Arts Minister grants $45,000 to Dungog to nurture Australian script writers
Arts Minister Simon Crean has today announced a one-off funding grant of $45,000 to Dungog Film Festival for its Sydney-based script development program, In the Raw.
In a statement, Simon Crean said, “The one-off funding I am announcing today will enable festival organisers to cement In The Raw in its new bi-monthly format increasing visibility to more existing screenplays that display significant market potential.”
In the Raw presents live script readings by professional actors of Australian screenplays heading into production at the Sydney Theatre in Walsh Bay. It was initially established in 2007 at the annual Dungog Film Festival.
“The Australian Government is committed to ensuring the ongoing viability of the Australian screen production industry,” Mr Crean added. “Supporting initiatives such as In The Raw is an important and effective way of demonstrating this commitment. Innovative and effective programs such as In The Raw are exactly the kinds of initiatives I hope the National Cultural Policy will help stimulate.”
Pauline Chan’s 33 Postcards and Julia Leigh’s Sleeping Beauty were both assisted by readings at In The Raw.
I reckon we need an Australian based screenplay competition with prize money. That’s the best way to get feedback on your script. [comment edited]
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Congrats to Dungog on developing their great festival and instigating this one off grant. Anything is better than nothing Mr Crean. If you really want to see transformation in this industry on a national scale and have the kind of industry a small country like New Zealand has created and beyond, then roll out a national mentor based screenwriting grant and invest in the ideas of your nation. As much as this grant is welcomed its a drop in the ocean. Every film maker in this country is sick to death of putting along in first gear..if the government actually thought more of itself as true representatives of our nation and the people it represents as an idea nation able to continually produce quality ideas…we might actually begin to see Australians proud of their diverse slate of media productions year in and year out and not be what we have become..and Research and Development lab for the USA.
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This is in support of sceenplays that are already heading into production??
How about assisting unproduced screenplays TO head into production???
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