AACTA Reg Grundy Award offers $50,000 prize to any Australian with the best idea for a new and original TV entertainment program

6 SEPTEMBER, 2020

AACTA will strengthen their commitment to supporting new voices in screen entertainment and fast tracking new and original productions via the announcement of the AACTA Reg Grundy Award – an annual $50,000 prize and the largest of its kind in the world - to any Australian with the best new idea for a television entertainment program.

Established in partnership with Reg Grundy’s wife, Mrs Joy Chambers Grundy, Chairman of RG Capital, author and businesswoman, the Award is designed to keep Reg’s heritage of hard work and entrepreneurial spirit alive whilst finding a home to foster the next generation’s brilliant and creative ideas.

Reg Grundy was the founding father of formats in Australia and peerless in the adaptation of entertainment shows for local audiences and across the world. Often Reg’s format adaptations became more popular than the originals and were sold around the world with added Grundy magic, including SALE OF THE CENTURY and BLANKETY BLANKS. His towering success in creating and adapting entertainment formats spans decades, and also includes WHEEL OF FORTUNE, FAMILY FEUD, THE PRICE IS RIGHT, PERFECT MATCH and dramas including SONS & DAUGHTERS, PRISONER and NEIGHBOURS, which has become the longest-running drama series in Australian television and a launching pad for many careers.

In 1999 US Comedies and Dramas dominated Australian Television. Twenty years on 85 percent of the collective commercial free-to-air broadcaster’s content spend is for locally made content. The sector also employs more than 16,000 people directing and indirectly as part of its approximate $1.6 billion yearly investment*. Australian stories are now told through everyday Aussies who entertain and inspire millions each year via unscripted entertainment shows including THE BLOCK, MY KITCHEN RULES, MASTERCHEF, THE PROJECT, HARD QUIZ, HAVE YOU BEEN PAYING ATTENTION?, YOU CAN’T ASK THAT, THE VOICE, BONDI RESCUE, MAFS, FARMER WANTS A WIFE, GRUEN, BODY HACK, LEGO MASTERS, THE BACHELOR, NINJA WARROR et al. The AACTA Reg Grundy Award also acknowledges that great local shows allow TV networks the opportunity to build stripped programming schedules and build and retain a valuable industry.

Television was once a business not accessible to those outside of it, but this Award is open to Australians from all walks of life and across all experience levels who can demonstrate they have an idea that is original, viable and has the all-important entertainment factor.

Mrs Joy Chambers Grundy said: “I am delighted to partner with AACTA to launch a legacy to my extraordinary husband Reg Grundy that speaks to his remarkable success. Reg’s philosophy, ‘be local to be global’, amassed for him international success producing local versions of television shows for each country and saw him pursue his life-long passion of entertaining people,”

“The AACTA Reg Grundy Award has been created to help discover budding entrepreneurs of Australian entertainment in Reg Grundy’s name. We hope like-minded Australians are able to emulate the spirit of Reg and create formats for new shows.”

“We’re thrilled to honour Reg’s incredible impact on the global television industry with the launch of the AACTA Reg Grundy Award. Reg was a trailblazer who paved the way for entertainment television to develop it into what it is today,” said AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella.

“With this Award we hope to uncover some incredible new show concepts and grow the Australian entertainment format footprint in the international television landscape. This is an incredible prize – with the opportunity to further develop your concept with invaluable exposure to some of Australia’s key content commissioners and producers alongside the $50,000 prize money and development funds.”

NSW Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said, “The AACTA Reg Grundy Award is a wonderful initiative that honours the legacy of a true leader in Australian television, while creating new jobs and exciting opportunities for growth in the local television industry.”

The AACTA Reg Grundy Award judging panel is made up of experienced industry figures in the local and international entertainment format space – Chris Culvenor (Eureka Productions), Ian Hogg (AUSTRALIA’S GOT TALENT, AUSTRALIAN IDOL, FAMILY FEUD), Marion Farrelly (Producer, Industry Consultant) and Sharon Sussman-Wheeler (Producer and ex Grundy staffer).

Round One entries close Sunday 4 October 2020 at 11.59pm AEST.

*Free TV Australia, Supporting Australia Stories On Our Screen, June 2020

The AACTA Awards are supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.

AACTA REG GRUNDY SUBMISSIONS & ELIGIBILITY
For full eligibility requirements, please visit here.

ABOUT REG GRUNDY
Read more about Reg Grundy and his career here.

Video footage detailing the AACTA Reg Grundy Award, social cut downs available for repurposing and imagery available here.

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