As a freelancer in film and television, you’re also a business owner – juggling projects, schedules and income while managing life beyond the set. In this special end-of-year Launch Lab, Emmy Award-winning producer, and CrewHQ founder Kirsty Stark shares practical ways to plan your career, build your profile, expand your network, and stand out in the screen industry.

Across this interactive day of mini-workshops, coaching and guided planning, you’ll develop your own 2026 career roadmap – complete with personalised goals, a skills audit, and strategies for promoting yourself and building professional relationships. Templates and worksheets are provided so you’ll leave with clear next steps for your freelance journey.

We’ll finish the day – and the year – with networking drinks open to all Launch Lab participants from 2025, offering a chance to connect, celebrate and look ahead to what’s next.

Presented by Emmy Award-winning Producer and founder of CrewHQ, Kirsty Stark.

Date: Saturday 13 December 2025
Time: Doors 9.30am | Lab 10.00am – 4.00pm | Networking 4.00pm – 5.00pm
Venue: The Mercury
Cost: FREE FOR MERCURY SUBSCRIBERS or $95

Should you be unable to attend since booking a ticket, please email us so that we can offer it to another subscriber on hello@themercury.org.au.

Kirsty Stark is an Emmy award winning television producer whose screen credits include children’s series FIRST DAY, STATELESS (co-producer for Matchbox Pictures), feature film A MONTH OF SUNDAYS (Madman Production Company) and ABC iview series GOOBER, UNBOXED and WASTELANDER PANDA.

Kirsty founded and runs independent production company Epic Films, and recently launched CrewHQ, a nationwide crewing platform for production freelancers around Australia. She has a strong commitment to supporting the wider industry.