If you want to ensure you’ll have a film or TV project that sells - and best case scenario, a steady stream of them! - you’ll need to be working on a few ideas at once. A development slate is a bit like a stock trader’s portfolio - you have to assume that not every idea you have will pan out and spread your time across multiple projects in the hope that at least one will succeed!

But how do you develop and manage a slate of projects successfully? How many ideas should you have on the go at any one time? And how do you give them all the attention they deserve, to give them the best chance of coming to fruition?

Our very own development guru Esther Coleman Hawkins is here to help, with this interactive and practical session designed to show producers, writers, directors and independent filmmakers how to maximize the chances of getting productions up by having - yes, you’ve guessed it! - a diverse slate of projects at different stages of progress. 

In this session you’ll discover how to build and manage a successful slate, including:

• The Importance of a Diverse Slate

  Why having a range of ideas across different genres and formats can increase your chances of finding the right fit for a variety of producers, commissioning editors and financial backers.

• How To Understand The Timelines Of Your Different Projects

  How a slate can help you manage the different development stages of your projects and determine when you should approach producers, commissioners and/or funders.

• Industry Trends and Timing

  How to recognise trends and zeitgeisty topics in film and TV and use them to build the projects on your slate so they’re more topical, timely and attractive to potential collaborators (creative or financial).

This is a great opportunity to learn in depth about the value of building an effective project slate - and how you can apply it to your own current and future projects to maximize success. You will leave this workshop ready to build or expand your own slate and make it work for you!

Esther’s bio:

I’m a smart, creative and innovative producer with a wealth of worldwide programming experience. From the award-winning Revolution School for ABC1 to the Logie-nominated Last Chance Saloon, my goal is to bring intimate stories to life with insight and humour.

I’m also a long-standing, and enthusiastic, veteran of development. I thrive with the challenge of turning an exciting idea into a successful TV series. Some of my favourite success stories are Luke Warm Sex, Secrets of Our Suburbs and House of Food Obsessives.

Alongside two decades of program making, I love coaching and mentoring people both inside and beyond the media industry.  I’ve helped people kick start their projects and revamp, restart or change careers.  I’m driven by the fact that I love working and I think, given how much of our lives most us spend at work, that we need to do something that meets our needs.

If you have any questions please email us on takeoff@mediamentors.com.au