Program (register here)
CREATIVE DIRECTIONS 2026 PROGRAM
OPENING NIGHT: A Creative Journey of Music and Comedy
Can we laugh our way through the current omni-crisis? We're certainly going to try!
In the opening night of Creative Directions for 2026, join two of Melbourne's leading musical comedians to talk (and sing!) their way through the topics of creative careers. This event will include songs and discussion by Emerson Brophy and Jude Perl.
We'll discuss the big questions: What's life really like working in music and comedy? Can the arts change the world? How do you balance your creative goals with capitalistic realities? Is it annoying to take your keyboard to comedy gigs?
This will be a laugh-out-loud and sing-out-loud launch of Creative Directions for 2026. So come along for an evening of connection and laughs.
Featuring official opening and ‘welcome’ from:
Associate Professor Brady Robards, Associate Dean, Research
Professor Belinda Smaill, Head of the School of Media, Film and Journalism
Dr Julian O'Shea, Festival Director
Stick around after the event for drinks, canapés and great networking opportunities from 7.15pm.
Moderator: Dr Julian O'Shea (Lecturer, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University)
Guests: Emerson Brophy (comedian) & Jude Perl (comedian)
Date & time: Wednesday 19 August | 5.30pm: doors and drinks | 6.00pm - 7.15pm: main event | 7.15pm - 8.30pm: drinks, canapes and networking
Venue: The Pavilion (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)
REGISTRATIONS CLOSED
DAY 1: WEDNESDAY 19 AUGUST 2026
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.
This event was organised by the team of Event Planning Volunteers.
Moderator: Riya Jacob (Student, Master of Communications and Media Studies, Monash University)
Panellists: Teesta Chattoraj (PhD Candidate and Sessional Tutor, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University), Jordan Wise (External Corporate Affairs Lead, Settlement Services International (SSI)) and Himangi Singh (Community News Reporter, The Herald Sun).
REGISTRATIONS CLOSED
Date & time: Wednesday 19 August, 10.30am - 11.30am
Venue: The Pavilion (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)
StratComms Workshop: Campaign Chaos
What happens when creativity meets strategy under pressure? In Campaign Chaos, you'll work in teams to build a communications campaign for a fictional political party, tackling everything from audience insights and key messaging to creative tactics. Just when you think you've got it all figured out, a surprise campaign challenge will put your strategy to the test. Guided by members of the Strategic Communications Society, you'll pitch your campaign, receive feedback from industry guests, and discover how the best creative ideas are grounded in strategic thinking.
Expect collaboration, quick thinking, plenty of laughs, and a taste of what real-world communications is all about.
Moderator: Amy McDonald (President of StratComms Society, Monash University)
Guests: Ariel Zohar (Student, Master of Strategic Communications Management, Monash University) & Dr Julian O'Shea (Lecturer, School of Film, Media and Journalism, Monash University)
Date & time: Wednesday 19 August, 12.00pm - 1.30pm
Venue: The Pavilion (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)
REGISTRATIONS CLOSED
Hands On Creative Maker Workshop
Let's get making! - The world is full of screens hijacking our attention, millions of alerts and endless scrolling. This can't be great for our creative output. In this highly interactive and practical session, we are going analogue! Join artists Rachel Ang and Stacy Gougoulis for an accessible and interactive comics making workshop. Participants will engage in a series of fun iterative drawing exercises which build into creating a narrative comic project to take home. No prior experience required, comics artists and fans of all types of visual storytelling welcome. Bring a friend and leave with your own comic!
Host: Professor Paul Long (Professor, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University)
Guest: Rachel Ang (artist, write, architect) & Stacy Gougoulis (writer, illustrator, radio presenter).
Date & time: Wednesday 19 August, 2.00pm - 3.30pm
Venue: The Pavilion (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)
REGISTRATIONS CLOSED
Composing the News: Creating an Election Theme Live
What does a news theme need to do? How do you write music that captures urgency, authority and identity in just a few seconds? Join Professor Dan Golding and our media and journalism students as they co-create, in real time, an original theme for the Victorian state election coverage. This session offers a behind-the-scenes look at the creative decisions, problem-solving and experimentation involved in composing music for broadcast.
Host: Professor Dan Golding (Professor, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University)
Date & time: Wednesday 19 August, 2.30pm - 3.30pm
Venue: MADA Theatre (Building G, Level 1, Room G1.04, Caulfield Campus)
REGISTRATIONS CLOSED
Aspiring Filmmakers & Creatives Meetup
Whether you're an aspiring filmmaker, writer, producer or content creator, join an inspiring afternoon of conversation, connection and possibility at the School of Media, Film and Journalism’s Creative Networking Meetup. This is an opportunity to meet like-minded peers, build your network, and discover pathways into academic and creative screen careers.
Hosts: Billy Head (Practice Lecturer, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University) & Dr Roberto Letizi (Lecturer, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University)
Date & time: Wednesday 19 August, 4.00pm - 5.00pm
Venue: The Pavilion (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)
REGISTRATIONS CLOSED
Student Films Premiere: The Screen Project Showcase
Host: Billy Head (Practice Lecturer, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University)
Date & time: Wednesday 19 August, 5.30pm - 7.30pm
Venue: MADA Theatre (Building G, Level 1, Room G1.04, Caulfield Campus)
REGISTRATIONS CLOSED
DAY 2: SATURDAY 22 AUGUST 2026
Creative Directions: Uncharted Creativity Day
Join us for a day of creativity, talks, workshops, games, and connection! This innovation day is a part of Creative Directions, an annual festival of ideas and industry know-how exploring critical issues shaping the contemporary media, cultural and communications industries. This day is both for people within the Monash network and the wider creative community. Come and learn and connect!
This event includes a catered morning tea and lunch. We recommend you arrive caffeinated, there are coffee shops nearby. Vegetarian and gluten-free options will be provided.
Feel free to come and go as much as you like! Your ticket is good for the entire day.
9.00am - Arrival
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9.30am - Lightning Talks: The Media that Changed my Life
Hear from Australia's leading creators about the video or piece of content that changed their life - for good, or bad. These are the stories of viral moments, human connections and how your entire life can change in the single press of an upload button.
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10.30am - Morning Tea
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11.00am - Parallel Sessions 1
From 0 to Full Time Creative - The Business of Creativity
It's one thing to make art and media, it's another to turn that into your career and your professional life. In this open discussion here creatives share how they made the leap from zero to being a full-time creative and some of the challenges in working in this space from monetization to managing money. Join this interactive discussion to find out how money and art mix.
Guests: Sarah Renae Clark (Artist, Content Creator), Mary McGillivray (Art Historian, Content Creator) & James McPherson (Managing Director, Never Too Small)
New Creators and Makers Networking Meetup
If you're a student or new to the world of making media - join and meet with your peers in an informal meetup. If you're coming solo or with a friend, this is a great chance to interact and make new contacts and potential collaborators in a positive and low stress way. It's more discussion than content, so relax and make some new friends.
This event was organised by the team of Event Planning Volunteers.
Hosts: Jacob Bigg (Student, Bachelor of Media Communication, Monash University and Film Festival Runner) &
Saosopheakneath (Lia) Bun (Student, Master of Strategic Communications Management, Monash University)
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12.00pm - Parallel Sessions 2
Find Your Niche, Find Your Audience
Can you follow your passions and find a viable audience? In the crowded and complex world of media, we are no longer broadcasting - things are getting narrow. This session will explore how niche audiences can actually make your work stand out - and let creators and media makers dive deep. Whatever you love, there's an audience out there.
Guests: Zac Doar (Crochet Designer, Content Creator, Author) & Toby Hendy (Content Creator, Author)
Content Creation 101 - Video Making Masterclass
If you've ever wanted to start making content then this is the session for you! In this interactive masterclass join to learn the fundamentals of video creation in the modern media era. From TikTok, YouTube to Instagram Reels, this workshop will explore how to make engaging content. No experience necessary, BYO phone and enthusiasm!
Host: Dr Julian O'Shea (Lecturer, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University)
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1.15pm - Lunch + Game Time! - Play Locally Created Games
You've almost certainly played a board or card game, but if you ever wondered who actually designs these? What's involved in creating the next Monopoly, Sushi Go or Catan? In this interactive session, play games crafted by Melbourne-based designers and meet and learn more about the process of what's involved in designing and creating board and card games. This is a fun and interactive session and feel free to drop in during the lunch break to play and enjoy.
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2.15pm - Parallel Sessions 3
How to Change the World (Through Media)
Entertainment and media have long gone hand in hand - but how can we create positive impact through our work. From the housing crisis to gender equality - this session with ask the big questions about how media can create conversations and lead to real impact.
Guests: Lucinda Hartley (Urbanist, Entrepreneur, Keynote Speaker, Author) & Esme James (Sex Historian, Author, Journalist, Content Creator)
Visualise Your Future
Ever wondered what your future will look like? Grab some scissors, magazines, stickers and coloured pencils and find out. In this hands-on session, cut, arrange and combine materials (or draw your own) to build a physical visualisation of where you're headed. No perfect artwork required, just brainstorming and a bit of visual storytelling.
Hosts: Daniela Caldas (Sessional Academic, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University) & Zijun Zhu (Master of Communications and Media Studies, Monash University)
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3.30pm - Great Media Quiz
We are finishing our day on a high! - In teams, this will be a battle of the minds - in an interactive (and low-stakes) quiz. Bring your best media and general knowledge skills (or just make your best guesses and have some fun). Hosted by TV quiz expert, host of the TikTok 10 Quiz, and the winner of SBS Mastermind, Miles Glaspole.
Host: Miles Glaspole (Content Creator)
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Date & time: Saturday 22 August, 9.00am - 4.15pm
Venue: Monash College (City Campus), Level 8, 750 Collins St, Docklands VIC 3008