BEHIND THE SCENES - THE APSA TEAM
The Asia Pacific Screen Awards is an international cultural initiative of the Queensland Government through APSA parent company, Queensland Events Corporation Pty Ltd. Governed by a board of directors, APSA is headquartered in Brisbane, Australia.
APSA employs a small team of staff located in its Brisbane office who are responsible for the year-round operations including awards administration, television production and publicity and promotion. APSA also engages contractors across a number of areas including translators and production services in the delivery of the Awards and television programs.
In 2009, APSA was awarded the Australian events’ industry’s highest accolade in marketing, winning Best Marketing Campaign at the inaugural Australian Events Awards, announced in Sydney on October 8, 2009. In November 2008, the APSA team was bestowed Australia’s most prestigious multicultural marketing award, winning the National Multicultural Marketing Awards, Export Category.
CHAIRMAN
DES POWER AM
APSA CHAIRMAN & CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, SCENE BY SCENE
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Award-winning filmmaker, former journalist and foreign correspondent, and chair of a number of prominent boards in the film and events industries in Australia, Des Power AM is Chairman of Asia Pacific Screen Awards Ltd and leads APSA’s production of the Scene By Scene series, a joint production in association with CNN International.
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Des Power was instrumental in the development and establishment of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards and the global partnerships with CNN International, UNESCO and FIAPF - International Federation of Film Producers Associations. During APSA’s detailed four-year feasibility stage (2003-2006), he conducted more than 100 face-to-face meetings with international film industry, broadcasters, governments and cultural organisations, and has lead the APSA team since its inception in 2007.
Read Des Power’s biography.
GENERAL MANAGER
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RICHARD WATSON
GENERAL MANAGER
As General Manager, Richard Watson oversees the substantial financial and operational requirements of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. He brings more than 10 years commercial experience with sports and entertainment companies including senior management roles with International Quarterback and
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Octagon. He joins the team from his role as Manager, Major Events, Queensland
Events Corporation.
AWARDS COMPETITION
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MAXINE WILLIAMSON
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
A specialist in independent and foreign language film, Maxine Williamson joined APSA in its inaugural year bringing with her 11 years experience in cinema exhibition. Maxine was General Manager, Dendy Cinemas Brisbane, and after successfully opening the Dendy Portside Cinemas joined the APSA team in 2007, its inaugural year.
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Maxine was a long-standing member of the Brisbane International Film Festival Programming Advisory Panel and board member of QPIX (Queensland’s Screen Industry Development Centre). Maxine is a member of NETPAC, an international network for the promotion of Asian cinema. An experienced film moderator, Maxine has conducted interviews and moderated many in-cinema Question and Answer sessions with elite film practitioners from around the world. Maxine has a Bachelor Degree in Film and Television Production from the Queensland University of Technology majoring in writing/directing. Maxine produce’s the Awards Competition for the APSAs and is also a producer on the APSA documentary series Scene by Scene promoting the films and filmmakers of Asia-Pacific.
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LUNG ONG
AWARDS COMPETITION COORDINATOR
Lung Ong was born in Malaysia and lived in Hong Kong for 10 years before moving to Australia. He has a Bachelor of Film/Television Production from Queensland University of Technology and has worked in film production as a
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director, cinematographer, assistant director, co-producer and actor. Lung has been an English teacher in Japan, a volunteer at the Brisbane International Film Festival and was nominated for Best Male Actor, Queensland New Filmmakers Awards 2008, for the short film, Scarlet. He is also a talented artist, receiving a High Commendation in the Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Art (2000) for works produced by metal etching.
MARKETING
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JILL ROBSON
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING
Film and entertainment publicity specialist, Jill Robson has joined the APSA team from her most recent roles consulting to leading film distributors and festivals and heading publicity and marketing in Queensland for Australia’s leading independent cinema chain, Dendy Cinemas.
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Jill has implemented publicity campaigns for many highly acclaimed independent, foreign language and Australian films over the past five years for clients including Dendy Films, Hopscotch Films, Footprint Films, Icon Films Distribution, Flickerfest International Short Film Festival and Gil Scrine. Prior to this, Jill worked in television commercial production preceded by a stint in the fashion industry. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Griffith University majoring in Film & Television Studies and Journalism.
Jill is responsible for overseeing the various media, publicity and public relations requirements of Asia Pacific Screen Awards Ltd.
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BRETT MCDOUGALL
MARKETING COORDINATOR - DIGITAL & NEW MEDIA
Brett has a Bachelor of Business Communications majoring in marketing and information systems as well as formal qualifications in printing and graphic arts. Over the past six years, Brett has implemented strategies, campaigns and brand development on a
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local, national and international scale. He was President and CEO of Ipswich
Music Incorporated charged with creating a vibrant and sustainable music
culture for the regional city. The role involved the operations, management
and marketing of the organisation and its many events, festivals, performers
and musicians. Brett also oversees the marketing activities of Queensland
Events Corporation.
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PATRICIA LAKSMONO
MARKETING COORDINATOR
Patricia Laksmono is responsible for the coordination of marketing services including APSA’s Award vessels, graphic design, advertising, brand, sponsorship, promotion and administration duties for the marketing, film and event departments.
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Indonesian-born, Patricia has a Masters’ Degree in Film/Television Studies (Honours) and a Bachelor in Visual Communication Design. Prior to joining APSA, she volunteered at Brisbane International Film Festival in 2006 and 2007 handling graphic design and film-prints.
MEDIA & PR
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TRACEY MAIR
PUBLICITY CONSULTANT
Tracey Mair has been one of Australia’s leading film and television publicists for more than 15 years. Her company has extensive experience across film and television production, film distribution, television broadcast and State and Federal Government screen agency media relations. Among Tracey's most
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recent projects is publicity for the Bruce Beresford-directed feature film,
Mao’s
Last Dancer, based on the international best-selling book.
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SATYA NAIR
PUBLICITY ASSISTANT
An avid film buff with a passion for marketing and publicity, Satya earned her Masters degree in Arts and Media (Hons.) from Griffith University, Australia. Her post graduate thesis on Marketing Revolution in the Indian Film Industry earned her a distinction.
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On graduation from India’s top communications institute, Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad, India, she commenced her career in entertainment marketing and publicity with Buzz, a division of Perfect Relations in Mumbai. She has been associated with Films and Casting Temple, an international production, casting, and consultancy firm based in Sydney, in various projects since January 2008 working on publicity and marketing in both Australia and India. She has also worked with Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) for the International Film Festival of India 2008 and with Brisbane International Film Festival 2009.
SPECIAL EVENTS & OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN
APSA PRODUCTIONS (TELEVISION)
Some of Australia’s most experienced producers have joined the television production team of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA). Veteran journalist Kerry Lonergan has been appointed Senior Producer along with former colleague Karen Berkman, both long-term reporters and producers for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Lonergan and Berkman will lead the team for the Scene by Scene documentary programs for CNN International about the films and filmmakers of Asia-Pacific. The team includes Production Manager Kimberley Sakzewski, also ex-ABC, and Associate Producer, Maxine Williamson, who has over 15 years experience in film distribution and exhibition. Maxine also continues in her role as Associate Producer, Awards Competition.
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KERRY LONERGAN
PRODUCER
Kerry Lonergan has held numerous senior managerial and producing positions in radio and television news and current affairs including tenure as the Executive Producer of ABC News and current affairs Landline program from 1991–2007.
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KAREN BERKMAN
PRODUCER
Karen Berkman is an accomplished documentary and television producer whose producing credits include programs for National Geographic Channels International, Animal Planet, ABC Television, Film Australia and SBS. Prior to her producing roles, Karen
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worked extensively as a news and current affairs reporter.
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KIMBERLEY SAKZEWSKI
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Kimberley Sakzewski commenced her career with the Pacific Film and Television Commission and has since held various on and off camera positions on productions for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Channel Four in London.
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