Thursday 8 October 2026 – The Australian Writers’ Guild is pleased to celebrate the eight emerging writers selected as national finalists for The Next Brilliant Career, an initiative created by Netflix ANZ in partnership with the AWG and Australia’s eight State and Territory Screen Agencies.
Congratulations to:
- Elyse Landsberry – New South Wales
- Theresa Angela – Victoria
- Rae Choi – Queensland
- Scarlett Scherer – South Australia
- Jamey Claffey – Western Australia
- Caitlin Richardson – Tasmania
- Rebecca Parker – Northern Territory
- Denai Grace – Australian Capital Territory
Representing every state and territory across Australia, the finalists travelled to Netflix ANZ HQ in Sydney this week to pitch their original scripted concepts directly to the Netflix team and receive feedback on their work.
The initiative was created to support the next generation of women and non-binary Australian screen storytellers, providing emerging writers with a meaningful opportunity to develop their craft, connect directly with the industry and have their voices heard.
The eight finalists were selected through an independent assessment process led by the Australian Writers’ Guild, from hundreds of submissions received through participating Screen Agencies across the country.
We’re proud to have partnered with Netflix ANZ and our State and Territory Screen Agency partners on an initiative that champions emerging Australian voices and creates genuine pathways for distinctly Australian stories and storytellers.
Susie Hamilton, Director of Professional Development at the Australian Writers’ Guild, said: “Opportunities to pitch and receive feedback directly from streamers are rare for emerging writers, but that process is so important to their growth as industry practitioners and to the development of high-quality, authentically Australian television. We were thrilled to partner with Netflix ANZ on The Next Brilliant Career to make this a reality for eight of our best emerging storytellers.”
A huge congratulations to Elyse, Theresa, Rae, Scarlett, Jamey, Caitlin, Rebecca and Denai. We can’t wait to see where your brilliant careers take you next.
