The Finalists for AACTA Pitch: Bite in Partnership with Monster Pictures have been announced

The Australian Academy of Cinema Television Arts (AACTA) today announced the finalists for AACTA Pitch: Bite in Partnership with Monster Pictures, Australia’s ultimate horror and genre film development initiative aiming to link industry to emerging creatives and fast track the development of new productions and screen careers through mentorship, investment, production and promotion.

The eight AACTA: Pitch Bite in Partnership with Monster Pictures finalists, having undertaken multiple rounds of real world challenges including financial planning, marketing and audience development, and concept art creation, will now pitch their project to a panel of judges comprised of established horror film-makers, screenwriters, and producers such as Kathy Charles (CASTLE FREAK, JAKOB’S WIFE), Chris Brown (DAYBREAKERS, BAIT, THE RAILWAY MAN) and co-founder of Monster Pictures, Grant Hardie. The AACTA Pitch: BITE final will screen as part of AACTA ScreenFest 12pm AEDT Tuesday December 7.

The success of the inaugural year of this initiative was resounding. Jordan Watton (writer / director) and Julia Corcoran (producer) won for their project BURNING, receiving $10,000 in development funds and a distribution deal with Monster Pictures.

Another project launched during last year’s collaboration with Monster Pictures – AACTA Pitch: Isolation, Aaron McCann’s JONESY, received international consideration in the Frontières International Co-Production Market. Aaron pitched his project Jonesy to producers, sales agents, distributors, and financiers from around the globe at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal in August.

The winner of this year’s AACTA: Pitch Bite in Partnership with Monster Pictures will receive $10,000 in development funds and an Australian theatrical distribution agreement with Monster Pictures Distribution.

“After an incredibly successful first year working with AACTA on the Pitch initiative, I’m very happy to say that AACTA: Pitch Bite has followed up on this success. All of the TOP 8 finalists pitches are of exceptional quality, so I’m really looking forward to the seeing who brings it home in the final pitch and takes out the prize” says Grant Hardie, co-founder of Monster Pictures.

The eight AACTA Pitch: Bite in Partnership with Monster Pictures finalists and their loglines are as follows:

Bad Moon Rising – Scott Hamilton

Trapped inside a bank after a botched robbery, a group of criminals must fight to survive the night when their hostages become werewolves.

Blood Red Sun – Michael Hearle

Early settlers hunt a vampire across the Australian Outback.

Blooded – Andre Muller | James Cripps

An alienated teen learns he can save his dying mother by becoming a human blood runner in the ruthless vampire underground.

Drop Bears – Josh Sambono | Laura Sambono

A bullied Indigenous teenager and an international marsupial expert must protect a baby koala from a hoard of vicious Drop Bears. Humans set their world on fire... now they want revenge!

Scorn – Abel Robinson

In the confines of her home, a woman holds her abusive husband captive at gunpoint, looking for him to answer to his past transgressions, but unbeknownst to them both, the true test of their relationship waits just outside their door.

Skinbags – Adam Dunn | Jeremy Brull

In the aftermath of a zombie attack, a man struggles with his identity when he realises that while his body is undead, his mind is still very much alive

The Revived – Clea Frost | Robbie Studsor

After discovering her new partner is a supernatural being, an insomniac paramedic embraces the ultimate sacrifice in order to save her troubled half-sister.

Wolfcat Fever – Josh Collins

The ultimate rock and roll animals

“We’re proud to be working with both Monster Pictures and Sony on these very targeted development initiatives. Last year’s Isolation endeavour with Monster was incredibly successful, with multiple projects moving into development and pre-production, including the dark BURNING, and the completely unique and buzzworthy JONESY. This year looks equally exciting” says Ivan Vukusic, Awards and Industry Development Manager. “And with education and young creatives an increasing focus for AACTA, we look forward to working with Sony on giving talented young film makers a much needed head start in their careers. The finalists of our inaugural collaboration with Sony represent the richness and diversity of stories and storytellers to come from our filmmaking schools and we look forward to bringing one of these great short films to life”.

Today AACTA also announced the top five finalists for AACTA Pitch: Focus in Partnership with Sony. This short film pitching competition gives film making students nationwide an opportunity to pitch, develop, shoot a proof of concept and produce a short film, with guidance from an experienced panel of award winning short filmmakers, and $15,000 in production funds along with an extensive suite of complimentary film equipment from Sony. View the top five finalists pitches here. 

Alongside these initiatives, AACTA has revealed the top five finalists for the 2021 Reg Grundy Award. Open to any Australian with a new idea for a television competition program, Reg Grundy is the largest prize of its kind in the world. View the winning five finalists’ pitches here.

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AACTA | Michelle Small | P: 0415 461 534 | E: msmall@afi.org.au