If you’re thinking of applying for this year’s AACTA Reg Grundy Award, make sure you think about what makes your format stand out amongst the noise in the unscripted space. What is it about your idea that people can grasp quickly and get excited about?
That’s the advice of Jayden James, one of the co-winners of last year’s award.
“I always say when you’re when you’re pitching a company or an executive, your show is going to cost more than $1 million. For each $1 million that your show costs, they could invest [that money] in property [instead]. So why are a you a safer bet than property? Why is your idea going to make them more money than buying land and sitting on it? So when you look at it through that lens, how can you make your pitch, your idea is more valuable or enticing to someone?”
James and George Harrington won the TV format initiative for their idea Mr. Wolf, a reality comedy competition series that pits 20 adults against one another over five supersized childhood-themed games. Only three contestants survive and compete in the final game, where they face off against the villainous Mr. Wolf for the chance to win a cash prize.
The other joint winner was Rachel Kayrooz’s Facing the Fear, a obs-doc series that walks guests through their journey of facing and overcoming their deepest traumas and fears.
James encourages anyone who is thinking about applying for the $50,000 prize ($20,000 cash and $30,000 development funding) to just do it, noting you will learn so much through the pitching process alone and conversations with the judges. He sings the praises of AACTA and Grundy Media for supporting new format ideas.
“In Australia, there’s not a lot of support for unscripted or reality up-and-coming talent in terms of funding or initiatives. There’s a lot for drama and scripted but in this space it’s really hard to find that community.”
This year’s winner will be determined by a returning panel of established TV production experts, including Debbie Cuell (head of Sparkle Pictures), Steve Oemcke (co-founder of WTFN), Sharon Wheeler (senior entertainment executive), Marion Farrelly (speaker, consultant, creative strategist), and Ian Hogg (ex-Fremantle Australia CEO).
Since winning, James and Harrington have been testing the waters with Mr. Wolf domestically, and are now further developing the pitch for international agents and production houses. They’ve also brought on a challenge producer Ben Shackleford and Dan Munday as a consultant.
Established in partnership with Reg Grundy’s late wife, RG Capital chairman Joy Chambers-Grundy, the award is designed to honour Reg’s entrepreneurial spirit, while also fostering a new generation of ideas.
Grundy’s legacy includes the local production of formats such as Sale of the Century, Blankety Blanks, Wheel of Fortune, Family Feud, The Price Is Right and Perfect Match, as well as the creation of drama series Sons & Daughters, Prisoner and Neighbours.
Wheeler, one of the judges of the award, helped develop and adapt Grundy International Series for American audiences, including Prisoner: Cell Block H, It’s a Knockout, Scrabble, Mann O’Mann and Question Pour Un Champion.
She tells IF that Grundy proved that Australian formats “could become local programming everywhere”, and the award is a means of keeping that spirit alive.
In terms of what makes an idea stand out for the award, she notes originality, an ability to travel and how easily it can be executed.
“Sometimes ideas come in and they’re very original, but we recognise the budgets will be too high for today’s market or it doesn’t have the legs,” she says.
AACTA Awards and Industry Development Manager Ivan Vukusic says it is always pleasure to see the diversity of applications for the award.
“We’re excited by the progress made by our previous winners and are happy to see that the elevated industry profile afforded by the Reg Grundy Award has helped foster career opportunities. We were all saddened by the passing of Joy Chambers Grundy and are incredibly proud to continue to honour Reg’s legacy, and her own, through this important award.”
Round 1 entries are now open and call for your show’s title, a logline (1-2 sentence description), and a synopsis of up to one page in length. Submissions are due by 5 pm AEDT on Monday, November 13.