OUR GSFF2 JUDGES
DOUWE DIJKSTRA
Douwe Dijkstra is a multidisciplinary filmmaker and video artist from the Netherlands. Whether painting a giant snail, working with dancers, actors, musicians, or turning himself into a fairy for a series of animated shorts, his video work is experimental, humorous, socially engaging and often shows the construction of the image as part of the narrative.
Douwe studied Illustration at ArtEZ in Zwolle. In 2014 he created the video installation and multi award winning short film Démontable. His other films include the documentaries Voor Film (2015) and Green Screen Gringo (2016). Between 2008 and 2019 he was part of the video collective 33 1/3.
A returning topic in Douwe’s work is the way society deals with the use of media and media perception. In his latest work he combines documentary filmmaking with VFX, blurring the line between fiction and reality.
Head to douwedijkstra.nl to immerse yourself in Douwe’s incredible body of work.
“Chroma keying is a technique that allows me to work as a very free one-man band film maker. It enables an organic visual work process of searching and finding in a field that is often determined by scripts.”
CODY GREENWOOD
Cody Greenwood is the founder of Rush Films. Recognised by Screen Producer’s Australia as ‘One to Watch’, Cody has since earned herself a reputation as one of Australia’s most promising film producers.
Having created award winning documentary and short films that have garnered international acclaim at festivals, Cody’s latest feature documentary ‘Under the Volcano’ premiered at SXSW and is being distributed globally by Universal Pictures.
Cody has spent the last decade working alongside some of Australia’s most prominent storytellers to create authentic and thought-provoking content. Her most recent productions include Sparkles, Tooly and documentary series Girl Like You.
“We need to champion the film industry as a critical pathway to social change; to not only make films that reflect the diversity of the individuals and the communities amongst us, but to find innovative ways to make sure people outside of our industry are watching our home grown productions with impact.”
TIM ROSS
Well-known for his work on TV and radio as a number one breakfast and drive show host, Sydney comedian Tim Ross is also an award-winning filmmaker and design enthusiast.
For the past decade, Tim, with musical partner Kit Warhurst, has performed his live Man About the House show to sold-out audiences in architecturally significant buildings and homes across the world – think Harry Seidler, Robin Boyd, Glenn Murcutt, John Wardle, Clare Cousins and Roy Grounds. Enjoying international acclaim in the US, NZ, Venice and London (a ‘Must See’ event according to the New York Times) Tim presented Man About the Sydney Opera House with Grand Designs host, Kevin McCloud.
Tim has received multiple awards for his activism in drawing attention to Australia’s legacy of modernist architecture and promoting its conservation. His two-part series Streets of Your Town, premiered on the ABC in November 2016 to rave reviews and high ratings.
In 2018, Tim partnered with the Powerhouse Museum Sydney to curate his first exhibition Design Nation, bringing together design objects from the mid-60s to late 80s, celebrating the golden age of innovation in Australia.
His show MOTEL with Kit Warhurst toured Australia in 2019 as a nostalgic, thought provoking and funny exploration of Australian holidays of the past – using storytelling and song to take the audience on a sentimental journey.
Tim’s latest live show about why architecture matters, Designing A Legacy, was adapted for television and went to air in February 2021 to rave reviews.
“Now is the time to tell our stories, the inclusive stories and the most exciting time for all Australians to have a voice on screen. It’s also a time for positive and uplifting stories and a time for our stories to help create real change.”
JENNIFER SULLIVAN
Jennifer Sullivan has made a career out of knowing what’s next in pop culture and emerging technologies. An award-winning brand visionary and futurist, Jennifer has worked across a wide range of industries giving her an incredibly powerful network ranging from music, art, and fashion to technology, consumer products, and retailers.
Jennifer began her career developing entertainment-driven promotional programs for companies like McDonald's, Kellogg's, Burger King, and Vivendi Universal Games. In 2008, she co-founded licensing industry award-winning agency Gator Group, representing Paul Frank, Jeremyville, Emily the Strange, Sony Music, Moomin, and others. Jennifer joined Los Angeles-based consultancy memBrain as President in 2010, developing programs for and advising global brands including Intel, ASUS, Logitech, Hasbro, and McDonald’s. While at memBrain, Jennifer has created programs with some of the most influential creators in the world including will.i.am, Demi Lovato, Gal Gadot, Kenny Scharf, Jamie Oliver, Jaden and Willow Smith, and Annie Leibovitz.
A former music teacher and classically trained opera singer, Jennifer is passionate about supporting emerging music artists. Jennifer created and has been Editor-in-Chief of memBrain's monthly music magazine, "The STORM Report" since 2012. She was honoured as a 2016 recipient of the T.J. Martell Foundation's ‘Women of Influence’ Award for her achievements as a woman in the music industry, connecting talent with brands for sync licensing, endorsements, and sponsorships. Jennifer is also a frequent speaker for conferences throughout the world on entertainment, brand partnerships, and personal branding.
Among her many other leadership roles, Jennifer is an active member of and mentor for Women in Toys, Entertainment, and Licensing (WIT) and is on the Leadership Board of the T.J. Martell Foundation (the music industry’s largest foundation for leukemia, cancer, and AIDS research).
“Technology has advanced to the point where we are now only bound by the limits of our imagination and our drive to succeed’ says Jennifer. ‘My advice for any aspiring filmmaker, musician, or creator of any kind is to dream big and stick to it. In a world where everyone has the tools to create, it’s those who push their own vision forward and strive for what’s next that will shine.”
KARLA HART
Karla Hart is an award-winning filmmaker, actress, radio personality, was Perth’s NAIDOC Artist of the Year in 2009 and 2017 and holds a 2020 International ImagineNATIVE Award, WA Screen Award, WA Fringe Award, WA Performing Arts Award and a Deadly Award.
She also recently won the Aboriginal Award for West Australian of the Year for 2021.
Karla’s producing, writing and directing credits include NITV and AFL sports entertainment show Yokayi Footy series 1, 2 and soon to be 3, Cinefest finalist short drama Tooly, documentary series Family Rules Series 1, 2 and 3 (NITV), On Country Kitchen Series 1 an 2 (NITV), Virtual Whadjuk (VR project), Nyoongar Footy Magic (NITV), Shame (ABCME), Is Sharing Caring (ABC), Angela’s Rules (NITV), Magic Quandong (ABC) and other short documentary films. To date Karla’s film credits are over 90 full length episodes on television.
Karla also has an extensive background on radio, as an actress and playwright, as a Noongar cultural dancer and choreographer, singer and speaker, Master of Ceremonies and a workshop facilitator for dance, Noongar language and performance. Karla also curates major events and original concepts with Wardarnji Festival for over 10 years, Deadly Funny Perth for the City of Fremantle plus NAIDOC, seasonal festivals and events across City of Perth with Bunuru Festival, and weekly corroborees at Yagan Square and now the WA Museum. Karla manages and performs with Noongar dance group Kwarbah Djookian singing in language for over 10 years performing at major events such as PIAF with The Giants, Boorna Waanginy, Siren Song and overseas multiple times.
Karla studied Aboriginal Theatre at WAAPA where she is Alumni and holds a BA in Contemporary Arts majoring in Performing Arts from Edith Cowan University.
“Technology can change, but for me filmmaking will always be about an incredible story that gets you hook, line and sinker. It’s about the storytelling and the heart of the story. If I can feel that sense of heart and emotion, I feel like I’ve gone on a journey with someone. To look through the window of a life of someone, or a community that I never would have had a chance to see otherwise – to think about things through a foreign lens – it’s a really powerful platform to create human change.”
OUR GSFF1 JUDGES
KRIV STENDERS
Kriv Stenders is one of Australia’s most renowned, respected and prolific film directors with numerous critically acclaimed and award winning shorts, documentaries, music videos, television commercials, television series and feature films to his credit.
RED DOG won both Best Director and Best Film at the 2011 IF Awards and Best Film at the inaugural 2012 ACCTA Awards. Other notable films include Wake in Fright (2017), The Go Between’s: Right There (2017) and most recently, Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan (2020).
“All I know about the future is that it’s impossible to predict, but that’s also what’s exciting about it. As filmmakers we have to embrace unpredictability, and turn it into an advantage by taking control of our own process and finding our own unique and individual ways to create and to tell our stories. We have to learn to run our own races.”
MIKE BARKER
Mike Barker is a writer, producer, animator and voice actor. He co-created the animated series, American Dad, serving as showrunner for nine seasons. The iconic series is currently in its 15th season.
Prior to American Dad, Mike worked with Seth Macfarlane and Matt Weitzman as a writer and producer on the first three seasons of Family Guy. He also voiced some of the characters on both Family Guy and American Dad.
Barker got his start by writing for Don Rickles on the 1993 Fox sitcom, Daddy Dearest. Following that, he wrote on a number of live action series, including Hardball, The Last Frontier, Homeboys In Outer Space, and Off Centre.
“The more physically isolated we are from one another, the more vital our need to connect through art becomes. This festival is one of the early triumphs of creative ingenuity over limitation, and we’ll undoubtedly see more inventive solutions to come.”
SUSAN PRIOR
Susan Prior is a distinguished and award winning actress and writer. A NIDA graduate, she has worked prolifically in Australia and internationally across theatre, film and television.
Film credits include Animal Kingdom, A Cold Summer, which she co wrote, Suburban Mayhem and Idiot Box. TV credits include Safe Harbour, Top of the Lake, Rake, Doctor Doctor, Puberty Blues and Love Child.
With an absolute passion for theatre, Susan has worked on every Australian stage, across the breadth of our theatre companies.
Her highlights include Riflemind (directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman in both Sydney and on London's West End), and The Present (starring Cate Blanchett), in Sydney and on Broadway.
Susan starred in Peter Templeman's Oscar-nominated short The Saviour and received an AACTA Award for David Michod's film The Rover, in which she starred with Robert Pattinson and Guy Pearce.
“If you free yourself from constraints and fear, where would your imagination take you? This is the perfect time for real innovation, exploration and growth, of new horizons revealing themselves. When everything is telling you to hide, maybe it’s time to reveal. Now, more than ever there is an opportunity for new stories to appear. To break the mold, to listen to your heart, your gut: to explore, be bold, take risks defiantly, and soar. Don’t let the negatives spoil your positives. Have no fear, reach out and connect.”
LOUISE BARNES
Louise Barnes is an actress, voice artist and narrator living and working in Los Angeles. While her first love is theatre, she has spent the majority of her career in film and TV.
Louise gained recognition in South Africa for various roles in film and television. She is best known for her performance in the 2009 South African/UK horror film, Surviving Evil, in which she starred alongside Billy Zane. She also played Miranda Barlow in the 2014 American television series Black Sails, for which she received critical acclaim. More recently Louise appeared in The Outsiders TV series, NCIS and Reprisal (Hulu).
“While the future of our industry is very uncertain, this time has served to make us more aware than ever of our connectedness, our vulnerability and our capacity for compassion - all the makings of brilliant stories.”
JIM TITUS
Jim Titus began acting at the age of four when he joined his first theatre group. As a teenager he became a member of the AMAS Repertory Theatre, where he trained in drama, movement and voice. His comedic sensibility and unique humour lead him to train at a number of improv theatres in New York and Los Angeles. His commitment to both comedy and drama, has allowed him to forge a diverse career across TV and Film.
Jim’s TV credits include Pretty Little Liars, Arrested Development, Code Black and Curb Your Enthusiasm to name few. Most recently he played a lead role in the comedic, heart-filled, zombie road trip feature film Eat, Brains, Love.
“I can’t believe something like the GreenScreen Film Fest did not exist before now. As they say, “Necessity is the mother of invention”, so from unfortunate, unpredictable circumstance, comes an inclusive festival that the industry
truly needs. ”
SANDY GREENWOOD
Sandy Greenwood is a Gumbaynggirr, Dunghutti and Bundjalung woman who writes Indigenous content for Stage and Screen.
In 2019, her critically acclaimed play “Matriarch” was nominated for Green room award for Best Writing.
As a screenwriter Sandy wrote the Indigenous storyline for independent feature films, “Giselle” and “The Aussie” and is currently adapting “Matriarch” into a television mini-series.
She is also employed to ensure authentic cultural representation of ancient and contemporary Indigenous culture, story, character and history as an Indigenous script consultant and works as a copywriter for online platforms along with print media editorials.
Sandy is a recognisable face as an actor for stage and screen. She has appeared in multiple theatre productions including Sydney Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre and IIbijerri. Internationally, she has worked with Seattle Theatre Company and also the British-Australian feature film, “Killer Elite” with Robert De Niro and Jason Statham.
DAVID NGO
David Ngo is a producer, writer and co-founder of production company Projector Films, which produced the controversial TV series Maddie Parry: Tough Jobs (ABC), as well as feature films Martha: A Picture Story (Tribeca, Sydney) and the James Beard Award winning documentary Barbecue (SXSW, Netflix).
Recently David produced the critically acclaimed feature films One Eyed Girl (Austin Film Festival: Winner - Best Picture) and Rabbit (FantasticFest, Sitges), which won David the Melbourne International Film Festival's Best Producer Prize.
Currently he is working on Devil Inside, directed by Jonathan auf der Heide (Van Diemen's Land) and starring Ryan Kwanten (True Blood), and the documentary series Never Get Busted, directed by Stephen McCallum (Outlaws) about the Texan narcotics officer that flipped the script on law enforcement and started busting his fellow police.
“While every aspect of our industry is changing at the speed of light, one thing has remained constant since the birth of film - there is always a need for stories that connect and help us make some sense of this mad mad world.”
