The South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) today announced the 33 local participants who will take part in the Arista Script Writing and Development Workshops to be led by Stephen Cleary, Director of internationally renowned script training team, Arista Development UK.
To be held in Adelaide from 8-12 October the Arista Script Writing and Development Workshops are designed to enhance writing, producing and directing skills within the state. They will be running two workshops – Writing & Creatively Developing Low Budget Feature Films and Story Development for Producers.
Funded by the South Australian Government through the SAFC, and supported by the Australian Writers’ Guild (AWG) the Arista Development Program is part of the special initiative established in 2006 by the Premier and Minister for the Arts the Hon. Mike Rann to improve script writing skills in the state.
The Premier’s commitment of $250,000 over two years in 2006 has allowed the SAFC to establish programs which will enhance South Australia’s capacity to create scripts that are not only of high quality, but that have a level of rigour and engagement with the commercial marketplace.
Premier Rann said, ‘This will be the third script workshop run by the South Australian Film Corporation and the last two have proved to be resounding successes. It is fantastic that we are able to support our local talent in developing projects that will ensure the South Australian screen industry has a vibrant and healthy future.’
‘It is significant that we have finally been able to bring an organisation such as Arista to conduct workshops in Adelaide. We have a pool of very talented writers, directors and producers here and I am looking forward to seeing the projects and ideas that come out of the workshops.’ said SAFC CEO Richard Harris.
Arista Development was created in 1996 by Stephen Cleary, then Head of Development at British Screen, to provide the first serious script development skills training for Development Executives, Producers and Writers in Europe. Arista now provides expert training and consultancy in the craft of storytelling and the business of film and TV development to industry professionals around the world, and has been recognised as a Centre of Excellence by the MEDIA Programme of the EU.
Entry to the workshops was competitive and some of the local practitioners selected to participate include Stephanie McCarthy (Writer), Scott MacDonald (Producer) and Andrew Ellis (Director) who are currently developing a feature film project Mary Mary;
Ryder Grindle (Writer), Mike Green (Producer) and Jack Sheridan (Director) who are currently developing a feature film project Cab Ride; and Matthew Cormack (Writer), Rebecca Summerton (Producer) and Sophie Hyde (Director) currently developing feature film project Still Life.
The full list of practitioners participating is:
* Workshop 1 – Writing and Creatively Developing Low-Budget Feature Films
Anne Tsoulis
Ashlee Page
Cath Moore
Corey Mansfield
Eddie White
Geoffrey Reed
Heather Moyes
Jack Sheridan
Kath Dooley
Maria Bartemucci
Matthew Cormack
Ruth Estelle
Ryder Grindle
Sam Allen
Simon Butters
Stephanie McCarthy
Stephen Prime
* Workshop 2 – Story Development for Producers
Andrew Ellis
Bettina Hamilton
Edoardo Crismani
Fiona de Caux
Hugh Nguyen
James Calvert
Jennifer Jones
Kristian Moliere
Michael Green
Michael Crismani
Rebecca Summerton
Scott McDonald
Shane McNeil
Sharon Cleary
Sophie Hyde
Wayne Groom
Full details of the Arista Workshops can be found at the SAFC website http://www.safilm.com.au/
[release from the SAFC]