Storying disability on-screen: Disabled creators serve disabled audiences.

This article presents findings from the first national study of disability in the Australian screen industry, based on a survey of over 500 workers and interviews with eleven disabled screen professionals. It focuses on how disabled screen workers view their creative practice as intertwined with serving the disability community, emphasizing the importance of authentic and diverse on-screen disability representation for both cultural identity and audience engagement. The research highlights systemic workplace inequalities faced by disabled workers, the under-representation and frequent misrepresentation of disability on-screen, and the disability community’s role as a vital, discerning audience advocating for inclusion. Disabled screen workers articulate their dual roles as creators and advocates, linking authentic storytelling with community solidarity and industry change, while also recognizing the commercial and social benefits of disability inclusion in screen media.