A rock star, a Hollywood producer and a former Prime Minister believe the Sunshine Coast has the potential to have a significant influence on the film and television industry, so they have created an exciting new contest to make it happen.
The Sunshine Coast Showdown will give emerging local talent the chance to kickstart the next step in their dream to break into the world of film and television.
The contest is offering tens of thousands of dollars in production funding, across multiple categories, with the aim of inspiring and mentoring the next generation of talented locals to make that happen.
The winners of each category will receive $5,000 to develop, produce and deliver their project, and launch them at a gala night in January.
The trio of former Nambour High School students — rock star Jon Coghill, Hollywood producer Dan Munday and former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd — united with not-for-profit group the Sunshine Coast Screen Collective, who view the event as a golden opportunity to advance their mission in fostering the development of the screen-based industries on the Sunshine Coast.
They are confident the unique project has the potential to capture the attention of the film and television world.
When one of Australia’s most loved bands split in 2010, Powderfinger drummer Jon Coghill switched to journalism and returned home to the Coast to work for the ABC as a presenter, journalist and online producer.
After leaving the national broadcaster last year he has turned his creative talents to screenwriting.
His work has already been recognised with his locally-produced film “Green with Envy” being shortlisted as a finalist at the London International Short Film Festival in May this year.
Mr Coghill believed the Showdown competition was a fantastic chance for the Sunny Coast to get a bite of the film industry pie currently being devoured by the Gold Coast.
“Powderfinger started with five guys in a room with an idea and that’s the idea behind the Showdown, to support and nurture the ideas of coast locals,” he said.
“People who want to make great film and television but aren’t sure how to get there.
“If the Showdown competition can inspire people and trigger the seeds of a screen industry on the Coast, then we’re doing our job,” he said.
“We believe there are some amazing creatives on the Coast just waiting to be discovered.
“It will be awesome to see what they can do and this is the perfect opportunity.”
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Dan Munday, another Sunshine Coast local, recently returned from Los Angeles after 18 years producing the US Survivor series, developing unscripted shows, including “The Apprentice” and working for the likes of MGM and NBC.
Now heading up unscripted shows for Matchbox Pictures, he had a big picture view.
“Australia is bursting at the seams with domestic and international production and for years we’ve (the Coast) discussed the need for significant studios here,” he said.
“Showdown will grow and connect the talent we already have on the Coast and act as a beacon for media executives, developers, talent and governing bodies to gather around.”
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“As the mentor for the Unscripted Formats category of the competition I hope to discover not just one idea and person to help through this creative process but multiple creatives from different fields that want the work-life balance of working on film and television while living on the Sunny Coast.”
Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is also throwing his support behind the Screen Collective’s mission and he jumped at the chance to become a patron of the not-for-profit venture.
“It’s not hard to find people who want to see a screen industry grow on the Coast and I think that’s why Kevin didn’t hesitate when we asked him to be a patron,” Mr Coghill said.
“Plenty of other locals have also jumped on board to become patrons and support the Showdown,” Mr Coghill said.
The SCSC is a group of dedicated local industry screen professionals who have been working diligently to foster the multi-faceted screen-based industries right here on the Sunshine Coast.
Several years ago it came to their attention that there were quite a number of talented creatives living on the Coast who travel elsewhere to work, and the SCSC was formed to meet the challenge.
The SCSC recognised that the Sunshine Coast was perfectly suited for the screen industry, with its amazing locations, budding infrastructure and highly trained professionals.
The light-impact industries of production and post-production perfectly suit the region’s environmentally friendly nature while generating a viable and powerful economic centre for screen industry groups and individuals.
The SCSC is looking for screen industry-based crew, talent and events to showcase.
Create your free profile, connect with other industry professionals and help them build the Sunshine Coast Screen Industry. Visit www.sunshinecoastscreencollective.com.au.
See the contest website here: www.sunnycoastshowdown.com.au
Categories and mentors
- Short Film — Drama/Comedy — Writer/Director Tam Sainsbury (Home&Away, P.M.Love)
- Short Film — Horror/SciFi/Action — Writer/Director Chris Sun (Boar/Charlies Farm/Possessed)
- Unscripted pitch — Formats (Light Ent) — Producer Dan Munday (NBC/Survivor/Apprentice)
- Unscripted pitch — Factual (Ob/Doc) — Producer Josh Capelin
- Music Video — Jonathan Coghill (Powderfinger/ABC radio)
- Young Guns Short Film — TBC
Key dates
- Launch of contest — July 12
- Submissions open — July 26
- Submissions close — September 3
- Shortlist announced — September 17
- Winners announced — October 1
- Final Cuts submitted — December 10
- Gala night — Late January
- Presentation and Q&A Night: Peregian Beach Digital Hub — July 20 from 6.30pm.
- Presentation and Q&A Night: The Old Ambulance Station, Nambour — July 22 from 6.30pm.
- Presentation and Q&A Night: USC — date and time TBC.
