Meet our July speaker: Damian Hussey
 

Learn about the magic of movie making on the Gold Coast from screenwriter, director and accomplished cinematographer, Damian Hussey as he discusses how he started in the film industry and tools he uses for writing. 

Damian will answer questions from the audience and share his wisdom on the craft of scriptwriting and the adaptation from film to novel. This in-conversation event with Kellie Cox will be an interactive session with a true local filmmaking talent. 

Damian encourages questions from the audience so come prepared!

About Damian

Damian joined the Australian Army in 2001 as an Avionics Technician and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2006. He then traveled extensively before beginning his filmmaking career. He uses these experiences to tell unique and authentic stories that can make a difference.

Since 2011 he’s worked on a large slate of commercials, music videos and online video marketing productions, as well as creative short and feature films.

He is an accomplished cinematographer with a number of films to his credit, including a post-apocalyptic film called Gunpowder and indie features Ashburn Waters, Alice and Bliss of Evil (in post-production). Damian's films have screened at international film festivals and taken out numerous awards.

He is also the owner/operator of his own production company, Iron Forge Pictures. His feature film directorial debut The Lost One was in 2020.

In 2021 he wrote four feature-length scripts and directed his second feature, Girls’ Night Out in 2022.

Damian is currently in talks to create his newest script, an Aussie comedy called The Streak. He’s also adapting Gunpowder to become a graphic novel.

In 2016, Damian discovered a love for teaching and he hopes to inspire the next generation of filmmakers and encourage them to follow their dreams and have fulfilling careers.

 

Podcast host and author Ky Garvey will talk about her writing process and her experiences with publishing and launching her first book.

About Ky

Ky Garvey is a mother to two boys who are both diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and ADHD. Through her experiences with her boys, she has been inspired to write fun and engaging stories that turn challenges into triumphs. Ky aims to share supportive, inclusive and empowering stories for children.

Ky writes and hosts the podcast Totally Lit! a monthly podcast celebrating reading, writing and creating literature. The podcast features writers, illustrators and all types of creators of books and stories.

Ky’s first picture book, Easy Peasy (EK Books) follows Ruby, who has a brand-new pair of roller skates. Ruby is sure skating will be easy, but after a few tumbles she realises she may need her dad’s help after all.

To celebrate NAIDOC Week 2023, we are delighted to welcome Clinton Brewer from the Yugambeh Region Aboriginal Corporate Alliance. 

Clinton will talk about the Bundjalung Nation from the Kombumerri/Yugambeh perspective, to inspire our storytelling and give us a deeper understanding of our Gold Coast region. He will also advise on culturally appropriate procedures when undertaking indigenous research for books.

About Clinton

Clinton is a proud Australian-Kombumerri-Narangwal man from the Gold Coast area. Clinton’s day job is working as an Indigenous ranger at David Fleay Wildlife Park in Burleigh Heads/Jellurgal. Away from work, Clinton is passionate about his community and passing on his people’s stories.  

 

We love sharing news from our GCWA members to shine the spotlight on new work from local writers. Several of our members have recently launched books or been published in anthologies. Here's just a taste of the writing success in and around the Gold Coast writing community.

Congratulations to Kellie M Cox who received a Highly Commended for her short story, Sixty-Five and Fearless, in the Peter Cowan Short Story Competition. In a big month for Kellie, her short story, Girl Down, was published in the Qld Writers Centre Short Fiction anthology, My Story, My Voice.

Works by Kate Kelsen and Judy Wollin have been selected for publication in The Outback, an anthology of short stories published in conjunction with the Outback Writers Festival at Winton.

If you have exciting GCWA member news to share, please email our Association Editor at gcwa.editor@gmail.com with all the details.

 

 

Acclaimed author and GCWA member Megan Norris (Look What You Made Me Do, The Messiah's Bride) is one of the busiest people we know in the writing community and is continually supporting fellow writers on their journey to publication.

Right now, Megan is organising a book launch and fundraiser to support The Sanctuary, a Gold Coast refuge for women, children and pets escaping domestic violence, and we are asking our community to help with donations of new art and craft supplies. 

We will have a collection box at the July GCWA meeting where you can leave new items such as coloured and graphite pencils, colouring books, craft kits, paper, glue sticks, watercolour paint sets, felt-tips and sketch paper, as well as new children's books and exercise books for school. The GCWA will collect your donations to pass on to Megan for her fundraiser event next month.

Head to Megan's Facebook page for details and tickets to the fundraiser on Saturday 5 August 2023.