Debut and second-time filmmakers the focus of Screen Australia development funds

Screen Australia has announced over $550,000 in funding for 16 feature film projects, backing a number of debut and second-time writers, directors and producers including many making the transition into features for the first time after creating for other platforms. Eleven new projects have been added to Screen Australia's development slate, while five projects will receive continued support.

Screen Australia's Head of Production, Sally Caplan, said, The funding decisions made in this last quarter reflect the breadth of stories coming out of this country and the depth of talent. It is great to be able to support such a spread of genres and ideas and such a range of established and emerging writing, directing and producing talent.

The new projects to receive development support include comedy Madams by producer/writer/director Stephan Elliot, writer Sheridan Jobbins and producer Gary Hamilton; and an edgy feature debut from television writers Kirsty Fisher and Marieke Hardy, Death Is for the Living, to be directed by Trent O'Donnell. Also supported in this round are romantic comedies EM, from director Kate Reidl, writer Emma Jensen and producers Matthew Dabner, Karen Radzyner and Anna Vincent, and All I Know of the Devil, from television writer Shanti Gudgeon in her first feature script.

Family projects that will receive backing include Blinky Bill, from director Deane Taylor, writer Fin Edquist and producer Barbara Stephen, based on the classic Australian children's book, and The Wiggles: Pandamonium!, produced by Paul Field, Michael Wrenn and Gary Hamilton, with comic-turned-writer Ben Elton directing and writing the script.

Two thrillers have also been selected for development Damien Lay's To the Bitter End, a psychological thriller about a pirate and pursuer locked in a treacherous ocean pursuit, written by John Goldsmith and produced by Carolyn Frichot, and The Phobos Experiment from director Rowan Woods, written by Jacquelin Perske and produced by Penny Wall. Director Eron Sheean's horror film End of Animal, written by Shane Danielsen and produced by Michael Wrenn and Paul Yi, also received development support.

In the action adventure arena, Mulan, a story inspired by an ancient Chinese fable about a legendary female warrior, from producers Emile Sherman and Iain Canning and writer Jan Sardi, will be supported.

Writer/director Jennifer Kent has received early-stage funding to support work on her second feature, Interior, the follow-up to her Sundance hit The Babadook.

Acclaimed theatre director Michael Kantor will receive support to begin work on his second feature with writer Marion Nelson an adaptation of Chloe Hooper's critically-celebrated novel The Engagement, to be produced by Bruno Charlesworth and Jo Dyer.

Other dramas supported in this round include Undertow by writer/director Miranda Nation and producers Lyn Norfor and Sylvia Wilczynski, and King: A Street Story by producer/writer/director Jacqueline McKenzie and producer Rob Coe.

Projects to receive continued feature development support are included in the project details listed below.

SINGLE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT: Feature Development

ALL I KNOW OF THE DEVIL

Genre Comedy, drama

Writer Shanti Gudgeon

BLINKY BILL

Genre Family

Producer Barbara Stephen

Writer Fin Edquist

Director Deane Taylor

Synopsis A young and mischievous koala embarks on a journey across the wild and dangerous outback in the hope of finding his missing father, but discovers that theres more to being an adventurer than meets the eye. Based on the characters from the childrens book of the same name.

DEATH IS FOR THE LIVING

Genre Romantic comedy

Executive Producer Jason Burrows

Director Trent ODonnell

Writers Kirsty Fisher, Marieke Hardy

Synopsis In search of pain relief from her terminal illness, Sara encounters Dan, a psychotherapist who, through hypnosis, gives her a way to live' her future' in her subconscious but things get complicated when Dan, enamoured by Sara, begins to write' himself into her dream' future.

EM

Genre Romantic comedy

Producers Matthew Dabner, Karen Radzyner, Anna Vincent

Director Kate Riedl

Writer Emma Jensen

Synopsis Jane Austen's Emma Down Under.

END OF ANIMAL

Genre Horror

Producers Michael Wrenn, Paul Yi

Director Eron Sheean

Writer Shane Danielsen

THE ENGAGEMENT

Genre Drama

Producers Bruno Charlesworth, Jo Dyer

Executive Producer Robert Connolly

Director Michael Kantor

Writer Marion Nelson

Synopsis An erotic weekend in the country becomes a trap where a woman is lost in a labyrinth of lies, fantasies and fear but of whose making?

INTERIOR

Writer/Director Jennifer Kent

KING: A STREET STORY

Genre Drama

Producers Rob Coe, Jacqueline McKenzie

Executive Producers Jocelyn Moorhouse, Timothy White

Writer/Director Jacqueline McKenzie

Synopsis King, a courageous and resourceful 12-year-old street-kid who acts like a dog, finds acceptance in a small community on the outskirts of the city. But the threat of a redevelopment forces King to his final redemption.

MADAMS

Genre Comedy

Producers Stephan Elliott, Gary Hamilton

Director Stephan Elliott

Writers Stephan Elliott, Sheridan Jobbins

Synopsis A comedy from the writers of Easy Virtue.

MULAN

Genre Action adventure

Producers Emile Sherman, Iain Canning

Writer Jan Sardi

Synopsis Inspired by the ancient Chinese fable, this new take on the story of Mulan recounts the legendary heroine's rise to greatness and her quest to discover her true identity.

THE PHOBOS EXPERIMENT

Genre Thriller

Producer Penny Wall

Director Rowan Woods

Writer Jacquelin Perske

Synopsis Their mission: simulated training to take humanity 40 million miles to Mars and back. But what if their mission is a lie? A lie that will push the crew beyond breaking point and into a desperate fight for surviva

LINK:	http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/news_and_events/2014/140411_developm...
	See more stories from screenaustralia

Most recent headlines