LOUISE GOUGH has 30 years’ experience in story and project development.

Louise began in theatre as a dramaturg and extended to screen story development in the last 20 years.

In Screen Louise was Editorial Manager at ABC TV Drama and Narrative Comedy seeing a number of projects in the pipeline from idea to audience; Script Manager at Film Victoria managing a slate and initiatives with a significant annual budget; in the development team at Madman Production Company across a slate of projects into production; Development Executive (Story) at Screen Australia where she oversaw the development of a significant slate of works. During her time at Screen Australia, Louise also conceived, designed and delivered the initiative Developing the Developer, enabling the diversification of personnel working in story development in Australia.

Most recently Louise was Head of Development at Arenamedia, overseeing a broad slate of projects from script to screen, and working with high calibre and robust creatives. Louise also recently completed her 3 year contract as Head of New Work at Belvoir where she oversaw an exceptional slate of new work for the stage, including originals and adaptations.

Louise’s past theatre positions include Literary Manager at Playbox (now Malthouse) in Melbourne, Resident Dramaturg at Queensland Theatre Company (now QT) and Literary Fellow at Vineyard Theatre (NYC).

For the last ten years, Louise has also worked as a script advisor in Europe, leading residential feature film development labs and script mentor training, working on fiction features as a script editor or dramatic advisor. Louise has also worked as an Advisor at the Berlinale Talent Campus Script Station.

Louise has high calibre and internationally regarded story curation, project development and realisation skills. She has expertise in sector capacity building particularly in the field of new and under-represented voices. Her relationship with production companies and makers is exceptional and well-regarded.

Louise comes to APT with a passionate belief in the power of stories and the potential to develop new work from idea to audience, in the hands of storytellers and those who work alongside them.