Young writers Haydn Lea and Tom Anderson at the young writer conference
The 1 min video of the Press Service International young writers annual awards conference has been released, another production by Bridget Brenton of Brisbane.
The 2017 young writer conference was held on 12 August at Alexandra Park Conference Centre on the Sunshine Coast, with the executive team of Russell Modlin and Rebecca Moore the front runners.
The October before the wider planning group met at Alexandra Park to set the planning in track – Haydn Lea, Cartia Moore, Caitlyn Furler, Wes Tronson, Jo Fuller, Kandima Awendila, Rebecca Moore and chaired by Russell Modlin.
Bridget Brenton
Video production
Bridget Brenton collated photographs and moving picture segments so as to combine an action orientated fast moving 1 minute video capturing the essence of the one day young writers conference.
Features are the many faces of the young writer program, focus groups meetings, the two major plenary's by Mark Furler of News.Ltd and John Lemmon a blogger. The video concludes with the 2017 Australian and New Zealand Basil Sellers winners – Cheryl McGrath and Emma McGeorge.
Bridget Brenton's voice over has a deeper resonance with captures the imagination of the viewer as to the veracity and nature of the presentation.
The philosophy behind the video is to provide not only an overview of the young writers' conference but in addition, creating an interest in young people to put their names forward to become part of the young writer program.
Christian Today Australia and Christian Today New Zealand are part of CMCI (Christian Media Corporation International) with 100 mast heads around the world, the major two being Christian Post in the US, and Christian Today International based in London. CMCI focus is on Christian news.
In 2008 the then Christian Today editor invited Dr Mark Tronson to be a daily columnist (Australian Cricket Team chaplain for 17 years, Ret 2001) so as to increase Australian content. In 2009 he was asked to add a daily sport article so as to broaden the appeal and he found 5 young people to engage in the sport writing.
This was the start of the young writer program which since then has developed exponentially with 85 young people writing a Comment piece once every 5 weeks (10 articles a year) from Australia, New Zealand, and 18 internationals from across the world ….. after 8 years we are now onto our third generation of young writers as a good portion remain in the program 2-4 years, others are delightful perennials.
Period sword display at the conference by Cartia and Jesse Moore.
Christchurch 2018
The video concludes with the notification that the 2018 young writers conference will be in Christchurch New Zealand.
This will be the first time Australians will join their Kiwi cousins in New Zealand for the annual conference although the Kiwi young writers have held day conferences in Auckland and Christchurch (2013) and Wellington (2014).
Irenie How the Kiwi young writer editor and Matt Joils are heading up the planning team with the young writer Brian's Trust chair Sam Gillespie from Sydney is flying over in October to work with Irenie and Matt so as to finalise the program for the 2018 young writer conference.
ambique's Kandima Awendila chatting with New Zealand's Irenie How and Matt Joils
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at