Program

CREATIVE DIRECTIONS 2024 PROGRAM

Thank you to everyone who attended Creative Directions 2024! If you couldn’t make it, you can catch the sessions on our Vimeo channel.  To visit the 2025 Program, please click here.

OPENING NIGHT:  RHYTHM OF CHANGE

Get ready for an evening packed with energy and ideas as we explore the 2024 Creative Directions festival theme of “Metamorphoses” through music. We are bringing together a fantastic mix of academics, industry pros, and community leaders who are driving innovations that redefine how we create and consume music.

Rhythm of Change will explore the music industry, creativity, and the evolving music cultures in our vibrant and diverse region.

Featuring official opening and ‘welcome’ from:
- Professor Katie Stevenson (Dean of Arts)
- Associate Professor Shane Homan (Head of the School of Media, Film and Journalism)
- Dr Whitney Monaghan (Creative Directions Festival Director)

Doors open at 5.30pm.  Stick around after the event for drinks, canapes and some great networking opportunities.

Panel Members:

Moderator: Shahriar Ferdous (Masters of Communications and Media Studies Student, Monash University)

Date & time: Wednesday 31 July, 6.00pm - 7:00pm (followed by opening night drinks) - doors open 5:30pm
Venue: The Pavilion (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

REGISTRATIONS CLOSED

DAY 1:  WEDNESDAY 31 JULY 2024

CREATOR CORNER:  MIXING YOUR PROFESSIONAL AND PRIVATE LIFE AS A CONTENT CREATOR

How do content creators balance their professional demands and their personal lives? Find out at “Creator Corner” where we’ll hear from a group of local creators. We’ll discuss some of the most pressing issues facing content creators today and explore the relationship between paid labour, voluntary self-promotion, and self-expression on social media. This event is a must for anyone that has wondered how content creators and scholars negotiate their professional identities and “authentic” selves on social media.

Panel Members:

Moderator:  Mike Plaza (Masters of Cultural and Creative Industries Student, Monash University)

Date & time: Wednesday 31 July, 11.00am - 12.00pm
Venue: The Pavilion (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

REGISTRATIONS CLOSED

BUILDING YOUR PROFESSIONAL BRAND ON LINKEDIN

In today's competitive job market, many employers include social media presence checks as a standard part of their recruitment process. For students in Media & Communications, building a professional brand online is even more crucial. This not only helps you stand out from others but also enables you to build valuable connections for your future career in the media industry.

Join our workshop tailored specifically for media and communications students to learn how to elevate your LinkedIn profile and effectively communicate who you are and your professional brand to the world. Don't underestimate the power of what social media can do for your career.

Topics include:
- LinkedIn Profile best practices
- Strategies for networking and building industry-specific connections
- Searching for jobs and connecting to opportunities
- What to post on LinkedIn

Workshop Facilitator:  Jia Song (Senior Program Coordinator (Careers), Monash University)

Date & time: Wednesday 31 July, 12.30pm - 1.30pm
Venue: Room S901, Building S, Level 9, Caulfield Campus

REGISTRATIONS CLOSED

PHOTOGRAPHY: ETHICS, INSPIRATION AND CHALLENGES

Dive into the captivating world of photojournalism with three celebrated photographers as we explore the ethics, inspirations and challenges of the profession. We will view their work and reflect on some of the urgent issues of our time (photographing conflict, climate change, suffering and dispossession), the hopes for and radical changes in the profession, the ethical issues of taking photographs (and the public sharing them), copyright and acknowledgement, technology and the implications of AI-generated images to the profession, and safety.

Panel Members:

Moderator:  Fay Anderson (Associate Professor, Journalism, Monash University)

Date & time: Wednesday 31 July, 12.30pm - 1.30pm
Venue: The Pavilion (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

REGISTRATIONS CLOSED

GAME CHANGERS: REPRESENTING SPORT, GENDER AND MIGRATION

This panel will explore stories of the personal passions for sport and the journeys that women make to participate and achieve status in their respective fields despite multiple roadblocks that hinder their access and flourishing. It will explore what kinds of stories women in sport are able to tell about their inspiration, motivation and experience in relation to those that are told about them in popular culture and across the media. A key frame for the panel will be the exploration of how sportswomen are caught up with fighting battles beyond those on the field or court. These include issues around migration and refugee policy, sport and gender equity.

We are pleased to welcome members of the Afghanistan Women's National Soccer Team who will be joining us on the panel and in the audience for this session.

Panel Members:

  • Mursal Sadat (Volunteer Speaker, ShoutOut CMY & Co-Captain, AWT Melbourne Victory Soccer Team)
  • Sodaba Azizi (High School Student & Goalkeeper, AWT Melbourne Victory Soccer Team)
  • Amritha Mohan (PhD Candidate, Monash University)

Moderator:  Paul Long (Professor in Creative and Cultural Industries, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University)

Date & time: Wednesday 31 July, 2.00pm - 3.00pm
Venue: The Pavilion (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

REGISTRATIONS CLOSED

META-MORPHOSIS: NAVIGATING POWER AND INFLUENCE IN A WORLD OF MEDIA GIANTS

In today's digitally connected world, social media platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok have immense power and influence. As these social media giants continue to advance, policymakers face the ongoing challenge of adapting regulatory measures to address emerging issues and safeguard public interests. This critical conversation explores the multifaceted dynamics of social giants, their impact on society, and the challenges of platform regulation and governance.

Panel Members:

  • Peter Lewis (Director, Essential Media)
  • Mark Andrejevic (Professor, School of Media, Film, and Journalism, Monash University)
  • Sarah Hanson-Young (Deputy Chair of the Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society)

Moderator:  Dr Ben Eltham (Lecturer, Cultural and Creative Industries, Monash University)

Date & time: Wednesday 31 July, 2.00pm - 3.00pm
Venue: Online only (via Zoom)

REGISTRATIONS CLOSED

STUDENT SHOWCASE: MUSIC CITIES

This session celebrates the achievements of students in the School of Media, Film and Journalism. In this special student showcase, we’re screening a series of short multimedia essays from undergraduate students in the MFJ unit ATS3252 Music Cities. The subject and the videos investigate the concept of the 'music city'; how it is applied in practice; and how and where it fits within wider cultural and media industries and policy.  The star case study featured in the videos is right on our doorstep: Melbourne, which has a compelling claim to have been Australia's leading music/cultural city since the 1950s. Collaborating in teams, the students investigated different aspects of Melbourne's fluid, ever changing music ecosystem and how the mix of social, cultural and industrial practices and policies play out. The films explore music heritage, live music venues, recording studios, fans, tourism and political activism intersect to protect, improve and diversity Melbourne’s self-proclaimed status as a music city.

Panel Members:

  • Shane Homan (Associate Professor, Head of School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University)
  • Bao Vuong Tran (Group 5, Caulfield Tutorial 2: Heritage: Australian Music Vault)
  • Shanya Sylvester/ Mohamad Ghafara (Group 1, Clayton Tutorial 3: Live venues: The Corner Hotel)
  • Jacquelyn Affidon (Group 4, Caulfield Tutorial 7: Recording: Bakehouse Studios)
  • Emma Christie (Group 5, Clayton Tutorial 3: Heritage: Australian Music Vault)
  • Katerina Hatzi (Group 6, Caulfield Tutorial 6: Live Venues: The Corner Hotel)

Moderator: Tony Moore (Professor, Communications and Media Studies, Monash University)

Date & time: Wednesday 31 July, 3.30pm - 4.30pm
Venue: The Pavilion (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

REGISTRATIONS CLOSED

DAY 2:  THURSDAY 1 AUGUST 2024

COVERAGE, CRITIQUE AND CARE: CONSTRUCTIVE APPROACHES TO REPORTING, COMMUNICATION AND CREATION

Panel co-hosted by the Constructive Institute Asia Pacific and Creative Directions.

What does it mean to take a ‘constructive’ approach to reporting, communication and creative practice? Contemporary public news and communication landscapes can seem overwhelmingly negative, sensationalised and toxic, with flows of information compromised by mis- and disinformation. This can lead to audiences feeling disillusioned or even disengaged, ‘switching off’ or seeking alternatives. Constructive journalism addresses this through a commitment to three pillars: solutions, nuance and conversation. This panel discussion will engage with practitioners to rethink how we grapple with urgent and important social issues in a range of communication practices. How might embedding context, care and hope into journalism, communication and creative practices offer an alternative for re-engaging audiences?

Panel Members:

Moderator:  Dr Stephanie Brookes (Senior Lecturer, Journalism and Media Innovation, Monash University & Deputy Director, Constructive Institute Asia Pacific)

Date & time: Thursday 1 August, 10.00am - 11.00am
Venue: The Pavilion (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

REGISTRATIONS CLOSED

ALUMNI UNPLUGGED: CAREER CONVERSATIONS

In this fun and frank session, you’ll meet several fabulous Monash alumni and find out how they use the skills from their Monash degrees in their diverse professions. Designed as a casual conversation about career pathways, our speakers will explore questions like: What career opportunities are available for MFJ alumni? What should current students be doing to prepare for life after graduation? What do you do if your ideal career doesn’t work out? What are the options if you want to go into academia? The conversation will be highly interactive, so bring along your own questions to ask our wonderful alumni.

After the panel, you’re invited to a complimentary morning tea where you’ll have the opportunity to chat one-on-one with our speakers.

Panel Members:

  • Vijay Paul (Communications Adviser, Monash University)
  • Daniela Caldas (PhD Candidate and Teaching Associate, Monash University)
  • Ria Lodha (Marketing Coordinator, Social Star)

Moderator:  Priyanka Gore (Masters of Communications and Media Studies Student, Monash University)

Date & time: Thursday 1 August, 11.30am - 1.00pm
Venue: The Pavilion (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

REGISTRATIONS CLOSED

NAILING THE INTERVIEW

Enhance your confidence and master the skills needed to excel in job interviews with our comprehensive workshop designed specifically for Media & Communications students. This session covers the before, during and after stages of the interview process, debunking common interview myths, and providing vital information on the types of questions to expect and the techniques you can use to answer them. You will also have time to practise your responses.

Topics include:
- The elements of advanced job interview preparation
- How to impress, and build rapport with interviewers
- Evaluating effective responses for a variety of interview types
- Practising responding to a variety of different interview questions

Workshop Facilitator: Jia Song (Senior Program Coordinator (Careers), Monash University)

Date & time: Thursday 1 August, 1.15pm - 2.15pm
Venue:  Room S901 (Building S, Level 9, Caulfield Campus)

REGISTRATIONS CLOSED

THE CHANGING FACE OF AUSTRALIAN FILM AND TELEVISION

The lack of diversity across the film and television sectors in Australia has been a long-standing concern, with cultural workers, industry bodies, government agencies and researchers all calling for greater representation and inclusivity both on and off-screen. This panel brings together experts working across film and television production, business, law, and academia to discuss policy options to encourage greater diversity on and behind Australian screens. The panel will launch the research report, ‘Incentivising Australian Screen Diversity: Proposal for a Diversity Tax Offset, Grant, or Minimum Industry Standards’, with the authors present.

Panel Members:

  • Michelle Cheng (Head of Creative Diversity, SBS Television and Online Content Division)
  • Carolyn Cage (Producer, Director, Writer and Researcher)
  • John Bevacqua (Professor, Department of Business Law and Taxation, Monash University)
  • Dr Tamara Wilkinson (Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Monash University)
  • Dr Maura Edmond (Senior Lecturer, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University)
  • Andrew Moshirnia (Associate Professor, Department of Business Law and Taxation, Monash University)

Moderator: Olivia Khoo (Professor, Head of Film and Screen Studies, Monash University)

Date & time: Thursday 1 August, 1.30pm - 3.00pm
Venue:  The Pavilion (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

REGISTRATIONS CLOSED

DIY 'ZINE WORKSHOP

Co-presented with Monash Media and Communications Society.

Join us for a fun afternoon of ‘zine making! ‘Zines are small publications of any size, ‘handmade' by individuals or groups of people, reflecting personal or collective interests. An established media form yet one always renewed and subject to innovation in their making, ‘zines offer a potential space of creative, personal and collective liberation.

In this practical workshop, you will explore creative techniques to make your own zine while learning about do-it-yourself (DIY) culture in Melbourne and Australia.

Workshop Facilitator:  Cora Zon (Community radio presenter & Zine maker)

Hosted by:  Paul Long (Professor in Creative and Cultural Industries, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University)

Date & time: Thursday 1 August, 2.30pm - 4.30pm
Venue:  Room S901 (Building S, Level 9, Caulfield Campus)

REGISTRATIONS CLOSED

FESTIVAL CULTURE: FROM PASSION TO PROGRESS

Arts and cultural festivals stand for more than entertainment and celebrations. As crucial junctions of creativity, these organised galas provide the public with fun, innovative experiences while helping artists, both start-up and established, reach large audiences. And Melbourne, needless to say, is a festival city with an energetic year-round roster of variegated arts and cultural events. In this panel, we bring Melbourne-based festival founders, volunteers, creators, and scholars to the table. The lively discussion explores creative possibilities and impacts as well as practical experiences and barriers of working within the festival business in an increasingly globalised and digital era.

Panel Members:

Moderator:  Caroline Wang (PhD Candidate, Film & Screen Studies, Monash University)

Date & time: Thursday 1 August, 3.00pm - 4.00pm
Venue: The Pavilion (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

REGISTRATIONS CLOSED

CLOSING CONVERSATION:  FEMINIST NOT FEARLESS

Co-presented with the Gender & Media Lab.

It’s never been more important to be an intersectional feminist. Understanding diverse identities and how we can make political ‘coalitions’ is seemingly crucial in an era of social media polarisation, the increasing accessibility of online misogyny, racism and disinformation. But for young people who’ve grown up with the internet, this is an intense learning curve. How do we dial out ‘the noise’ and really listen to each other’s experiences, without appropriating and reducing them?

Join Dr Akane Kanai, Gbonmi Olubodun, and Aisha Wilson to discuss the Digital Feminist Futures project and to launch the project podcast, Feminist Not Fearless.

Please join us for some light refreshments after the panel.


Panel Members:  

Moderator:  Niamh White (PhD Candidate, School of Media, Film, and Journalism, Monash University)

Date & time: Thursday 1 August, 4.30pm - 5.30pm
Venue: The Pavilion (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

REGISTRATIONS CLOSED

FILM SCREENING: STUDENT DOCUMENTARY FILMS

Can film theory offer practical tools for developing engaging documentary cinema? This special screening of exciting short student documentary films from ATS3983 Screen Project: From Film Theory to Media Production will help answer this question.

Hosted by:  Billy Head (Practice Lecturer, Bachelor of Media & Communication, Monash University)

Date & time: Thursday 1 August, 5.00pm - 6.00pm
Venue: Room G1.04 (MADA Theatre, Building G, Level 1, Caulfield Campus)

REGISTRATIONS CLOSED