VICE and Screen Australia announce Pitch Australiana

09 11 2017 - Media release VICE and Screen Australia announce Pitch Australiana

Two of the stars of Australiana ep 1 Rage In The Cage, Alien and Lilshit , cheer on a fellow burnout competitor

Today VICE, Screen Australia and the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) announce the launch of a new pitching competition Pitch Australiana which offers local filmmakers the chance to win a $50,000 commission for a short form documentary to be released on VICE.com.

The Pitch Australiana competition is open to early career Australian filmmakers that have at least one documentary production credit to their name.

Filmmakers will be pitching for the chance to secure funding for a production to be released through VICE's lauded tent-pole digital documentary series, Australiana. The short form documentary will be released through VICE's global digital network, and will join previous Australiana films also broadcast on local TV channel SBS VICELAND.

Four pitches will be selected to compete for the prize in a public pitching session with a panel of representatives from VICE and the wider documentary community taking place at AIDC in Melbourne on Tuesday 6 March, 2018. Entrance to watch the pitch will be free for student card holders.

Australiana is a series committed to presenting stories from the perspectives of Australian communities, individuals and subcultures that are overlooked or ignored. At its heart, it's a way to offer a voice to those on the fringe. Previous Australiana episodes feature teenage burnout stars in regional Victoria, the Indigenous queer experience in the Tiwi Islands, and a search for love in the outback.

Pitching to the marketplace is such an important part of financing documentaries and Australians don't often have the opportunity to practise a public pitch on home turf, said Liz Stevens, Head of Documentary at Screen Australia. So not only will there be a chance for a number of teams to hone their pitching skills at AIDC but one of those teams will also be commissioned to produce a short film for Vice's Australiana slate. This represents an incredible opportunity for a local creative team to tell a true story in a truly multi-platform way.

Katy Roberts, Head of Video at VICE Australia said, We are so excited to be able to work with Screen Australia and AIDC to expand the Australiana series through working with new, local filmmakers. After really strong and meaningful launch episodes, we're committed to the series being an ongoing, diverse portrait of modern Australia. We can think of no better way to do that than diversifying the Australian storytellers we work with.

Alice Burgin, Conference Director of AIDC said, Australian stories, new voices, a pool of money there's a lot to love about this initiative and AIDC is really excited to be a part of it! Our theme for 2018 is Southern Exposure, and I truly cannot see a better way to encapsulate this idea than by providing a platform for new Aussie voices to shine.

Call for pitch submissions is now open. The deadline for applications is January 11, 2018.

For more information, full eligibility requirements, and to submit a pitch idea, please visit vice.com/australianapitchcompetition

Finalists will be contacted in January 2018.

Media Enquiries Josh Gardiner | VICE Head of Communications

61 403 921 097 | josh.gardiner@vice.com

Media enquiries Jane Alexander | Senior Publicist

61 2 8113 5833 | 61 400 940 682 | jane.alexander@screenaustralia.gov.au

Clio Anne Ellis | Publicist and Events

61 2 8113 1091 | 61 450 492 745 | clio.ellis@screenaustralia.gov.au

All other general/non-media enquiries Sydney 61 2 8113 5800 | Melbourne 61 3 8682 1900 | info@screenaustralia.gov.au

LINK:	https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/media-centre/news/2017/11-09-vic...
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