OLIVIA J. BENNETT


Hello! I’m an arts writer, researcher and critic based in Brisbane, Australia. 

I've reviewed and written about art, film, music, and digital culture in Australian and international publications. I’ve also played a pivotal role in the programming, digital production, and successful delivery of numerous projects within Australia’s film and music industry.

I'm fascinated by how global trends intertwine with personal stories, revealing the impact of cultural issues on our daily lives. In my work, I prefer to experiment with non-linear storytelling, multiple perspectives, and mixed media to capture the intricacy of modern cultural tensions.

I’ve been honoured to participate in Gertrude Contemporary’s Emerging Writers Program and the Melbourne International Film Festival’s Critics Campus.

I'm also a freelance copywriter, content writer, and strategist whose work is driven by principles of complexity and interconnectedness.

With five years of freelancing, three years in agency environments, and two years navigating Melbourne's strictest COVID-19 lockdowns, I've faced real tests of resilience and adaptability in my career. This experience has enriched my ability to develop copywriting, content, and strategy for various sectors, including tech, health, lifestyle, retail, design, construction, hospitality and (of course) the arts.

I completed a Bachelor of Art History and Curating at Monash University, majoring in Film Studies. For my BA Honours thesis in Screen and Cultural Studies at Melbourne University, I argued that the documentary films of Harvard University’s Sensory Ethnography Lab are hyperobjects. Applying Timothy Morton’s concept through poetics, I explored their capacity to provoke a transgressive experience of ecological thought and feeling.

On a personal note, I'm on track to pass the DELF B2 French exam in 2025, and I am currently working on launching new business ventures that will further leverage my expertise and passions.

Souhaitez-moi bonne chance!

I KNOW I’M 
FUNNY HAHA

Faye Webster




Faye Webster perfects her brand of hopeless romanticism in I Know I'm Funny haha, a selection of indie-rock tracks that sulk more than they serenade. The bratty self-awareness of her lyricism provokes introspection, and offers an easy entry for listeners to indulge in their own feelings of loneliness. First released as a single in 2020, 'In a Good Way' is a helpless call of devotion that stands as the album's most evocative and crushing song. "I didn't know that I was capable of being happy right now/But you showed me how," she sings. "You make me want to cry/In a good way." The lengthy pedal-steel guitar outros offer moments of reprieve, but quickly become tiresome when paired with the repetitive crooning of tracks 'Kind Of’, 'Cheers' and 'Better Distractions'. Webster may have gone too far in proving her point - that the joke will forever be on her - but such is the danger of leaning too far into heartbreak.