Gold Coast Film Festival: AWG Event

Calling all writers, directors and performers! Your voice. Your stories. Join us for Australia’s first Diversity Showcase and help shape Australia’s future on screen. AWG and Scripted Ink are partnering with the Equity Foundation and the Equity Diversity Committee, with support from Screen Australia and our colleagues at Australian Directors' Guild, to run Australia’s first Diversity Showcase. Open to members AND non-members. Find out more about how to apply here:

Congratulations to Jacklyn Bassanelli, winner of the 2017 Laugh Out Loud Comedy Writing Competition with her script Preconception! Bassanelli wins the chance to pitch her new comedy script to ABC’s Head of Comedy, Rick Kalowski, and will also receive $5000 in funding from Scripted Ink. Described by the industry judging panel as ‘highly sophisticated and well executed’, Preconception follows a late-thirties jobbing actor with a weakness for booze and musicians who decides to look into her own fertility after being cast on screen with a teenage daughter.

A great interview with Scott Hicks last night, discussing the #MakeItAustralian campaign and Australia's rich and unique film and television industry. www.makeitaustralian.com

Tonight's the night! Join Briony Kidd and Sue Maslin at The Old Woolstore Hotel in Hobart from 5.30pm as they discuss feature film development and much more! Tickets available on AWG website.

What would Australian #TV look like without local content quotas? We want Australian stories told on Australian screens by us, to us, about us. More than 200 leading actors, directors, screenwriters, producers, editors, cinematographers and other screen workers have penned an open letter to federal parliamentarians calling for action to protect the industry. Will you join us? https://makeitaustralian.com/take-action/ #MakeItAustralian

'More than 200 screen industry figures have written an open letter to federal MPs warning that Australian story telling is at risk of being drowned out by overseas content. The latest initiative from the Make It Australian campaign is a direct response to fears the Turnbull government plans to slash the local content quotas for TV drama and children’s television, as advocated by the commercial free-to-air broadcasters.'

Tune in now to hear Tony Ayres discussing the #MakeItAustralian campaign and today's open letter to the government http://www.abc.net.au/radio/sydney/

'More than 250 high-profile film and television figures have signed an open letter pleading with the federal government to strengthen local content rules on the small screen and to increase tax breaks to attract overseas movie producers. "Our voices [are] in danger of being drowned out by a deluge of overseas content," it says. "And if our nation's stories aren't told, they die. And when they die, future generations won't know who we are and what makes us us."'

"Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason has two blunt messages for feature film producers. One is: Recognise that most independent films, Australian and international, now are earning roughly half as much at Australian cinemas as they did only a few years ago. The other: Keep up-to-date with the rapidly shifting dynamics in the global theatrical market or get left behind."

We don't mean to alarm you...but AWGIE Award entries close next week, so get in quick! Open to produced works across film, television, documentary, theatre, radio, interactive and children's television, each year these prestigious awards celebrate and honour the very best in Australian stage and screen writing. In 2018 entries are open to all eligible produced works that finished principal photography or production or had a first performance in 2017. See below the Conditions of Entry for details. #2018AWGIES #MyAWGIES #SomeoneWroteThat

A fantastic article from AWGIE Award-winning screenwriter Belinda Chayko on the process of writing and showrunning SBS's new drama Safe Harbour.

A big congratulations to the winners of the 2017 Monte Miller Awards, Nicholas Clifford in the short form category for his script 'The Handy Man' and Arky Michael and Kym Vercoe in the long form category for their script 'Mrs Burswood'. #MonteMillers #screenwriter

The Monte Chillers are ready and the Monte Miller Awards will start soon. Stay tuned for the announcement of winners! #MonteMillers