Cairns Crocodiles’ Film & Screen track is returning for round two in 2027, and this time it’s putting the increasingly interesting marriage between the screen industry and marketing firmly in the spotlight.
Taking place on Wednesday 26 May, the track will once again bring filmmakers, directors, producers, actors and screen executives together with marketers, brands and creatives to explore what we watch, how it gets made and, increasingly, who pays for it.
Following its debut in 2026, Film & Screen returns with a refreshed advisory board featuring names from across entertainment, production, media, marketing and advertising.
New additions include Gavin Merriman, strategic brand and marketing leader at Jaguar Land Rover; Annabelle Gigliotti, managing director at Organic; Georgia Woodward, chief operating officer at The Post Lounge; Thinkerbell founder Adam Ferrier; and Stephanie Taylor-Carrillo, senior director, communications at Warner Bros. Discovery, among others.
Nancy Hromin, Film & Screen co-curator and director and owner of The Misfits Media, said the response to the debut track made bringing it back for a second year a no-brainer.
“Film & Screen was an immediate hit in its first year. What became really clear was the appetite for bringing these two worlds together and how much they have to offer each other,” said Hromin.
“The screen industry is navigating enormous change in how projects are funded, commissioned and distributed, while brands are looking for more meaningful ways to connect with audiences. There’s a huge opportunity when you bring those people into the same room.”
For 2027, the relationship between screen and marketing will be central to the conversation.
Screen has long been fertile territory for marketers, from destination marketing and product placement to partnerships and sponsorships. But as traditional advertising models are disrupted and the lines between advertising, entertainment and culture continue to blur, the role brands can play is changing.
“As traditional advertising models are disrupted, brands are increasingly becoming commissioners, financiers, creative collaborators and even studios in their own right,” Hromin added.
“At the same time, the boundaries between commercial creativity and entertainment are becoming harder to define. Directors move between advertising, television and film, fashion runways are becoming cinemas, brands are developing original IP, and the question of what is and isn’t an ad is becoming increasingly difficult to answer.”
From weaving products naturally into narratives to financing productions and creating entertainment from scratch, Film & Screen 2027 will explore what happens when the people with the stories and the people with the marketing budgets start creating together.
Catherine de Clare, co-founder and editorial director of Irresistible Magazine and co-curator of the Film & Screen track, said the opportunity goes far beyond traditional product placement.
“Brands have always wanted to be close to entertainment, but what’s changing is the role they can play. We’re moving beyond simply putting a product on screen or attaching a logo to something that already exists. Brands can now be part of getting great stories made in the first place,” said de Clare.
“The screen industry gets access to new partners, audiences and funding, while marketers get to think beyond the traditional ad break and ask a much bigger question: what could we make that people would actually choose to watch?”
The 2027 program will span film, television, branded entertainment, new funding and distribution models, emerging formats and the increasingly blurred worlds of content and advertising.
The first Film & Screen speakers and sessions for 2027 will be revealed in the coming months.
Film & Screen Track Advisory Board 2027
- Adam Ferrier, Founder, Thinkerbell
- Andy Taylor, ACS Cinematographer
- Annabelle Gigliotti, Managing Director, Organic
- Anusha Duray, Acquisitions Manager, National Indigenous Television (NITV)
- Catherine de Clare, Co-Founder & Editorial Director, Irresistible Magazine
- Cody Greenwood, Producer, RUSH Films
- Damian Keogh, President & Chief Executive Officer, The Hoyts Group
- Daniel Macpherson, Strategic Lead Actor, Beast, TV Star, Logie Winner
- Erin Moy, Founder, Entropico
- Gavin Merriman, Strategic Brand & Marketing Leader, Jaguar Land Rover
- Georgia Woodward, Chief Operating Officer, The Post Lounge
- Greg Graham, Founder, The Experience Advocacy Thinkforce
- Jaimes Leggett, Founding Partner, Today the Brave
- Josie Baynes, Executive Producer, Wildebeest
- Louise Schultze, Founder/Executive Producer, Australian Production House
- Meredith Emmanuel, Producer & Founder, EBComs PR
- Nancy Hromin, Director & Owner, The Misfits Media
- Natasha Cormier, National Head of Client Marketing, Growth & Experience, News Corp Australia
- Rhanna Collins, Head of Commercial, Brand and Digital, NITV
- Stephanie Taylor-Carrillo, Senior Director, Communications, Warner Bros. Discovery
- Toby Oliver, ACS Cinematographer.
Cairns Crocodiles Presented by Pinterest takes place from 25–27 May 2027 at the Cairns Convention Centre, with the Film & Screen running on Wednesday 26th.
Cairns Crocodiles has unveiled a bold new creative look. Check out some of the pics below.
The Awards are now officially open for entries, and a handful of awesome speakers have also been revealed. See them all here.
For more on Film & Screen head to the site HERE. Secure your tickets now HERE.
