Screen Australia, VicScreen, SBS and Arenamedia announce Originate Features recipients
15/06/2023
Originate Features finalists. (L-R) Kalu Oji, Rosie Lourde, Hannah Ngo, Ivy Mutuku, Mimo Mukii, Katie Found, Adrian Chiarella and Harvey Zielinski.
Four feature films from VicScreen's inaugural Originate Features initiative are set to be fully financed through a $2.8 million investment, delivered in partnership with Screen Australia, SBS and Arenamedia.
Launched in 2021, Originate Features is designed to champion the work of emerging writers and directors who are from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds in the screen industry.
The multi-stage initiative has quickly become the largest of its kind in Australia, unearthing an exceptional and wide range of homegrown talent.
The development of each finalist's project has been supported from early concept, to now, as they prepare to head into production and compete in the global marketplace.
The successful teams and their projects are:
Into the Blue by Writer/Director, Katie Found and Writer, Markella Kavenagh: Destined for the nursing home after a dementia diagnosis, 80-year-old Iris enlists the help of her teenage granddaughter Poppy to help her fake her own death.
Sweet Milk Lake by Writer/Director, Harvey Zielinski and Producer, Rosie Lourde: A softly spoken trans man who, after being mistaken for his alpha, cis twin brother by his estranged and dying dad, relishes the opportunity to be one of the boys.
Pasa Faho by Writer/Director, Kalu Oji and Producers, Mimo Mukii and Ivy Mutuku: Struggling shoe shop owner, Azubuike, attempts to reconnect with his 10-year-old son, Obinna.
Leviticus by Writer/Director, Adrian Chiarella and Producer, Hannah Ngo: Cursed by a supernatural being, two queer teenagers are forced to confront their desires.
The investment will support two of the projects to head into production by June 2024, with the following two projects kickstarting production the following financial year.
Participants have been mentored throughout the process by powerhouse industry figures, including Arenamedia producers Robert Connolly (The Dry) and Liz Kearney (Blueback), Head of Scripted at SBS, Julie Eckersley and Commissioning Editors of SBS Scripted, Loani Arman and Donna Chang.
Screen Australia CEO, Graeme Mason said, Screen Australia is incredibly proud to support the Originate Features program, which is generating a really important opportunity for these untapped filmmakers to share their unique stories on the world stage. We are proud to support the Australian talent discovered through this initiative and we can't wait to see what this group will bring to our screens.
Minister for Creative Industries Steve Dimopoulous said, Through VicScreen's targeted initiatives, we are providing a major career launchpad for new voices who will build their careers and help shape the future of our screen industry.
VicScreen CEO, Caroline Pitcher said, Never before in Australia, have we seen an initiative champion bold new voices to this scale. This is a game changer for our filmmakers, one that sets a new precedent in how we can support untapped Australian talent.
Robert Connolly, Founder and Director of Arenamedia said, Arenamedia is excited to be working with SBS and the team at VicScreen on this exciting initiative to bring new and diverse creative voices to our screen, championing filmmaking teams with a bold and adventurous approach to cinema and unique stories to tell.
Head of SBS Scripted, Julie Eckersley said, Congratulations to these incredible creative teams! The projects being developed through Originate epitomise contemporary Australian storytelling and showcase the tidal wave of emerging talent in our sector who have historically been under-represented in the stories told on our screens. SBS is thrilled to be involved in the meaningful opportunity this initiative provides as part of our commitment to elevating new voices and supporting sustainable pathways that will lead to a more inclusive future for our sector.
Following the success of Originate Features, the initiative is now focusing on television, with today marking the launch of Originate Series a new talent and skills development escalator for Victorian writers looking to propel their careers in television.
Eight aspiring early-career to mid-career writers will be selected to undertake masterclasses and paid professional development opportunities, mentored by experienced TV series writers and producers.
Participants will also complete a world-class eight-month television writing program delivered by the University of California (UCLA) School of Theatre, Film and Television's Professional Programs.
Throughout the program, participants will hone their craft, completing two original scripts and pitch materials. Towards the end of the initiative, all participants will be given the coveted opportunity to pitch their projects to Victorian producers and key market partners.
Applications for Originate Series are now open to Victorian writers, with applications closing Tuesday 11 July. To apply or for more information, click here.
MEDIA ENQUIRIES Emma Mackenzie | VicScreen Senior Publicist
61 413 919 094 | [email protected]
Media enquiries Maddie Walsh | Publicist
61 2 8113 5915 | [email protected]
Ted Rose | Senior Publicist
61 2 8113 1091 | 61 456 558 679 | ted.rose@screenaustralia.gov.au
All other general/non-media enquiries
Sydney 61 2 8113 5800 | Melbourne 61 3 8682 1900 | [email protected]
LINK: | https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/media-centre/news/2023/06-15-ori... |
See more stories from screenaustralia |
More from Screen Aus
31/10/2024
SBS, NITV and Screen Australia announce documentary series 2.6 Seconds
30 10 2024 - Media release SBS, NITV and Screen Australia announce documentary series 2.6 Seconds 2.6 Seconds. Photo credit: Jesse Marlow. SBS, NITV and Scr...
10/10/2024
Screen Australia announces $8.1 million of production funding for 15 projects
10 10 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces $8.1 million of production funding for 15 projects L-R: Love Adjacent director Louise Alston, Watching Y...
17/09/2024
Screen Australia and Paramount+ Announce New Murder Mystery, Playing Gracie Darling
16 09 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and Paramount Announce New Murder M...
11/09/2024
Endemol Shine Australia and Screen Australia announce Early Career Writers Program
10 09 2024 - Media release Endemol Shine Australia and Screen Australia announce...
04/09/2024
Screen Australia invests over $2 million in Australian Games Industry
04 09 2024 - Media release Screen Australia invests over $2 million in Australian Games Industry Zodiac Mountain Screen Australia has announced over $2 milli...
28/08/2024
Screen Australia and ABC announce four new children's programs
28 08 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce four new children's programs Andy Lee at Richmond Primary School with his nephews Freddy Mile...
22/08/2024
Screen Australia announces $3 million for 13 documentaries
22 08 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces $3 million for 13 documentaries We Are Jeni Screen Australia has announced 11 documentaries through the...
19/08/2024
Production starts on RFDS season three
19 08 2024 - Media release Production starts on RFDS season three RFDS cast. Photo Credit John Platt. Pre-production on the third season of the Seven Network...
15/08/2024
Maggie and Arthur return to the ABC for a second season of Mother and Son
15 08 2024 - Media release Maggie and Arthur return to the ABC for a second season of Mother and Son Denise Scott and Matt Okine in Mother and Son Fans of t...
06/08/2024
Bruce Beresford's Film Overture starts production in Western Australia
06 08 2024 - Media release Bruce Beresford's Film Overture starts production in Western Australia Overture cast (L-R) Susie Porter, Luke Bracey and Bryan ...
17/07/2024
Screen Australia and YouTube Australia announce Online Creators set to Skip Ahead
17 07 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and YouTube Australia announce Onlin...
12/07/2024
Screen Australia and ABC announce new comedy series Optics
12 07 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce new comedy series Optics Optics. Photo credit: Joel Pratley ABC and Screen Australia have annou...
10/07/2024
Shipwreck Hunters Australia back on the water for Season 2
10 07 2024 - Media release Shipwreck Hunters Australia back on the water for Season 2 Shipwreck Hunters Australia Screen Australia and The Walt Disney Compan...
09/07/2024
Applications Open for Digital Originals, and three new dramas coming to screens
09 07 2024 - Media release Applications Open for Digital Originals, and three new dramas coming to screens (L-R) Moonbird director, co-creator and co-writer N...
30/05/2024
Screen Australia, Australians in Film and VicScreen announce FUTURE VISION
30 05 2024 - Media release Screen Australia, Australians in Film and VicScreen announce FUTURE VISION Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo Australians in Film, Scree...
08/05/2024
Olivia Colman and John Lithgow Star in Sophie Hyde's New Project JIMPA
08 05 2024 - Media release Olivia Colman and John Lithgow Star in Sophie Hyde's New Project JIMPA Olivia Colman and John Lithgow in JIMPA. Photo credit: M...
29/04/2024
Screen Australia announces James J. Robinson's debut feature First Light
29 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces James J. Robinson's debut feature First Light First Light Principal Photography is underway on Firs...
24/04/2024
Screen Australia celebrates Australian projects bound for Cannes Film Festival 2024
24 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia celebrates Australian projects bound...
18/04/2024
Screen Australia and Dynamic Television announce new Scripted Initiative
18 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and Dynamic Television announce new Scripted Initiative Savage River Screen Australia and Los Angeles-based telev...
11/04/2024
Screen Australia and Meta launch fourth year of First Nations Creators Program for Instagram
11 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and Meta launch fourth year of First...
10/04/2024
Screen Australia announces over $2.3 million for nine documentaries
10 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $2.3 million for nine documentaries Guardians of the River Screen Australia has announced nine doc...
21/03/2024
Screen Australia announces over $1.6 million in support of the games industry
21 03 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $1.6 million in support of the games industry Which Way Up: Galaxy Games Screen Australia has anno...
18/03/2024
Screen Australia and VicScreen launch new Screen Careers initiative
18 03 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and VicScreen launch new Screen Careers initiative LTR Denise Eriksen, Esther Coleman Hawkins, Caroline Pitcher, K...
15/03/2024
The Creators 2024 Participants Announced
15 03 2024 - Media release The Creators 2024 Participants Announced The Creators program recipients. L-R Thomas Duncan-Watt, Vanessa Gazy, Sarah Lambert, Lea...
13/03/2024
Screen Australia announces dramas Critical Incident and Sunny Nights for Stan
13 03 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces dramas Critical Incident and Sunny Nights for Stan Critical Incident: Akshay Khanna and Zoe Boe. Photo c...
28/02/2024
Screen Australia announces over $810,000 in development funding for 29 projects
28 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $810,000 in development funding for 29 projects Willy Screen Australia has announced 23 feature fi...
27/02/2024
Michael Ebeid AM appointed as new Screen Australia Chair
27 02 2024 - Media release Michael Ebeid AM appointed as new Screen Australia Chair Michael Ebeid AM and Megan Brownlow The Hon. Minister for the Arts, Tony...
21/02/2024
Screen Australia and Australians in Film Announce Applications Open for UNTAPPED 2024
21 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and Australians in Film Announce App...
15/02/2024
Screen Australia announces over $560,000 for crew and gamemaker skills programs
15 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $560,000 for crew and gamemaker skills programs Liz Keogh Palmer (Australian Production Design Guil...
13/02/2024
Six Australian projects bound for South by Southwest Festival in the US
22 01 2024 - Media release Six Australian projects bound for South by Southwest Festival in the US Audrey, Birdeater, The Moogai Six Australian screen projec...
12/02/2024
Screen Australia and YouTube Australia Launch Skip Ahead 9
12 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and YouTube Australia Launch Skip Ahead 9 Uncovering Street Dance: Australia from Skip Ahead 8. Photographed by Ry...
08/02/2024
Screen Australia and ABC announce Bay of Fires is back for season two
08 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce Bay of Fires is back for season two Marta Dusseldorp as Stella in Bay of Fires ABC, Screen Austr...
22/01/2024
Five Australian projects bound for South by Southwest Festival in the US
22 01 2024 - Media release Five Australian projects bound for South by Southwest Festival in the US Audrey, Birdeater, The Moogai Five Australian screen proj...
17/01/2024
Brendan Cowell and Asher Keddie star in Screen Australia and ABC's new drama series Plum
17 01 2024 - Media release Brendan Cowell and Asher Keddie star in Screen Austra...
14/12/2023
Screen Australia announces over $6.9 million of production funding for 11 projects
14 12 2023 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $6.9 million of produ...
12/12/2023
Applications open for The Creators program
12 12 2023 - Media release Applications open for The Creators program The Creators program Screen Australia and the Australian Writers Guild (AWG) have annou...
11/12/2023
Screen Australia announces Talent USA: New York recipients 2023
11 12 2023 - Media release Screen Australia announces Talent USA: New York recipients 2023 Enoch Mailangi, Noora Niasari, Hannah Carroll Chapman Screen Austr...
30/11/2023
Screen Australia announces 14 placements through BTL: Next Step Stage 2
30 11 2023 - Media release Screen Australia announces 14 placements through BTL: Next Step Stage 2 Image courtesy: Screen Warriors Screen Australia has annou...
29/11/2023
Screen Australia announces over $1.7 million for seven documentaries
29 11 2023 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $1.7 million for seven documentaries Deeper Screen Australia has announced three documentaries fun...
23/11/2023
Screen Australia announces over $900,000 in development funding for 31 projects
23 11 2023 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $900,000 in development funding for 31 projects Wishes Screen Australia has announced 18 feature f...
10/11/2023
Cameras roll in Canberra on new ABC comedy Austin
09 11 2023 - Media release Cameras roll in Canberra on new ABC comedy Austin Austin - Ben Miller, Michael Theo, Sally Phillips Screen Australia, ABC, ITV Stu...
10/11/2023
Screen Australia, SBS and NITV announce Digital Originals shortlist for 2023
10 11 2023 - Media release Screen Australia, SBS and NITV announce Digital Originals shortlist for 2023 Screen Australia Digital Originals Workshop. Image by ...
09/11/2023
Kangaroo Beach to return for a third series
09 11 2023 - Media release Kangaroo Beach to return for a third series Kangaroo Beach Series 3 Screen Australia and ABC are thrilled to announce that a third...
09/11/2023
Screen Australia and ABC announce TV adaptation of Shaun Tan's Tales From Outer Suburbia
09 11 2023 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce TV adaptation of Sh...
08/11/2023
Applications Open for Screen Australia's Enterprise 2024 Program
08 11 2023 - Media release Applications Open for Screen Australia's Enterprise 2024 Program Behind the scenes of Total Control 3 - Wayne Blair, Jub Clerc ...
02/11/2023
Drama Report 2022/23: $2.34 billion spent in Australia from 213 productions
02 11 2023 - Media release Drama Report 2022/23: $2.34 billion spent in Australia from 213 productions NCIS: Sydney, The New Boy, Ginger and the Vegesaurs. S...
01/11/2023
Daisy Ridley set to star in Zak Hilditch's new film We Bury the Dead in Western Australia
01 11 2023 - Media release Daisy Ridley set to star in Zak Hilditch's new fi...
31/10/2023
Deirdre Brennan appointed as new Screen Australia CEO
31 10 2023 - Media release Deirdre Brennan appointed as new Screen Australia CEO Screen Australia is pleased to announce the appointment of Deirdre Brennan a...
31/10/2023
Screen Australia announces participants in Access Coordinator Training Program
31 10 2023 - Media release Screen Australia announces participants in Access Coordinator Training Program Access Coordinator Training Program workshop in Sydn...
31/10/2023
Screen Australia and NITV announce Journey Home - David Gulpilil
31 10 2023 - Media release Screen Australia and NITV announce Journey Home - David Gulpilil Writer/director/producers Maggie Miles and Trisha Morton-Thomas, a...