate law. Her development slate includes 7 scripted projects, such as feature film White Swans and TV series Bailed Out (both funded by Screenwest) and 1 documentary.

Since 2021, she has joined WA’s leading production companies on 12 factual programs with rapid progression to more senior roles, including Me & My Tourettes (SBS – Assistant Producer), Secret Life of Our Urban Birds, Perth (ABC – Associate Producer), and an 8-part documentary series for NITV (Story Producer & Post Story Producer).

Helena founded community arts initiative Know Your Nation in 2015, producing exhibitions, long table dinner events, theatre and short films. Three short films exemplify this work: Picture of Me (2017) won the Ambassador’s Choice Award at Revelation Film Festival; Singing for our one True Heart (2019) was selected for six festivals worldwide; and Azelia Ley Homestead Museum (2023), which was commissioned and screened by the City of Cockburn.

A History graduate from Oxford University, Helena is also an Oral Historian with clients including the National Library of Australia and State Library of Western Australia.

Jen Edwards is a visionary producer with a proven ability to deliver powerful, audience driven storytelling across theatre, television, and now film. With over a decade of experience producing high profile productions for stage and screen, Jen is now focused on developing cinematic works that amplify underrepresented voices and explore bold, emotionally resonant narratives.

As Senior Producer at Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company, Jen has spearheaded nationally acclaimed productions including Songbird, Brothers Wreck, Operation Boomerang and Thirst, overseeing every stage of development, from concept creation and funding acquisition to casting, touring and audience engagement. Her award winning work has consistently attracted critical acclaim, government support, and strong community impact.

In broadcast, Jen has produced major sporting events for networks including Seven, Nine, and ABC, with credits spanning the Tokyo Olympics, National Netball, AFLW and the Australian Open. She also produced and directed popular lifestyle and travel series with Guru Productions, building loyal audiences across Garden Gurus, Explore TV, and Destination WA.

Now expanding into film, Jen brings a rare combination of creative instinct, production precision, and strategic vision. She is actively developing screen projects that challenge convention, celebrate diverse perspectives, and connect deeply with audiences. With a reputation for delivering productions that run seamlessly behind the scenes and shine brilliantly on screen, Jen is a trusted creative partner for collaborators, investors, and funding bodies alike.

Ron has worked in the entertainment industry for over fifty years, his long-standing passion. Over most of that time, he was a stage actor, and since the early 2010’s he has branched into performing in film, television and subsidiary areas, appearing in over 150 projects including TV commercials and voice overs.

Ron holds three business degrees, including a Masters Degree in Information System Management (with Distinction) from Curtin University of Technology in Perth, Western Australia. Alongside his theatre acting, Ron had a corporate IT professional life until his retirement in 2013. As a leader in the IT industry, he managed numerous projects providing technology solutions to corporate entities.

Over the years he has directed and produced many theatre productions, and in 2019 he directed and produced a cast and crew of 35 for a community theatre production. It’s made a healthy profit to support the theatre. In 2022 Ron was attached to a project as producer for a planned feature film which would later become a multi-series episodic narrative TV production. (NDA in place).

Along with his wife, Sue, they operate Camelot Productions Australia, a vehicle created for film, television and theatre productions. Ron’s wealth of industry knowledge is proving invaluable to Red Dust Dreams.

Julie Raffaele, trading as ‘Tubby Zoltan’, is a writer, director and producer creating film and television experiences that are defiant, joyful, imaginative and adventurous. Her involvement in the Australian screen industry spans blue-chip documentary (including ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’, SBS), award-nominated short-form, and internationally focused drama development. Tubby Zoltan was awarded an Austrade Export Market Development Grant for pitching in India, and Julie held the 2021 Battye Fellowship at the State Library of WA (with this research now being developed into a drama series ‘The Camp’).

Her creative practice has been strengthened by ongoing professional development, including AFTRS screenwriting courses, John Yorke Story for Screenwriting, the WIFT Mentorship Program, and most recently a Rocaberti Writers Retreat Scholarship under UK showrunner Dan Zeff. Julie’s current focus is the development of drama series and features for the Australia, UK and South East Asia markets. She is presently collaborating with Wildlife SOS India on a feature project for the Indian marketplace.

Miranda Edmonds is an award-winning Australian director and producer recognised for emotionally driven, visually rich storytelling. She has directed and produced a range of acclaimed short films that have screened internationally and sold to major broadcasters. With a background in both law and science, Miranda brings a sharp analytical mind and strong creative instincts to every project she undertakes.

Miranda is the co-director, alongside her brother Khrob Edmonds, of a number of acclaimed short films including TANGO UNDERPANTS, written by John Collee (Master and Commander) and starring Emma Booth (Hounds of Love). Filmed in Buenos Aires, the film won the Audience Award at Palm Springs and Best Short Film at the St Tropez Cinéma des Antipodes, and was acquired by Qantas, SBS, United Airlines, KQED, and RAI Italy. Their musical short LIBRARY OF LOVE, starring Golden Globe-winner Ian Brennan, premiered at Palm Springs International ShortFest and screened at the Lincoln Center in New York.
As a team Miranda & Khrob have directed a number of other award-winning short films including the Tim Winton adaptation THE WATER WAS DARK and the animation CHAT NOIR as well as completing a directing attachment on Ryan Murphy’s Fox TV show Scream Queens.

Miranda is the founder of Cottesloe Films, based in Western Australia, and is committed to telling bold, distinctive Australian stories with international resonance. Miranda holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Producing from the Victorian College of the Arts, and a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Science from the University of Western Australia.

Priscilla-Anne Jacob is an award-winning producer, director, and accomplished actor, with over 15 years of experience in the film and television industry. She holds a Master’s degree in Screen Studies from the WA Screen Academy and a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Industries and Communications. Known for her sharp creative vision, Priscilla has made a name for herself in both behind-the-scenes and on-screen roles.

As a producer and director, Priscilla is the founder of New Thing Productions, a production company she launched in 2020. Her work spans a range of impactful projects, including the six-part docu-series YShac, produced for Anglicare to raise awareness about youth homelessness. Priscilla’s short film Joan (2024), funded by the Screenwest Elevate Production Grant, garnered widespread acclaim, further cementing her reputation as a talented and visionary filmmaker.

Priscilla’s work as an actress has also been highly regarded. She has appeared in notable television series such as The Twelve, Rake, and Itch, where her performances earned recognition for their depth and range. Her role in The Pineville Heist won her Best Actress in a Thriller at the Actors Awards, Los Angeles, and she was also nominated for Best Actress at the US Hollywood International Film Festival.

With a diverse skill set that extends into marketing and advertising—having run her own successful social media agency—Priscilla is able to bring a holistic approach to her storytelling. She is a board member of Women in Film & TV (WIFT) Western Australia, where she advocates for gender equity in the industry and champions authentic female-driven narratives.

Firstly I’m a mother of two kids 14 & 10, married to Ed, who became my business partner in 2019. At Fisheye Production I am a Producer/Director in a husband wife Production team. My background is advertising and have shifted into producing, second camera, photography, editing, art department and graphics. Our body of work covers content, short documentary, advertising and broadcast. I have recently made my first short 20 min documentary and am looking to turn it into a feature.

I am an emerging producer based in Western Australia, currently operating as a sole trader under the banner Yah Films. Over the past few years I have gained experience across development, production, and post-production, working on both short-form and feature projects. I currently have two projects in active development and two in post-production, which has given me a strong foundation in collaborating with writers, directors, and creative teams to shepherd projects through each stage of the screen process.

My producing journey has shown me the importance of building not only strong projects, but also a strong business framework to support them. I am now at the stage of transitioning Yah Films from a sole trader model into a production company with a sustainable long-term vision. I am passionate about championing original voices, supporting creative talent, and creating work that resonates with both local and international audiences.

Carolyn is Screenwest’s CFO & Head of Corporate Services, responsible for the internal operations of the company, including, financial management, corporate governance, enterprise risk management, people & culture, and facilities & IT.

Kirby is Screenwest’s Industry Development Manager. Kirby has a professional background across many arts platforms, working as a theatre production manager, sports presentation producer and film practitioner over the last 15 years. Kirby is passionate about the growth of the WA film community and industry.