Australian Writers' Guild and Open Channel announce shortlist for New Writers' Script Competition

19 November, 2016

The Australian Writers’ Guild and Open Channel are excited to announce the shortlist for the New Writers’ Script Competition.

We received an overwhelming number of diverse entries in each category, with 215 entries in total. The categories were Feature Film, TV Series, Web Series, TV One-off/Miniseries, and Broadcast Documentary.

Our judges have had the privilege of reading many incredible stories from new writers. We saw inventive science-fiction tales that looked into the future to see who we could become, stories that looked into our past to explore who we were, and projects that made us laugh at who we are today.

Due to the overwhelming number and outstanding quality of this year’s entries, we’re expanding our shortlist from six projects to eight. Four were selected from the Feature Film category and four in the TV and Web Series category.

The shortlisted writers will now have the opportunity to meet the selection panel to discuss their vision and project.

There will then be four finalists selected, and two winners – one from each category. Both winners will receive a $250 cash prize and $1000 worth of script mentorship with an experienced AWG assessor.

The four finalists will receive a one-year Associate Membership of the AWG and will be invited to join Australian Writer’s Guild’s Pathways Program, which links talent with opportunity and helps to forge relationships between writers and other industry professionals.

So without further ado, here is the shortlist for the first ever AWG/Open Channel New Writers’ Script Competition:

TV/WEB SERIES

• Lauren Anderson – Webocracy
• Amelie Bonnet –I Freakin’ Love It
• Sioban Tuke –Tassie Devils
• Elizabeth Dias & Russell Bywater –Mish Mash

FEATURE FILM

• Jason Christou –Cell Job
• Gina Lambropoulos –The Princess And The Bear
• Alli Parker –Strain
• Bec Peniston-Bird – Petrova