Joy House Productions is an entertainment based, boutique company which founded
The Joy House Film Festival and The Wong Side of Life. It produces plays,
films, art projects, workshops, events, children’s animations and theatre productions.
Joy Hopwood’s background is in children’s television, education and the arts. Her work has been
recognised by The Australian, SMH, The Daily Telegraph, and The Sunday Times newspapers
and Film Ink & IF magazines.
In 2012 she was interviewed by SBS World News about the importance of having diversity on
Australian television. Joy was not only a regular presenter on A.B.C. T.V’s Play School but
also a guest on T.V. shows like: Good News Week, Home and Away, A Country Practice, G.P.
New Dimensions, and English at Work.
Joy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia,
and then moved to Sydney permanently after successfully auditioning for ABC’s Play School,
which has been one of many highlights of her life.
In 2010, Joy took part in Belvoir Company B’s sold out show, “Stories East and West,” and was asked
back for another season in 2011 and 2012.
Her autobiographical story has been included in Black Ink book’s, Growing Up Asian in Australia,
edited by Alice Pung, which is part of the HSC curriculum and tertiary studies for universities and
schools, now in its fifth reprint edition. Due to her popular contribution, Pearson Education
approached Joy to have her story included for the Pearson 9 series Reflecting on Life,
and was then asked to be a contributing writer for Chinese Australian’s Women’s Stories (2012).
In 2012, Joy House Productions worked with Pearly Productions on a comedic short film
The Colour of Change about stereotypes and social issues, highlighting the importance of not
judging people in society unless you’ve walked in their shoes. They’ve also worked on
The Wong Side of Life (for children).
Their work was selected as a finalist for the BEMAC short film festival 2013, Cinewest,
Women Media Arts and Film Festival 2013 (and won the Audience Choice Award),
Kanyahumari International Film Festival, India 2014, Lambing Flat Festival 2014 and
The Shire International Short Film Festival 2014, Florida’s Rendezvous Short Film Festival 2015
& 9th CMS Film Festival 2017 held in Lucknow, India and Geo Film Festival & Expocinema,
Belvedere, Padova in 2017.
On March 25th, 2013, The Wong side of life, theatre play was successfully performed at
The Concourse Theatre with profits going to The Cancer Council, which Joy’s a proud
ambassador for.
The play received positive reviews which then led to the Kindness is For Free campaign,
which is an anti-racism and anti-bullying initiative in schools. This includes children’s
workshops which has taken part in many annual Harmony Day events.
On September 14th, 2013, The Joy House Film Festival was launched.
This is a short film festival featuring short films with a main theme of “joy” and sub theme of
diversity, giving a platform for emerging film makers in Australia and overseas. It’s the only
short film festival in Australia which is supported by Actors Equity and the Media Entertainment
Alliance (Diversity Committee) & Women in Theatre & Screen (Social Media Partner). It gives
prizes for not only best film, but also best Youth film, best Diversity film but also best W.I.T.S.
(Women in Theatre & Screen) film.
In 2009 & 2013, Joy’s philanthropy and community work was recognised for the prestigious
Australian of the Year Awards where she has been nominated twice and for the local community
awards. Here Joy was presented with an award by Ita Buttrose and then Treasurer Joe Hockey M.P.
Joe Hockey, Joy and Ita Buttrose (Community Awards)
Joy has been emcee for many events including International Women’s Day at Westfield (2016)
and International Women’s Day, organised by the Worker’s Union in Sydney city where 800+
people attended, and Walk for Respect (18 C) in 2015 and 2017.
In 2017, the feature film The Casting Game was made, written / produced by Joy Hopwood
and directed by Pearl Tan.
The Casting Game has been selected for Hollywood Screenings Film Festival & Hollywood
Verge Film Awards and World Film Fair thus far.
Also in 2017, Joy collaborated with Maria Tran and Davy Nguyen and co-wrote and co-produced Tree Doctor.
A short film comedy about an Asian man fulfilling his dream to become a doctor, a tree doctor,
making his mum proud.
Joy did an interview in 2018 with Michael Wang (Swinbourne University) with Alice Pung
& Aileen Huynh about diversity and the media & entertainment industry.
Video link Writers Actors Talk
In July 2018, The World Film Fair (New York) approached Joy House Film Festival to be one of its official
partners. We have accepted their offer. Our finalists will now have the opportunity to have their short films
shown to markets overseas in New York.
Currently in production is Joy’s second feature film, The Script of Life. A romantic comedy film
about how life doesn’t go according to a script and the sacrifices the main characters make
for love and friendship.
“Making a difference in people’s lives is an ongoing goal of mine,
by ‘creating’ work with life messages in them, whether it be in film, literature,
theatre or the visual arts. I hope to continue this in hope for social change –
for a better, kinder community.”
(Joy Hopwood)
