Screen Queensland is drawing on Queensland talent to lay the groundwork for a new feature film, announced Screen Queensland CEO Tracey Vieira.
“Queensland Originals: Anthology will engage Queensland writers, directors and producers to develop a dramatic feature film as part of a collaborative initiative,” Ms Vieira said.
“In the initial writing phase, we are seeking Queensland-based writers to participate in a writers room led by international screenwriting specialist Stephen Cleary to shape a story that has the potential to be turned into a feature film,” Ms Vieira said.
“The four selected writers or writing teams will develop detailed storylines for up to eight distinct short films or chapters, drawn together through a single dramatic narrative based on Stephen Cleary’s concept for a thriller about a group of teenagers forced to outwit and outrun a gunman when they come under attack.”
Ms Vieira said Queensland Originals: Anthology would provide a practical training ground for Queensland talent to acquire skills for feature films and long-form broadcast.
Following the script development, Screen Queensland will look to produce the eight chapters as a low budget feature film, engaging local directors to each helm a chapter of the film.
Stephen Cleary has worked in film and television for 20 years. He was Head of Development at the UK national screen agency. As the founder of Arista, Europe’s leading private development agency which saw the production of 96 features over ten years. He consults internationally to TV networks, film agencies and production companies and film schools. His current roles include running a European TV series development program for Canal Plus and story development workshops for the Scandanavian film industry hosted by the Danish Film School.
He was lead consultant on the Emmy Award-winning documentary What Happened MIss Simone?, and the BBC drama series Hinterland. In Australia, Stephen designed and implemented the Filmlab low-budget program for the SAFC, which resulted in a number of internationally acclaimed features, including 52 Tuesdays, The Infinite Man, One Eyed Girl and Shut Up Little Man!.
Participating writers must be available to participate in a writers’ room from 29 May to 16 June.
Queensland Originals: Anthology is part of Queensland Originals, a Screen Queensland initiative to create opportunities for the state’s creative talent to develop standout stories for the screen.
As part of the application, people must provide a writing sample of up to 10 pages, along with a CV and creative statement.
For guidelines and application. Deadline is 24 April 2017.
