Press release from MTV Networks Australia
OPTUS, MTV Networks Australia, BlackBerry and Event Cinemas last night announced Maia Horniak, Will Howarth and Andrew Ryan as the winners of the 09/10 Optus ONE80PROJECT. The Sydney-siders will now see their winning three minute pilot entry, ‘The Sellers’, developed into a one hour TV drama to be shown on MTV Australia and Optus ZOO.
The decision came after several weeks of deliberation by judges Sam Neill, Sophie Lowe, Xavier Samuel, David Gale (Executive Vice President of New Media, MTV Networks) and Chris McGlinn (Director of Marketing for Amalgamated Holdings Limited) who selected the Judges’ Choice winner from a shortlisted Top 10.
The public was also given the chance to vote for their favourite entry in a national campaign entitled ‘You be the Judge’ which attracted a record number of votes. When voting closed, “Southern Cross” from Perth residents Aaron Moss and David Vincent Smith, was the clear winner of the Viewers’ Choice Award.
“It was great to see such a myriad of talent from all over the country compete for this solid opportunity provided by MTV and Optus,” said Sam Neill, Optus ONE80PROJECT Judge. “There were a lot of well thought-out concepts submitted and both ‘The Sellers’ and ‘Southern Cross’ should be commended for their high quality production values and originality.”
Both OPTUS ONE80PROJECT winners will receive a prize package including a share in $20,000 cash and a BlackBerry® Smartphone. In addition, the Judges’ Choice winner will receive $250,000 worth of support, including the opportunity to work with MTV’s production team and Executive Producer to develop and shape their original pilot into a full-length multi-platform drama. The completed one hour drama will be shown on the Optus ZOO web and mobile portals and broadcast on MTV Australia.
Both the Viewers’ and Judges’ Choice winners were announced at the
OPTUS ONE80PROJECT Winners’ Festival at Sydney’s Hyde Park to an audience of thousands who came to show support and listen to an exclusive set by Stereophonics.
For the OPTUS ONE80PROJECT Festival, Hyde Park was transformed into an open-air theatre complete with park benches, pizzas served by Doughboy, beverages served by Kit and Kaboodle Supper club and complimentary popcorn. Dynamic Welsh rockers, Stereophonics, opened with a spellbinding set and were followed by New Zealand DJ and Producer P-Money who performed his hot new track, Say Yeah, with R&B vocalist, Aaradhna and New Zealand MC, David Dallas.
To view this year’s winning entries and for more information on the OPTUS ONE80PROJECT head to www.one80project.com.au. Optus mobile customers can also view the winning entries via the Optus Zoo portal on their compatible 3G mobile or by SMS-ing the word “One80” or “iOne80” for iPhone customers to 966. The Optus mobile site is free to browse for Optus customers.
Stay tuned to watch the Judges Choice winning entry, The Sellers, as a one hour drama when it is screened on MTV Australia and Optus later this year.