MEDIA  RELEASE:    Thursday  12  November  2015  

 

JOHN  EDWARDS  TO  DELIVER    HECTOR  CRAWFORD  MEMORIAL  LECTURE  

 Screen  Producers  Australia  is  delighted  to  announce  that  John  Edwards  will  deliver  the  prestigious  Hector  Crawford  Memorial  Lecture  on  Wednesday,  18  November  at  10am  at   the  SCREEN  FOREVER  Conference  2015   to  be  held  at  Melbourne’s  Crown  Conference  Centre.      

John  Edwards  is  one  of  Australia’s  most  successful  television  producers.  He  has  produced  more  than  600  hours  of  television  drama  and  holds  over  30  production  credits.  A  master  of    the  one-­‐hour  series  drama,  Edwards  is  best  known  for  his  rich,  complex  character  dramas  that  have  gone  on  to  become  era-­‐defining  programs.  These  include  the  multi-­‐award  winning  series  Love  My   Way,   The   Secret   Life   of   Us   and   audience   favourite  Offspring,   which  enters   its   sixth   season   for   Network   Ten   in   2016.   Love   My   Way   was   a  landmark   in   Australian   television   production   as   the   first   high-­‐quality   in-­‐house  drama  to  screen  on  pay  television,  and  The  Secret  Life  of  Us  together  with  Edwards’  six-­‐time  Logie  Award-­‐winning  series  Police  Rescue  remain  the  only  two  Australian  episodic  series  ever  commissioned  for  primetime  in  the  UK.  

 Creating  works  for  major  national  and  international  networks  including  Network  Ten,  Network  Seven,  Nine  Network,  ABC,   Foxtel,   New   Line,   BBC,   Channel   4   UK   and   BSky   B,   Edwards’   further   production   credits   include   The   Surgeon,  Dangerous,   Rush,   Tangle,   Puberty   Blues,   Party   Tricks,   and   The   Beautiful   Lie,   which   currently   screens   on   the   ABC.  Edwards   has   also   produced  mini-­‐series   and   telemovies   including   the  Golden  Globe   nominated  mini-­‐series  On   the  Beach;  Marking  Time,  winner  of  7  AFI  Awards,  the  NSW  Premier’s  Literary  Award,  AWGIE  Award  and  others;  Do  or  Die;  Children  of  the  Dragon;  Tracy;  six  telemovies  in  the  Cody  series;  Beaconsfield;  and  Paper  Giants.    Matthew  Deaner,  CEO  of  Screen  Producers  Australia  said:  “Edwards’  contribution  to  Australian  television  drama  is  incomparable  to  any  other  contemporary  figure  in  the  country.  Across  an  incredible,  prolific  career,  his  creative  vision  has  spawned  high-­‐quality  Australian  drama  that  has  resonated  with  national  and  international  audiences.  It  will  be  a  rare  opportunity   to  hear   from  someone  with  such  experience,   intimate  knowledge  and  perceptive   insight   into   the  Australian  media  industry.”    Edward’s  productions  have  won  29  Logie  Awards,  39  AFI  and  AACTA  Awards,  four  People’s  Choice  Awards,  eight  ASTRA  Awards,  more  than  a  dozen  craft  awards  within  Australia  and  a  number  of  international  accolades,  including  three  New  York  Festival  Awards  and  a  Golden  Globe  nomination.  In  2011,  Edwards  was  conferred  an  Honorary  Masters  Degree  by  the  Australian  Film  Television  and  Radio  School.    

 Previous  Hector  Crawford  Memorial  Lecture  speakers  include  Phillip  Adams  AO,  Kim  Williams  AM,  Dare  Jennings,  Peter  Garrett,  Lachlan  Murdoch,  Noel  Pearson,  Margaret  Pomeranz,  Harold  Mitchell  AC  and  Gillian  Armstrong.                

SCREEN  FOREVER  17-­‐19  November  2015,  Crown  Conference  Centre,  Melbourne  Australia  Registrations  now  open  at  www.screenforever.org.au.      

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 Media  Enquiries:  Miranda  Brown  |  Miranda  Brown  Publicity  ph:  03  9419  0931  mob:  0411  568  781  miranda@mbpublicity.com.au  Stephanie  Pirrie    |Miranda  Brown  Publicity  |  ph:  03  9419  0931  mob:  0430  517  722  |  stephanie@mbpublicity.com.au    SCREEN  FOREVER,  marking  30  years  in  2015,  is  one  of  the  largest  congregations  of  screen  professionals  in  the  southern  hemisphere,  providing  a  forum  for  discussion  and  debate  on  local  and  global  trends,  issues  and  challenges  facing  the  business  of  screen  production.  Past  keynote  speakers  include  Gale  Anne  Hurd  (The  Walking  Dead,  Aliens,  The  Terminator);  Beau  Willimon  (House  of  Cards);  Emile  Sherman  (The  King’s  Speech,  Top  of  the  Lake);  Sydney  Pollack  (Tootsie);  Ted  Hope  (21  Grams),  David  Puttnam,  Kt,  CBE  (The  Mission),  Jon  Plowman  (The  Office),  Matthew  Weiner  (Mad  Men)  and  George  Lucas  (Star  Wars).