Nine Australian writers set to accelerate their projects to the world stage

The participants of Impact Australia 2022. Photography by Sarah Chavdaroska.

 

Nine Australian writers have been selected to participate in the highly coveted screenwriter accelerator, Impact Australia, delivered by Impact and Gentle Giant Media Group. 

Launching in Melbourne today, the eight-week intensive will see talented writers from Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory convene at the University of Melbourne’s Victorian College of the Arts’ Southbank campus to participate in the program. 

 

The successful participants and projects of Impact Australia 2022 are: 

 

Victoria  

• Other People by Jordan Prosser  
• After Her by Sunanda Sachatrakul  
• Don't You Remember by Dannika Horvat  

New South Wales  

• Norfolk by Elias Jamieson Brown  
• The Mandala by Joel Perlgut and Victoria Zerbst  
• The Almost Insufferable Burden of Being a Talented Woman by Siobhan Domingo  

Queensland  

• Roxbury Manor by Paul Clarke  

Australian Capital Territory  

• Poly by Naomi Telushkin  

 

Participants will be mentored by industry-leading screenwriters from around the globe. This team of Shapers will support and empower the diverse group of creators with the goal of accelerating the selected projects to be pitch-ready for global buyers and producers at the Impact Global Pitch Day in January 2023. 

This year, the world-class Shapers will include Shaun Grant (Nitram, The Snowtown Murders), Kai Yu Wu (The Flash, Paper Girls), Sarah Lambert (Lambs of God, Love Child), Stuart Beattie (Obi-Wan Kenobi, I Frankenstein), Hunter Covington (Community, Black AF) and Stacy Traub (Black-Ish, Glee).

Impact Australia is supported by Screen Australia and Learning Partner the University of Melbourne, in partnership with VicScreen, Screen NSW, Screen Queensland and Screen Canberra. 

 

The panel discussion for Impact Australia 2022. Photography by Sarah Chavdaroska.

 

Impact CEO, Tyler Mitchell said, "The success of Impact alumni has been phenomenal to watch. With 8 movies produced, a Best Foreign Film Oscar candidate, 48 projects set up at major studios and networks, and the series Firebite on AMC+, which was co-created by Impact Australia's Brendan Fletcher - it's just been incredible to see these writers' careers take off. We can't wait to see the exciting material that emerges from this talented group of Creators and look forward to bringing this next wave of Australian creative talent and their projects to the global stage in January 2023." 

Gentle Giant Chairman and CEO Greg Basser said, “It is so exciting for Impact Australia to return to Melbourne for its Third Season, for the first time in person at the Victorian College of the Arts on the University of Melbourne Southbank Campus.   None of this would have been possible without the great support from Screen Australia, Vic Screen and the University of Melbourne along with our partners at Screen NSW, Screen Queensland, Screen Canberra and Screen Territory.  We can’t wait to see what these outstanding nine creators deliver as they work with some of the best writers from the global screen industry under the watchful eye of the Impact team.   Melbourne and Australia continue to show that they truly are the home of original content for global audiences.” 

Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason said, “A huge congratulations to this year’s talented cohort. We’re thrilled that Impact is back in person this year and we are pleased to support these impressive writers with an opportunity to build invaluable relationships through the program and forge pathways to achieve global success with their screen stories.” 

Victorian Minister for Creative Industries Steve Dimopoulos said, “As global demand for quality screen content continues to boom, we’re positioning Victoria’s screen industry for success – delivering more local jobs on some of the world’s biggest screen projects.” 

“We’re backing Impact as part of our $191.5 million VicScreen strategy, which is just one of the ways we are investing in local skills, stories and talent.” 

 

The mentorship program launched in Melbourne today and runs for eight-weeks, culminating in the Pitch Day in January 2023. For more information visit: impactdevelopment.com/australia 

 

IMPACT AUSTRALIA MEDIA ENQUIRIES  

Siobhan Murphy, siobhan@babarpr.com 

AUSTRALIAN MEDIA ENQUIRIES  

VicScreen | Jadan Carroll jadan@commonstate.co  

Screen Australia | Jessica Parry jessica.parry@screenaustralia.gov.au