About

Sam Martin (He/Him) is a Deaf/Hard of Hearing Queer filmmaker, creative producer, and researcher whose practice is driven by the power of visual language and community-led storytelling. Working at the intersection of culture, identity, and representation, Sam focuses on reshaping how Deaf stories are made, documented, and understood across film and the broader creative industries. His work foregrounds the everyday textures of Deaf and queer life, blending creative practice with cultural advocacy and a commitment to authentic, visually rich storytelling.

Sam is currently completing a PhD at the Australian National University, examining the socio-political power of Deaf-led documentary filmmaking. His research investigates the camera as a tool for cultural preservation, resistance, and authorship — exploring how film operates as a written form of sign language and how Deaf filmmakers reclaim space within historically hearing-centric screen environments. This academic work further strengthens Sam’s long-standing dedication to visual language as both artform and political practice.

Sam’s screen work includes directing, co-producing, and co-editing Signs of Success, a six-part documentary webseries for Deaf Connect. The series amplifies stories of Deaf leadership across Australia, presenting a contemporary portrait of Deaf professionals through a community-centred, visually intimate approach. His earlier films have also reached national audiences: Deafying Gravity, a portrait of resilience within the Deaf performing arts community, screened on ABC; and A Style for Every Story, a poetic exploration of identity and self-expression through fashion, was broadcast on SBS. Across this body of work, Sam continues to explore themes of identity, access, and cultural memory, drawing on lived experience and deep observation.

In addition to his creative and research work, Sam is one of Victoria’s first trained Access Coordinators for film and television. He has supported major productions such as Apple TV’s The Dispatcher, bringing specialist knowledge and lived expertise to improve on-set accessibility, inclusive workflow design, and meaningful representation. Sam also contributes to national arts policy: he served as a member of the Co-Design Working Group for the Australian Government’s Equity: The Arts and Disability Associated Plan, working with the Office for the Arts and Creative Australia to embed lived experience into policy development.

Across all aspects of his practice, Sam brings a collaborative, community-focused approach grounded in cultural pride and visual storytelling. Whether through filmmaking, research, access work, or policy contribution, he continues to champion Deaf-led creative spaces and expand the possibilities of what accessible and inclusive screen practice can be.