Nel Minchin, Head of Factual

Nel Minchin is a director, writer and producer with a reputation for making smart, thought-provoking and engaging documentaries.

A recipient of the Screen Australia Enterprise People grant in 2016, Nel worked at In Films under the mentorship of Ivan O’Mahoney where she created, directed and produced prime time TV docs AACTA-nominated Matilda and Me (co-directed with Rhian Skirving), Making Muriel and feature documentary Firestarter – The Story of Bangarra (co-directed with Wayne Blair). Firestarter screened at over 35 festivals across the world winning the Rose D’Or for Arts Programming, the Walkley Documentary Award, the documentary award at the Pan African Film Festival LA, the AACTA, an ADG, the Adelaide Film Festival Award and a SPA Award.

Other work includes highly popular Capturing Cricket: Steve Waugh in India, 3-part prime time fashion history series The Way We Wore hosted by Celeste Barber and SBS documentary The Truth about Anxiety with comedian Celia Pacquola winning the WA mental health award. Nel returned to In Films to direct prime time sports series Folau, nominated at Mipcom Cannes in 2023.

Nel started out her career in London working for 5 years on factual formats including the Blood, Sweat and … series and Britain’s Next Big Thing for the BBC, Cowboy Builders for Channel Five and as a digital producer in the Google Creative Lab.

She worked as a development producer at FremantleMedia Australia for 2 years and as an independent producer has also dabbled in short films and comedy, producing and developing shows for comedians Joel Creasey, Rhys Nicholson and youtube comedy superstars Aunty Donna for many years. She currently sits on the Gender Matters Taskforce at Screen Australia.