AACTA announces $50,000 Reg Grundy Award for the best new and original TV entertainment program
AACTA has announced a new annual $50,000 competition for the best new and original TV entertainment program, in the name of industry icon Reg Grundy.
Established in partnership with Grundy’s wife, Joy Chambers-Grundy, chairman of RG Capital, author and businesswoman, the Award is designed to keep Grundy’s heritage of hard work and entrepreneurial spirit alive whilst finding a home to foster the next generation’s brilliant and creative ideas.
Grundy was a leader in adapting entertainment formats for local audiences in Australia and across the world. The adaptations he worked on included Sale of the Century and Blankety Blanks, as well as Wheel of Fortune, Family Feud, The Price is Right, Perfect Match and dramas including Sons & Daughters, Prisoner and Neighbours.
Grundy was a champion of Australian content
Joy Chambers-Grundy said she hopes the award is able to inspire Australians like Reg Grundy.
“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,” she said.
“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.”
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 (ex Fremantle CEO), Marion Farrelly (producer, Industry Consultant) and Sharon Sussman-Wheeler (Producer and ex Grundy staffer).
AFI and AACT CEO Damian Trewhella said the prize was aimed at discovering new talent across the industry.
“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 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.”
Round One entries close Sunday 5 October 2020 at 5pm AEST.
topics
AACTA
AACTA Australian Academy Cinema Television Arts
AFI
Damian Trewhella
Joy Chambers-Grundy
Reg Grundy
Stuart Ayres
