Jack's typewriter - The Shining (1980) - hero image
A still from The Shining (Stanley Kubrick, Warner Bros., 1980)
About us

Write for us

A guide for contributors to our Stories and Ideas section.

Dying to tell the world what you think about the latest TV show? Seen the parallels between classic cinema and a contemporary web series? How about representation in video games?

If you're a writer with something to say about the moving image, we'd love to hear from you.

What we're looking for

We commission writing about film, television, video games, moving image art and the internet, including:

  • Critical analyses and fresh perspectives about specific works and makers
  • “How to do it” guides by experts to inspire other makers
  • Historical explainers of movements and phenomena
  • Personal responses to moving image works, and
  • Interviews with moving image makers

We don’t commission evaluative reviews (like a film or game review with a star rating, etc). The writing should illuminate the work and help the reader to connect with it more deeply.

Format

  • 800-1600 words in length, with supporting visual content like gifs, images and short videos as relevant to the discussion
  • Subheadings are great in historical explainers and how-to guide

Pitching

Got a great idea for a story? We’d love to hear it. Here’s a quick checklist of what we’re looking for when we read a pitch.

  • Is the piece about film, tv, video games, the internet, or moving image art?
  • Is it relevant and timely, or will it have enduring appeal?
  • Does it bring a fresh perspective?
  • Are you the right person to write it?

(To clarify: we’re not necessarily looking for academic expertise here, but we are looking for people who are closely connected to their subject matter.)

How to pitch

Send us an email! Write to ideas@acmi.net.au with:

  1. A working title for your piece
  2. A short paragraph summarising your idea, and any research you intend to undertake
  3. A link to some examples of your writing online
  4. (NB. If you don’t have a lot of writing online, that’s ok too. Send us an outline of your proposed article, and if it’s something we can pursue we’ll help you develop it. You’re also welcome to send the full piece, but we can’t guarantee we’ll run it.)
  5. A short bio of yourself, which specifies your relationship to the topic

ACMI is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage First Nations, POC, queer, trans, disabled and women writers to pitch stories.

What will happen after you pitch?

If your pitch is successful, we’ll get back to you with a deadlines for your first draft and final submission. These deadlines are important, and missing them may mean we’re unable to go ahead with your piece.

Your piece will be edited, and this process sometimes involves several drafts. Expect the edits and don’t be disheartened.

Due to volume we're unable to respond individually to all pitches, but again, don't be disheartened. Read over the pitching checklist and try, try again.

A word on tone

Our tone of voice is bold, smart and playful. We know that art and fun aren’t mutually exclusive, and we love energetic, adventurous and accessible writing with sense of humour.

Make sure you've had a thorough read of the Stories & Ideas page before you pitch.