Melbourne WebFest round-up and more news on the Shakespeare front – it’s still all go this July! #shakespeare #webfest #allthethings

Sally McLean with Enzo Tedeschi and MWF Festival Director, Steinar Ellingsen at the 2018 Melbourne WebFest Opening Night

So that’s another WebFest done for 2018, only this time I wasn’t just there as a creator, but primarily in my role as General Manager. Melbourne WebFest is over for another year and it was a crazy, intense, fun and exhausting ride! But I love these guys and the festival and it was so good to be able to catch up with so many people that I haven’t had a chance to see in ages, but also make some new friends in the online series world. In what has turned out to be the biggest MWF to date, we had four days of screenings, panels, networking events and of course our Gala Awards Night which was professionally livestreamed to the world in all it’s glory from Deakin Edge, Federation Square.

As you can see from the above photo of myself, Enzo Tedeschi (Event Zero, Skinford) and Steinar Ellingsen (MWF Festival Director) on Opening Night, we don’t take ourselves too seriously at this fest, which is one of the reasons I love it so much (there is a whole series of this shot with Steinar photo-bombing from behind us, god bless his upstaging ways!).

I had the great pleasure of not only helping to coordinate this beast of a festival, but also getting several of my lovely friends in the business involved. From Howard Fine, Melanie Mackintosh, Scott Major and Christopher Kirby working as members of our Jury to Phil Hayden and Warwick Holt running workshops as part of our Industry Development Day to Dean Haglund hosting our Gala Awards Night, it was a great excuse to not only involve them all in one of the highlights of the web series world calendar, but also have a couple of nights where I could catch up with them and actually spend some time socialising! I also had the great pleasure of presenting a couple of awards at the Gala Awards Night on Sunday, which was so much fun and a real honour.

Check out the photos below for a taste of all the fun had from June 28 to July 1. And if you didn’t get there this year, don’t worry, we’re back next year for another ’round of fun and celebration!

Sally McLean presents the Best Australian Comedy Award with Ozflix Development Manager, Greg Kelly at MWF Awards Gala

MWF Communications Manager, Lauren Colosimo with MWF General Manager, Sally McLean presenting Ruby Tickets at the MWF Gala Awards Ceremony

Sally McLean, Billy Smedley and Dean Haglund at the MWF Opening Night

MWF Festival Director, Steinar Ellingsen speaks to the crowd with the full MWF Board & Committee behind him at the 2018 MWF Gala Awards

John Cabrera (Special Guest of MWF) and Sally McLean at Melbourne Airport just before John flew back to LA

Christopher Kirby presents awards with Heather Gill from National Film & Sound Archive at MWF Awards Gala

Dean Haglund opens the show at the 2018 MWF Awards Gala

Dean Haglund opens the show with an impro comedy moment at the 2018 MWF Awards Gala

Tom Chamberlain and Alex Hipwell at the After After Party in a Viking Bar

Casting Director, Mel Mackintosh with HFAS Australia Director, Philip Hayden presenting awards at the 2018 MWF Awards Gala

Actor & Director, Scott Major with “Starting From Now” Creator/Writer, Julie Kalceff presenting the Best Australian Drama Award at the 2018 MWF Gala Awards

Dean Haglund, Tom Chamberlain, Alex Hipwell and Steinar Ellingsen at Closing Night Award Gala

Don Percy, Sally McLean, Matt Smolen and Claire Frost at the Friday Night Networking Drinks

Enzo Tedeschi and Dean Haglund at the MWF Closing Night Awards Gala

Mel Mackintosh, Scott Major and Sarah Alenka at the Closing Night Gala Awards

Sally McLean, Christopher Kirby and Billy Smedley at the Closing Night Gala Awards After Party

Sally McLean and James Mason (Freudian Slip) at the Friday Night Networking Drinks

Tom Chamberlain, Alex Hipwell, Steinar Ellingsen, Dominique McCusker, Billy Smedley, Sally McLean, John Cabrera and Warwick Holt at a Viking Bar in Melbourne at the Opening Night After, After Party

In other news, both Speaking Daggers and Shakespeare Republic continue their respective film festival tours with a few more appearances lined up including the 10th Hamilton International Film Festival for Speaking Daggers in New York coming up next month and Shakespeare Republic screening as part of the multi-city Underground Film Fest and being one of the early selections for the upcoming New Jersey WebFest in September!

Billy Smedley, Tim McCormick, Michala Banas, Sally McLean, Shaun Herbertson and Thanassi Panagiotaras arrive for St Kilda Film Festival 2018 Opening Night on May 17, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. Photo by Sam Tabone

We were also delighted to have Speaking Daggers officially selected as part of the 35th St Kilda Film Festival in Australia’s Top 100 Short Films, which was a blast! You can read all about it on the Shakespeare Republic blog here:
http://shakespearerepublic.com/2018/06/09/st-kilda-film-festival-recap-shakespeare-shortfilm-speakingdaggers-stkildafilmfest/

And … in very exciting news, I am delighted to say that I have signed with the fabulous Natalie Hall Management here in Australia, who are now my exclusive representation for my acting work. So thrilled to be represented by these fab human beings and in the same stable as some of my favourite actors and people 😀

There’s lots more going on, just nothing I can talk about at the moment, so stay tuned for more information when I can share! In the meantime, take care, have a great week and keep being awesome!

All best, Sal x