South Australian filmmaker wins Beijing Pitching Competition with superhero story
South Australian filmmaker Brendon Skinner has won the Beijing Pitching Competition for his film The Pulse, an Australian-Chinese co-production.
Skinner was selected from sixteen emerging filmmakers from China and the Asia Pacific.
The Pulse, an adventure superhero story is set in Sydney and was conceived with co-director and co-producer Simon Williams.
The competition was run by the Motion Picture Association Asia Pacific and China International Copyright Expo with Australian contestants competiting in a national pitch contest that was first run as regional and state heats by Metro Screen in NSW, Open Channel in Victoria and the Media Resource Centre in South Australia where Skinner first won his round.
Skinner said: “This win has given us the confidence to aim even higher with The Pulse. We have wonderful people behind us that really believe in what we’re trying to do. Now we know we can do it.”
A team already, Skinner and Williams were nominated for their short film Toot Toot at this year’s If Awards and are in a mentorship with AMPCO Films.
Mario Andreacchio, of AMPCO Films said: “We have every confidence that Brendon and Simon will be very impressive when they go to Hollywood next year.”
Mario Andreacchio is the director of the first Australian-Chinese co-production, The Dragon Pearl, and one of the initiators in the Australia-China Screen Alliance between the Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) and the China Film Producers Association.
Gail Kovatsteff, director of Media Resource Centre said: “Brendan is part of a very motivated, talented and driven young team. This win represents a significant step towards getting their first feature made.”
Skinner will now take The Pulse and meet with studio executives from the MPA in the US and attend the annual American Film Market which attracts over 8000 delegates from 70 countries.
The Dragon Pearl is yet to be released. Pauline Chan’s 33 Postcards starring Guy Pearce went into production after The Dragon Pearl but has since been released.
