About

My name is Tom Hearn. I am an Australian documentary filmmaker, community development practitioner and First Nations ally, and the founder of BushTV, established in 2003.

For more than 20 years, I have worked alongside communities across regional and remote Australia at the intersection of storytelling, cultural governance and community development. My Gurda (big brother) Ernie, has been my mentor and production partner for many years and is often involved in BushTV projects – when he isn’t off making movies and doing his thing.

I hold a Master of Arts in Documentary and am a Reconciliation Award recipient for community storytelling. My documentaries have screened at national film festivals and TEDx events. My practice bridges story, ethics and systems change.

At the centre of my work is a simple belief: strong stories, grounded in cultural wisdom and local knowledge, can strengthen our national identity, local leadership and long-term social change.

Schedule a Discovery Call With Tom

What We Do

BushTV operates as an external communications and documentary partner for organisations seeking clarity, consistency and cultural authority in their public presence.

We work alongside Indigenous organisations, health services, foundations, government agencies and purpose-driven enterprises that understand communication is responsibility, not decoration. Where internal media capacity is limited, BushTV becomes a trusted storytelling arm, shaping narrative, producing documentary and campaign content, and building long-term narrative infrastructure.

Our approach is relational and grounded in accountability. We don’t produce content for activity’s sake. We help ensure your work is understood clearly, ethically and in alignment with your values and community obligations.

If you’re looking for a communications partner who understands both story and responsibility, we invite you to learn more.

Explore how we can work together.

For Storytellers

Structured mentorship and editorial partnership for emerging filmmakers developing documentary and any form of story work.

The mentorship supports:

• Ethical storytelling practice
• Narrative structure and craft
• Cultural authority and consent
• Practical filmmaking skills
• Long-term project development

Available as one-to-one mentorship in a structured 10-session program.

A space for people who care about ethical storytelling, cultural authority and building strong narrative skills over time. Members get direct access to me for their projects, behind-the-scenes insights, practical teaching, and opportunities to ask questions and grow in community. It’s an affordable way to stay connected, sharpen your storytelling and build confidence as you develop your own projects.

More About the Mentorship

Stories on Country

Stories On Country is a national truth-telling initiative grounded in Country, culture and community. Initiated and convened by Ernie Dingo, the program responds directly to the call for Makarrata in the Uluru Statement from the Heart and recognises that truth-telling is not a political event. It is a cultural responsibility.

Delivered on Country and led by local authority, Stories On Country creates a structured and culturally governed space for Elders and community members to share lived experience, historical memory and intergenerational knowledge. These are not performances. They are careful recordings of truth, guided by those who hold the right to speak.

The program brings generations together on Country. Elders speak. Young people listen. Communities reflect. Stories are recorded with professional care, ethical governance and cultural oversight, ensuring that authority remains local while contributing to a growing national archive of First Nations-led narratives.

Find Out More About Stories On Country