Screen Producers Australia has announced its Ones To Watch cohort for 2026/27, highlighting emerging and established screen practitioners with exciting new works under their belt, or on the way.
The annual professional development and mentorship program aims to elevate Australian producers and creators by providing them with one-on-one guidance and mentorships, as well as access to six months of industry webinars and discounted registration, curated industry meetings and networking opportunities at industry event Screen Forever 41 in 2027.
All participants are also eligible to apply for the dedicated Ones To Watch Screen Placement, a Screen Australia-supported fund providing a $20,000 contribution towards international industry placement.
As part of its announcement, Screen Producers Australia has highlighted the work of each successful applicant, as well as alumni who have gone on to achieve great things, with the support and elevation of the program.
Screen Producers Australia shares Ones To Watch 2026/27 class – quick links
The SPA Ones To Watch class of 2026/27
As shared, here’s the full class of Screen Producers Australia’s Ones To Watch for 2026/27.
PRODUCERS
- Andy Huang (VIC) – ‘An award-winning screen producer focused on developing films with strong international potential and a distinctive cross-cultural perspective.’
- Carlos Manrique Clavijo (SA) – ‘A Colombian-Australian animation producer and sound designer, and co-founder of Karu-Karu, creating distinctive animated stories for Australian and international audiences.’
- Devina McPherson (WA) – ‘A proud Widi Yamatji and Noongar First Nations woman from Western Australia, and Development and Co-Producer at RAMU Productions.’
- Rizcel Gagawanan (NSW) – ‘A multidisciplinary Filipino-Australian producer, content creator, writer, director and performer, and co-founder of Full Fat Productions.’
- Michael Long (WA) – ‘A Western Australian producer developing animation, digital series and film, with a focus on creator-owned IP, audience-first storytelling and independent production.’
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CREATORS
- Maggie Looke (VIC) – ‘An award-winning Australian comedy writer, director and producer with more than a decade of experience across television and live comedy.’
- Sebastian Chan (ACT) – ‘A writer, director and producer working across multiple genres of narrative storytelling, with experience spanning digital content, television and feature film.’
- Tresa Ponnor (NSW) – ‘A writer, director and producer working across scripted and factual content, with a particular interest in character, comedy, identity, family and belonging.’
- Tak Nakano (NSW) – ‘An award-winning Australian-Japanese bilingual director and producer working across documentary, scripted, commercial and branded content for global platforms.’
- Saksham Sharma (NSW) – ‘An Australian-Indian actor, writer and producer working across performance and storytelling, with a focus on championing diverse voices on screen and behind the camera.’
What to know about the SPA Ones To Watch program
As shared by Screen Producers Australia, its Ones To Watch program has helped to elevate an array of creatives since 2013. Partnerships forged with Foxtel, SBS and Screen Australia have allowed for an array of creative placements for producers and creators of all levels, with these experiences helping to elevate screen careers across Australia.
‘Since its induction, the program has celebrated the diversity of Australian filmmakers, with our 180 alumni coming from every state and territory in the nation and utilising a variety of platforms and formats to tell their stories and share their unique viewpoints,’ Screen Producers Australia says.
We expect to see more news out of the program in future, with many of its latest cohort currently working on new screen projects of all sizes and ambitions.
Also on ScreenHub: Screen Producers Australia opens applications for Pitch On Demand program
Screen Producers Australia has opened applications for Pitch On Demand 2026, a curated program bringing together those with novel screen project ideas and relevant commissioners or production partners. The annual program, now in its sixth year, is for Screen Producers Australia members with a new project in development. Following online briefing webinars tailored towards refined pitches for the program, members can now submit their projects, with opportunity for these to be selected to be heard by a panel of partners.
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