Matchbox Pictures/SBS’s ‘Hungry Ghosts’, shot in Victoria. (Image: Sarah Enticknap)
Film Victoria and SBS have teamed up on Pitch to Pilot, a joint development initiative which will focus on “bold, vivid and pressing” 4 x 60 TV drama series that celebrate Australia’s diverse and multicultural society.
The two-stage program is open to both new voices and established content creators. Up to four projects will receive up to $20,000 for development, with each team then given the opportunity to pitch their ideas to SBS. The successful team will then receive an additional $20,000 to write a pilot script.
“For a vibrant screen culture, it’s vital to hear from a wide range of voices. We’re excited to be partnering with SBS to offer new opportunities to Victorian content creators and bring stories that surprise audiences and provoke conversations one step closer to our screens,” said Film Victoria CEO Caroline Pitcher, who announced the initiative today at Screen Forever in Melbourne.
SBS director of TV and online content Marshall Heald added: “SBS continues to champion a more inclusive screen sector by providing tangible opportunities for creative talent from diverse and underrepresented communities. We’re proud to strengthen this commitment through this new initiative with Film Victoria, to share more innovative storytelling that explores and celebrates modern Australia.”
The 2018-19 financial year was a record for Film Victoria, with the state agency investing in 70 screen projects, creating more than 8,300 jobs and generating a record $251 million in expenditure. The record year was driven by local dramas such as Bloom, Wentworth, Hungry Ghosts and My Life is Murder, the shoot of season 4 of US TV hit Preacher, and films like The Dry and True History of the Kelly Gang.
Applications for Pitch to Pilot are now open and close January 9, 2020.
For more information, visit film.vic.gov.au