Fifteen Indigenous and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) practitioners are set to participate in Cinespace Inc’s Package to Pitch program, an online masterclass on pitching into the market.
Selected by a culturally diverse panel, they include: Amal Awad, Alan Nguyen, Ana Tiwary, Orson Dijle, Serah Nathan, Karl Fernando, Eliza Matengu, Vonne Patiag, Theresa Gunarso, Jeremy Nguyen, Divya Vaman, Kim Ho, Michelle Ny, Sam Calafiore and Eva Justine Torkkola. Each has a pilot TV script they’re ready to pitch.
The program, supported via the Screenrights Cultural Fund, has been designed and facilitated by filmmaker John Kassab to help bridge the gap between outstanding emerging diverse creatives and the broader industry.
To be held online in February and March, the program will feature talks with a range of industry heavy hitters including Tony Ayres, Laura Waters, Michael McMahon, Donna Chang, Robert Connolly, Rachel Okine, Genevieve Chang, Ian Collie, Katherine Slattery, and John Harvey.
On the agenda is a checklist and explanation of the necessary agreements and pitch materials; how to pitch effectively to producers, production companies, networks and agencies, and an insight into what buyers think when looking at a project.
“We were completely blown away by the calibre of talent in this group and would love to see their stories soar into the stratosphere. Their voices are undeniably Australian but stem from deep cultural roots and experiences that we don’t see on our screens and yet reflect those lived by a massive portion of our country’s population,” Kassab says.