Simonne Overend is Essential Media’s Vice President of Scripted Television for the US.
Essential Media and Entertainment is one of Australia’s leading independent producers of high quality screen content for both local and international audiences (Essential Drama is the producer of RAKE, JACK IRISH, THE PRINCIPAL and DOCTOR, DOCTOR, and on the factual side AUSTRALIA: THE STORY OF US, AFGHANISTAN, THE AUSTRALIAN WAR, FRANK GEHRY’S TREEHOUSE, SHANE DELIA’S SPICE JOURNEY and WHAT’S THE CATCH? hosted by Gourmet Farmer star Matthew Evans).
Simonne is also the Chairman of Australians in Film, an LA-based organization for film and television professionals working in the US. She is chair of GATEWAY LA, a screenwriting program designed to support the development of commercially successful, Australian-created television and movie screenplays for US and international audiences.
Australians in Film (AiF) recently launched several new initiatives – mentorship programme MentorLA, in conjunction with Screen Australia, and Charlie’s, a creative work-share space for Australians visiting and working in LA, with partners Screen NSW, Screen Queensland, AFTRS and Film Victoria.
AiF also runs the Village Roadshow and Animal Logic Fellowship for producers, the AiF Writers Room, an 8-week program through which writers can develop their scripts. The organisation also holds two cornerstone annual programs; the Heath Ledger Scholarship, which is awarded to an emerging Australian actor who is ready to transition their career to the United States, and the AiF Benefit Gala and Breakthrough Awards in October.
Simonne is on the Advisory Board for Screen Producers Australia, and consults for Screen Queensland.

Prior to joining Essential, Simonne held roles in film and television development, production and distribution in Australia, Singapore and Paris and London. She has worked in development for a range of companies, including RGM Artist Group, BBC4, IWC Media, December Films and Village Roadshow.

Ready, Steady, Pitch!

Simonne is open to pitches in both tv and film, she is not looking for kids or animation projects.