The NT Screen and Cinematic Craft Summit heads to Darwin from 18-20 September, with the newly-released lineup showcasing a host of essential talks, screenings and masterclasses for screen practitioners.
As shared, Screen Territory is delivering the event in partnership with Charles Darwin University, the Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS) and the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) and it will be free of charge for attendees.
The focus here is on educating about the craft and creativity of storytelling on screen, and how to support the next generation of creatives.
NT Screen and Cinematic Craft Summit 2026: full lineup – quick links
What to know about the NT Screen and Cinematic Craft Summit 2026
As shared, the speaker lineup for the event includes an assortment of prominent screen industry practitioners from across Australia. Confirmed to appear so far are:
- Andy Ryan, Head of Scripted Streaming & Broadcast, Stan, 9Network and 9Now.
- Kathryn Fink, SBS Head of Television.
- Brett Sleigh, ABC Commissioning Editor Scripted.
- John Collee, BAFTA-winning and Academy Award-nominated screenwriter of Monkey Man, Bow Swallows Universe, Master and Commander.
- John Graham, LA-based producer and head of Chris Hemsworth’s production company Wildstate.
- Brent Crockett, ACS President.
- Tanya Phegan, Screen Australia Head of Development.
- Australian director Dylan River of Mystery Road: Origin.
- Australian director Erica Glynn of She Who Must Be Loved.
- Australian director and actor Jeremy Sims of The Artful Dodger, Rams.
- Australian director Victoria Baldock of Love of an Icon: The Legend of Crocodile Dundee.
- Australian director Gemma Lee of Fizzy and Suds.
- Delvene Delaney, producer and actress of Crocodile Dundee 2.
- Greg Haddrick, showrunner of Human Error, Janet King, Underbelly.
- Sam Miekle, screenwriter of The Twelve, Last King of the Cross.
- Cinematographers Anna Howard, Andy Taylor and Casimir Dickson.
- Production designers Helen O’Loan, Matthew Putland and Michael Leon.
- Industry technical leaders including Lauren Van Rensburg, Jade Robinson and Nic Godoy.
These key speakers will deliver talks focussed on various subject matter, including the state of cinematography in Australia, the legacy of Crocodile Dundee, the partnership between directors and cinematographers, the art of high-end commercials, the importance of production design, and how screenwriters tell stories.
The event will also host the Spark Short Film World Premiere on 18 September, showing off the short films developed by filmmakers as part of Screen Territory’s Spark Short Film Initiative. Films set to get their debut during this event include:
- Latch (dir. Bridget May) starring Pedrea Jackson as a hit man out of his depth in the outback with body in the boot and his sleeve caught in the latch when along comes a park ranger, played by Trisha Morton-Thomas, who stops to help.
- With You (dir. Laurens Goud) starring NTÂ newcomer Claudia Wyles alongside Georgina Haig and Josh Mapleston, as a teenage girl, unseen by her overwhelmed parents in the moment she most needs them. Coming apart on a remote Northern Territory road she must find her own way back, alone, from deep in the bush.
- Hardcase (dir. Ethan Grahek) starring Amelia Aberasturi as a young ex-scientist fleeing her own invention jumps who into a taxi with a very reluctant, sharp-witted indigenous driver, Kamahi King, hiding a deadly secret.
- The Long Drop (dir. Penelope McDonald) starring Madeleine Madden and Emily Taheny in a grounded comedy about dignity, friendship, the strange situations life drops us into and the unexpected insight that can emerge when we find ourselves stuck at rock bottom.
Other events talking place as part of the showcase include a special screening of Crocodile Dundee and the ACS Awards, which recognise the accomplishments of the Northern Territory’s ‘finest’ cinematographers.
The importance of the NT Screen and Cinematic Craft Summit 2026
Per Screen Territory, the NT Screen and Cinematic Craft Summit is an important part of the local screen industry calendar for the lessons it offers, and for how it provides opportunities for networking and connection.
‘This is a fantastic weekend for the screen industry in the Northern Territory,’ Jennie Hughes, Screen Territory Senior Director says.
‘We’re bringing some of Australia’s leading screen practitioners and decision-makers to Darwin, while shining a spotlight on the next generation of Territory storytellers through our SPARK initiative. This year’s focus on craft, with masterclasses in fiction, factual, high-end commercial, and aerial cinematography was curated especially for the NT lens, as we live and work in the most cinematographically spectacular place on earth!’
Marie-Clare Boothby, Minister for Tourism and Hospitality also shared excitement for the event and its potential to showcase local talent within the region, and provide opportunities for future growth.
‘The NT Screen and Cinematic Craft Summit is all about growing the Territory’s screen industry, which is making waves on screens all over the world, while building our appeal as a must-visit destination,’ Boothby says.
‘The event offers a suite of opportunities for Territorians to connect with industry leaders, hone their skills, and to help shape the future of Australia’s screen industry – and the Territory’s growing role in that space.’
