Aurora, Screen NSW’s intensive script development program, has selected two projects for 2013 – Â14.
This year’s Aurora format differs from previous years. In place of the week ÂÂÂlong workshop, the two projects have been selected for intensive
one on Âone development support from a world- class mentor, in a process specifically tailored to the projects’ needs.
The two feature projects and their teams are:
BABYTEETH, a bittersweet comedy about how good it is not to be dead yet and how far we will go for love, written by Rita Kalnejais and produced by Academy Award® nominated producer Jan Chapman, Katherine Slattery and Alex White. The mentor for Babyteeth is Andrew Bovell. Andrew’s most recent film is the feature adaptation of the John Le Carre novel A Most Wanted Man for director Anton Corbijn, due for release in 2014. The film stars
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams and Robin Wright. Other film credits include Edge of Darkness starring Mel Gibson, Blessed (Winner of
Best Screenplay at San Sebastian Film Festival), the multi ÂÂÂaward winning Lantana, directed by Ray Lawrence, Head On, directed by Ana
Kokkinos and Strictly Ballroom directed by Baz Lurhmann. Andrew’s most recent play is The Secret River adapted from Kate Grenville’s novel
which premiered at the Sydney Theatre in 2013.
BIRDBRAIN, about a man’s whose obsessive addiction to birdwatching almost destroys his family, by writer Stephen Abbott, director Warren
Coleman and producer Amanda Higgs (The Secret Life of Us). The mentor for Birdbrain is John Collee, creative director in charge of
script development at Hopscotch Features. John’s screenwriting credits include the Oscar nominated Master and Commander written with
director Peter Weir (2003) and the Oscar winning Happy Feet written with George Miller, Warren Coleman and Judy Morris (2006).
His film Creation about the domestic life of Charles Darwin opened the Toronto Film Festival in 2009 and his $85M children’s animation based
on the BBC’s Walking With Dinosaurs will be released over Christmas this year. Wolf Totem, set during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, is
currently filming in Mongolia with Jean Jacques Annaud co-Âwriting and directing.
Some of the successes of the Aurora program over the past decade have included the films Animal Kingdom, Somersault, Wish You Were Here
and Little Fish.
In 2014 – 15, Aurora will once again be offered as a workshop for up to four teams. Aurora is presented with the support of Screen Australia and the
Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS).