2025 AACTA Screen Careers Expo is Back for its Second Year

Unlock Your Future in the Screen Industry at the 2025 AACTA Screen Careers Expo presented by Essential Screen Skills

Discover everything you need to know about a career in Film, TV, Games and the online space at the AACTA Screen Careers Expo presented in partnership with Essential Screen Skills, 9am - 5pm Saturday 8th February at HOTA on the Gold Coast. Renowned filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou (Talk to Me, RackaRacka), Dr. George Miller (Mad Max), Shane and Clayton Jacobson (Kenny), Adam Elliot (Memoir of a Snail), Bruna Papandrea (The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart) and more join the AACTA Festival lineup and offer unparalleled insights into building a career in film and TV. Find out more at aactafestival.com. 

Whether you're a student, a career changer, an emerging creative looking to gain advice on your next steps, or you're just wanting to speak with businesses that can help with your next production, the 2025 AACTA Screen Careers Expo is your gateway to Australia’s dynamic and expanding screen industry. The largest expo of its kind in Australia, the AACTA Screen Careers Expo brings together over 30 businesses and organisations dedicated to growing the screen industry, along with a myriad of friendly professionals, industry leaders and award winners on site to give first hand advice.

Highlights of the Expo:

• Information booths: Explore a range of booths offering insights into various roles across the screen industry, including the games sector. Meet professionals who will explain what their roles entail, what a typical day looks like, and how their work connects with others in the industry.

• Education Booths: Engage with leading training and tertiary education providers from the region to discuss pathways tailored to your interests.

• Employment Booths: Learn about job opportunities directly from some of Queensland's top screen employers.

• Interactive Panels and Workshops: Join panels featuring industry experts sharing their journeys into the screen industry and tips for building a career in the online space. Experience hands-on workshops and technical craft explorations to deepen your understanding of key industry skills.

• Sony and Panavision Showcase: See and try the latest in cinema production equipment from PanaVision and cutting edge cameras from Sony including the CineAlta Burano.

• Games demo area: Try the latest games from some of Australia’s largest game developers and chat with them about career opportunities in the fastest growing segment of the screen entertainment industry.

• Networking Lounge: A great place to discuss your career ambitions or your current project with the key people that can help move them forward.  

Held during the highly anticipated AACTA Festival, this Expo offers an unparalleled opportunity to learn about the diverse career pathways within the screen industry and the education and training options to kickstart your journey. From hands-on workshops to engaging panels, the Expo features a wide array of sessions tailored to inspire and educate attendees, including:

Shane and Clayton Jacobson Present Filmmaking 101

From the makers of Kenny comes a how to session no aspiring filmmaker can afford to miss Over two inspirational sessions, Shane, Clayton and a team of Industry experts will detail exactly what it takes to create and release a hit film. Every step of the filmmaking journey will be unpacked, every secret revealed, in this unprecedented and exhaustive crash course that will leave attendees inspired and ready to live out their filmmaking dreams.

Breaking into the Screen Industry

In this session, hosted by AFTRS, Australia’s national screen and audio school, you’ll hear from emerging and established industry professionals and leading educators. They’ll share their experiences navigating their steps from education to employment, pathways into the industry and offer their insights into how you can land your dream role.

Creative Entrepreneurship

Delve into the emerging role of the Creative Entrepreneur, how AI is changing the screen landscape and other key skills to develop to ensure you have a strong and sustainable future in the industry. Hosted by Julie Eckersley, with Felicity McVay.

The Fairbairn Brothers: Multiplatform Storytelling

Lachlan and Jaxon Fairbairn have become digital powerhouses producing thousands of YouTube shorts, VLOGs, skits, vertical short films, and a podcast—all infused with their signature wit and charisma. In this session, the Fairbairn brothers will take you behind the scenes of creating a Fairbairn film, sharing their journey as multiplatform storytellers.

How to Network 101

Learn how to navigate networking events, how to speak to Screen Industry professionals and how to connect with others. It is suitable for High School and University Students, recent graduates and those who have never stepped foot into a creative industries event.

Games and the Screen Industry: The future is here

Join us for a panel that delves into the dynamic intersection of the games and film/TV industries. This session will explore how these creative fields are increasingly converging through shared technologies, such as advanced CGI, motion capture, and virtual production techniques. 

Mastering Film Festival Submissions

Want to crack the code to a successful film festival submission? Gain expert tips and actionable insights in this must-attend panel featuring some of Australia’s leading festival programmers: J’aimee Skippon-Volke (Byron Bay International Film Festival), Al Cossar (Melbourne International Film Festival), Nuala O’Halloran (Gold Coast Film Festival) and Greg Dolgopolov (Vision Splendid Film Festival) This session will reveal the secrets to elevating your submission strategy and leveraging festival screenings for networking opportunities, distribution deals, and global recognition.

Navigating the Screen Industry as an Actor

Gain insider knowledge about breaking into the screen industry. From demystifying the casting process and building professional networks to managing rejection and refining your craft, this session covers it all.

Careers in Broadcast

This panel delves into career paths in broadcast media, highlighting roles in sports and news broadcasting. Industry experts will discuss the technical and creative aspects of live coverage, from producers to camera operators and reporters, while sharing insights on skills, trends, and opportunities in this dynamic field.

Colour Grading Masterclass with Kali Bateman

Join expert colourist Kali Bateman as she demonstrates the process of grading a short film scene. Learn essential techniques, including selecting colour management, primary grading, shot matching, adding secondaries for aesthetics and continuity, and creating a cohesive visual style.

Other events include, Impacting Producing, Life on Set, The Business of Show Business, Screen Industry Workforce Insights, Doja Cat Demon and more to come.

For school groups, an optional Creative Industries Study Tour is available, offering a multi-day experience that combines the expo with visits to leading education providers and local attractions, showcasing all the Gold Coast has to offer.

Director of Essential Screen Skills and Essential Crew, Laura Clelland said “Essential Screen Skills are proud to be the presenting partner for the AACTA Screen Careers Expo. This expo will ensure that students, new filmmakers and emerging crew are armed with the vital information and ‘know how’ to select and maintain a career in our vibrant, exciting and thriving screen industry. Our team has enjoyed curating panels, workshops and the expo and we look forward to seeing you there!”

AACTA Awards and Industry Development Manager Ivan Vukusic said "Building on the incredible success of our first year, the AACTA Screen Careers Expo in partnership with Essential Screen Skills has quickly become the go-to event for anyone aspiring to a career in screen or looking to expand their existing network. This year the Expo is even bigger with double the number of exhibitors, bringing together all major education, training, and local screen businesses, along with industry experts ready to share their knowledge and insights. We’re also excited about the addition of Games, with a dedicated space to play games from Australia’s biggest developers, and the opportunity to speak with them about careers in this booming industry. With Film and TV production thriving and opportunities more abundant than ever, this expo is your ultimate resource to take the next step toward a rewarding career in this exciting industry."

Jacqui Feeney, Chief Executive Officer at Screen Queensland added “As Screen Queensland works to grow our local sector, we need more people, at all levels, to join it and that is why the AACTAs Screen Careers Expo on Saturday 8 February is one event that we are especially proud to both support and be part of. Presented by Essential Screen Skills, the expo is designed for school leavers and career changers alike.”

Register to visit the Screen Careers Exhibitors Outdoor Marquee, where you can connect with education and training institutions, employers, and screen industry professionals at a range of information booths. Don’t miss your chance to take the first step toward a career in the screen sector. Register now for the 2025 AACTA Screen Careers Expo.

AACTA Festival 2025 promises a unique, immersive celebration of the power of music in screen storytelling. Don’t miss this celebration of music, creativity, and culture in the heart of the Australian screen industry. For more information visit aactafestival.com. 

AACTA have teamed up with a number of local businesses to help you plan your trip to Queensland. Take advantage of discount accommodation offers and deals on exciting Gold Coast experiences available via aacta.org. 

Key information and dates:

Location: Home of the Arts (HOTA), Gold Coast 

AACTA Festival: Wednesday 5 – Sunday 9 February 2025

AACTA Awards Industry Gala & After Party: Wednesday 5 February 2025

AACTA Awards Ceremony & Official After Party: Friday 7 February 2025

For information on the AACTA Festival, AACTA Awards and ticket sales, click here.