NodeFest

Nodefest is the foremost motion design event in Australia, celebrated as the design party of the year. It brings together creatives and industry professionals to showcase innovative designs and network with peers. Known for its vibrant atmosphere, Nodefest is a must-attend for those passionate about motion design and visual arts.

Keynote speakers

Ian Haigh 

Ian (that's me) sploshes around at the intersection of words, images, motion, and technology. I was born 'n' raised in Aotearoa NZ, and have pushed buttons for a living in Wellington, London, Amsterdam, and now Sydney. I make fun things for my little agency, Ketchup – writing, directing, filming, and animating. But I'm happiest when spending hours programming a computer to do something automatically that would've taken minutes to do by hand.

Charlotte Parsons and Oz Smith 

Soma is a design and animation company based in Naarm / Melbourne. We specialise in premium animation and strive to create a positive, streamlined, enjoyable collaborative experience. We love to experiment, mix styles, tell stories and be out of our comfort zone. Oz is a graphic designer, animator and director from London with experience in design, branding, and broadcast animation. Charlotte has a background in live action TVC shoots and animation production.

Phillip Tibballs

Phillip Tibballs is a Creative Director for Motion at Canva, where he leads a powerhouse internal motion team crafting expressive, story-driven animation at scale. With 15 and a bit years in the industry, he's focused on the intersection of motion, branding, product and events. Picture a big Venn diagram with Motion Design in the middle.

Jess Wiseman

Jess Wiseman is a multidisciplinary 3D artist, illustrator, and designer, and the founder of Figuregot - a brand blending digital art, streetwear, and character IP. Known for hyper-real textures and surreal product design, Jess has created work for the likes of Samsung, KSI, Lil Nas X, Reebok, Clarks, Doja Cat etc. Her work spans from pencil drawings to full 3D animation, building an online presence around imagination brought to life through Blender and beyond.

Michelle Demkiw

With 23 years of experience in broadcast design (fuelled by an early triumph in the competitive world of kindergarten colouring), I now lead the Paramount Plus ANZ internal design team. I love drawing, reading, and these days consider a rare afternoon nap to be the ultimate joy. When not designing or napping, I'm wrangling my two children - arguably my most complex and demanding creative project yet.

Daniela Bau

Daniela is a seasoned Art Director and static/motion designer with a 24-year career in broadcast television promotion and branding — and a proud mum to a tween girl. After 16 years in design leadership at Network 10 / Paramount ANZ, where she launched and refreshed TV channels and solved design problems for a myriad of entertainment and sponsor brands, Daniela is now embracing the flexibility — and occasional existential dread — of freelance life.

John Gavin

John is the Co-Founder and CEO of the YouTube-first entertainment brand Nounish. For 20 years, John has worked in the ever-changing creative industry, through the closing of local film labs, to the rise of the influencer (and the 9:16 deliverable). Now, in a time when creatives are experiencing more pressures, less fulfillment, and even the threat of their livelihoods being automated into oblivion, John and his team have formed Nounish with a mission to create a playful, and inspiring universe for creatives to thrive and reconnect with the pure joy of making art. Nounish wants to shift the culture of the creative industry away from perfectionism and an obsession with the end product, towards the celebration of creativity in its purest form. In this exciting and optimistic future, the new creative commodity is the messy, imperfect, sometimes even scary process of being a creative human.

Billy Chitkin

Billy Chitkin is a freelance 3D Designer & Animator from Detroit in the United States. With over 10 years experience in the industry with a focus on the nitty gritty details, technical animation and look development. A nerd about all things motherboards, render engines, Star Wars and 1990's Japanese sports cars. He's also a co-founder of the studio collective Boxfort, a group of freelance artists spanning everything from cel animation to 3D in his hometown.

Jack Condon

Jack Condon is a Senior Software Engineer at Epic Games who is excited by real-time interactive installations - be it in media, entertainment, or visual arts. With over a decade of experience with these technologies in the live event and installation space, Jack has a passion for programming and integration of physical and virtual environments. His current focus is on processes & iteration to get the best outcomes quickly during production.

 

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Upcoming events

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Ballet of Lights: Cinderella in a Sparkling Show

Icon / Small / Calendar Created with Sketch. 23 Jan 2026 - 16 May 2026
Icon / Small / Location Created with Sketch. The Capitol

After captivating audiences worldwide with Peter Pan, Ballet of Lights presents Cinderella! This classic fairy tale is reimagined in a ballet show where dancers shine in glow-in-the-dark costumes. Get your tickets for Ballet of Lights: Cinderella in a Sparkling Show in Melbourne!

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Capitol Theatre Orchestra followed by The Sting (PG), 1973

Icon / Small / Calendar Created with Sketch. 25 Jan 2026

Spend an unforgettable Sunday at The Capitol, Melbourne's home of classic movies and music. Begin with nearly an hour of sparkling 1920s jazz by the twelve-piece Capitol Theatre Orchestra in stunning Art Deco surrounds. Then enjoy Oscar-winning The Sting—Newman and Redford's twisty con-game thriller set in 1930s Chicago for everyone.

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Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty in a Sparkling Show

Icon / Small / Calendar Created with Sketch. 30 Jan 2026 - 02 Aug 2026

Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty has arrived in Melbourne! This beloved tale is brought to life through classical dance, stunning choreography, and beautiful glow-in-the-dark costumes.

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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

Learn more about our commitment to Indigenous cultures