Writer Mithila Gupta, writer/directors Thomas Wilson-White and Monica Zanetti and vice president of creative development at Sony Pictures Entertainment Jiao Chen are set to moderate masterclasses for Australians in Film and Screen Australia’s Untapped initiative.
As previously announced, this year’s masterclasses will be delivered by writer Aïda Mashaka Croal (Marvel’s Jessica Jones and Luke Cage), writer/director Amy Wang (Crazy Rich Asians 2), writer/director Andrew Ahn (Fire Island), Emmy-nominated writer/director Cherien Dabis (Only Murders in the Building), and Sort Of co-creators Bilal Baig and Fab Filippo.
Topics to be covered will include ‘Creating Comedy that Transcends Boundaries’ and ‘Write What You Know: The Art of Personal Filmmaking’.
Untapped is a talent development program that targets undiscovered and historically-excluded Australian screenwriters and directors. The four open-access online masterclasses available to anyone who applies with a feature film or television project in development. From there, five to six participants are then invited to participate in a four-month development lab, which runs from July to November. The latter stage gives participants time to workshop their projects, develop their skills and knowledge of the industry and meet with creatives and executives based in Los Angeles.
Supporting partners for Untapped include Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Screen NSW, Screen Queensland, South Australian Film Corporation and Scripted Ink, while industry Partners include Australian Directors Guild, Australian Writers Guild, Screen Canberra, Screen Producers Australia, Screen Tasmania, Screen Territory, Screenwest and Screenworks.
Applications to attend the masterclasses close this Saturday, March 4 (AEST).