About FilmConnect

Showcasing films and videos from regional Australia, beginning with Newcastle (Mulubinba), Hunter Valley (Wonnarua Country), and the Central Coast, acknowledging the Traditional Custodians, Awabakal, Worimi, Wonnarua, Darkinjung, GuriNgai, and Darkinoong peoples, and their enduring cultures.

Since the local Newcastle film and theatre community welcomed me with open arms three years ago, I have been continuously amazed and inspired by the incredible talent here. The passion for creativity, art, film, and storytelling is truly awe-inspiring.

I have never felt more creatively connected to a community before, and I often have to pinch myself to check this is all real.

After becoming involved in a few projects, I realised there was no single place to celebrate all the incredible work being created. That sparked the idea: what if there was an online gallery to showcase local films and make it easier for cast and crew to connect, collaborate, and stay in touch?

That is how FilmConnect was born.

At the moment, we are in the MVP (minimum viable product) stage, but the mission is clear: to shine a spotlight on local filmmaking, from bedroom experimentalists and student filmmakers to established creatives and everyone in between.

Already, we have begun curating films, videos, cast and crew data, and filming locations. Over time, FilmConnect will grow to include IMDb-style functionality, cast and crew connections, reviews, film competitions, and weekly featured projects.

If you would like your film included (and it is currently on YouTube or Vimeo), please get in touch and we will add it in.

FilmConnect is not about algorithms, trends, or chasing numbers. It is about community, collaboration, and the love of the craft. We do it because we love the process, and that is something Newcastle’s creative community has helped me rediscover in the most powerful way.

For that, I am eternally grateful.

Johnny Stericker
Founder, FilmConnect