AACTA and Screenworks launch the fourth year of AACTA Pitch: Regional Landscapes

AACTA Pitch: Regional Landscapes in partnership with Screenworks returns for its fourth year, giving aspiring Australian creatives the chance to develop a feature film that celebrates the idiosyncratically Australian stories inspired by our stunning regional areas - where the regional setting lends itself as a central character to the narrative.

Regional Landscapes launches AACTA’s 2023 development program. Giving aspiring filmmakers the opportunity to develop their pitch with professional industry guidance and support, this initiative calls for a story featuring landscapes that exist outside of the metropolis, exploring the tales that lie within Australia’s diverse and varied regional areas. Teams can consist of up to three creatives, with at least one based in regional Australia.

A shortlist will be guided through multiple rounds of development with 5 finalists vying for the prize. The five finalists will receive an exclusive training session on developing and finessing industry standard pitch materials including a pitch deck and sizzle reel and will undertake invaluable one on one mentoring from this year’s panel of judges, who will prepare them for the final pitch. The final will be presented as part of 2023 Screenworks Regional to Global Screen Forum, a hybrid event to run from Thursday March 30 to April 1, 2023. The forum will be held at Lennox Head Conference Centre and live-streamed online, and will feature workshops, presentations, one-on-one meetings and networking events.

The recipient of the 2023 AACTA Pitch: Regional Landscapes in partnership with Screenworks initiative will be provided:

• Support to develop their concept into a production
• $5,000 in prize money, consisting of a $1,000 cash prize and $4,000 towards development, industry introductions and networking
• Industry connection opportunities through the Australian Writers’ Guild Pathways program
• Professional script development sessions
• Invaluable feedback and ongoing guidance from the esteemed judging panel
• Three-day pass to all sessions at the Screenworks 2023 Regional to Global Screen Forum to be held in March
• AACTA, Screenworks and Australian Writers’ Guild annual memberships
• Two tickets to the 2023 AACTA Award Ceremony.

Screenworks CEO Ken Crouch said “Screenworks is thrilled to collaborate with AACTA for the fourth year to deliver the AACTA Pitch: Regional Landscapes initiative. We have seen so many unique and exciting stories coming from regional and remote locations across Australia over the past three years – it has become one of our most popular initiatives and we’re looking forward to seeing what is pitched to us this year.”

AACTA Awards and Industry Development Manager Ivan Vukusic said, “We greatly look forward to reading the great pitches that come from, and are inspired by, regional Australia. We want to encourage ideas that explore the changing face of our regional areas and the experiences and viewpoints of new Australians that have made regional Australia their home. Our diverse landscapes are admired the world over and we look forward to film ideas from people that have been drawn to the uniqueness, wonder and opportunity of regional Australia.”

AACTA encourages new, emerging or experienced creatives to apply, particularly those from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds. Initial entry requirements include: Title, logline, video pitch, resumes of the team, a 1 page treatment. Round One entries close 5pm AEDT on Monday, January 9 2023. A panel of judges will be announced early next year, which will be made up of prominent Australian screen decision-makers across streaming, production, and distribution.

Non-AACTA applicants who become an AACTA member on application will have their application fee waived for AACTA Pitch: Regional Landscapes in partnership with Screenworks. For more information on AACTA membership, click here.

 For more information on AACTA Pitch: Regional Landscapes, click here.