Workshops and Events for Western Sydney Filmmakers
Made in the West might be known for our annual film festival, but supporting Western Sydney filmmakers doesn’t begin and end when the cinema lights go down.
Throughout 2026, the team behind the festival at Made in the West Creative is expanding our program of workshops, conversations and professional development opportunities designed to bring filmmakers together, strengthen skills and create better connections with the wider screen industry.
From getting hands-on with professional camera equipment, to tackling the realities of independent film distribution and learning how to turn an idea into a market-ready project, there’s plenty happening outside festival season this year.
BEHIND THE LENS WITH PANAVISION
We kicked things off in May with Behind the Lens, a two-part cinematography workshop presented with event partners Panavision Australia, Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS) at Arts & Cultural Exchange (ACE) .
The workshop was hosted by Nic Godoy, Panavision’s Asia-Pacific sales rep, and brought together cinematographer Meg White ACS and US-based director Elissa Down for an afternoon at ACE Parramatta dedicated to discussing the visual and technical side of working with Panavision lenses.
It was fantastic to see such a strong turnout, and it confirmed something we kind of already knew; that there’s a huge appetite for practical, industry-led learning here out West.
It was exactly the kind of event we want to host more of in future, alongside our industry friends and partners.
You can read more about Behind the Lens workshops here: Behind the Lens workshop
We’ll be running them again next year too! Keep an eye out in 2027 for dates.
COMING IN AUGUST: PATHWAYS TO AUDIENCE
Making the film is one challenge. Finding its audience can be another one entirely.
On 5 August, we’re heading online for Pathways to Audience: Navigating Indie Film Distribution, an honest conversation about what happens once an independent film is finished and you actually need to get it in front of people.
We’ll be joined by two Australian feature film producers who have taken different approaches to finding audiences for their work: Erin Fenech of Brick Studios, whose producing credits include Christmess and The Blind Sea, and Bill Code of Wedge-Tail Pictures, whose credits include SOLD! Who Broke the Australian Dream?, The Lake of Scars and Dancing With the Devil.
Rather than presenting a single ‘right’ way to distribute a film, we want to talk candidly about the different pathways available to independent filmmakers: what worked, what didn’t, what they might do differently next time, and what they wish they had known before releasing their films.
Hosted by Misty McPhail from Made in the West CREATIVE and Si Dikkenberg from Launch Pad Creative, this event is the beginning of a bigger conversation we’re starting. We’ll be gathering insights from participating filmmakers about their own experiences and challenges to help us explore what future distribution talks, resources and professional development could look like.
If you’re developing, producing or releasing an independent feature, documentary or series, or simply want to understand the distribution landscape before you get there, we’d love you to join the conversation.
Find out more and RSVP here: Pathways to Audience: Navigating Indie Film Distribution
NEXT UP IN OCTOBER: DEVELOPMENT & PITCHING WORKSHOPS
In October, we’ll be turning our attention to another part of filmmaking that can be difficult to navigate alone: Development.
In collaboration with development producer and professional screenwriter Nicole Delprado from NicoleWriteNow, we’ll be presenting a three-part live online workshop called Development Roadmap, covering the three key steps you need to master as a producer: The Pitch, The Money and The Producing Strategy.
Because a great script or idea is the starting point, but how do you turn it into a project that people understand, audiences want to see and potential partners want to support?
Join us on three consecutive Thursdays 1st, 8th and 15th October – for a lunchtime workshop series with REAL insight into what actually works.
Filmmakers will learn how to communicate their project clearly, build an effective pitch deck, approach development funding and budgets, and think more strategically about scripts, markets and the steps needed to keep a project moving.
Tickets are $65 each or $50 when you book in for all three sessions. Earlybird prices apply until 18 September!
Find out more and book your tickets here: Development Roadmap: Online Workshop Series
All of these events are produced by Made in the West Creative, and the Western Sydney creative agency and social enterprise that also runs Made in the West Film Festival.
The festival remains at the heart of what we do: creating a platform where Western Sydney films can be seen, celebrated and connected with audiences.
But we also work with filmmakers throughout the year!
Through workshops, industry conversations, networking events and other creative development programs, Made in the West Creative is working to build more opportunities for local filmmakers to develop their craft, strengthen their projects, make industry connections and build sustainable creative careers.
Because supporting #WesternSydneyfilm involves more than getting everyone’s work on a cinema screen. It also means investing in the people who make our local film scene so rich and exciting, and ensuring we elevate everyone in our community towards a stronger and more skilled local film industry.
We’re making it happen!