Queensland talent development initiative Sunny Coast Showdown has ramped up the prize money for its fifth year, offering $250,000 to a project that can progress the Sunshine Coast’s local film industry.
Launched in 2021 by a group that included Powderfinger drummer John Coghill and Survivor producer Dan Munday, the incubator has provided $5,000 production funding and mentoring across short film, unscripted, and music video with support from Bendigo Community Bank’s Tewantin-Noosa, Cooroy, and Marcoola branches, as well as the Sunshine Coast Film Collective.
This year, ShowdownMAX 2025 will invite pilots of serialised, repeatable, and returnable content; complete web series for online platforms; feature-length concepts; and limited scripted and unscripted series content with a compelling commercial model to compete for $250,000.
The project must be written and/or owned by a Sunshine Coast local, be able to be produced on the Sunshine Coast, and be completed by October 1.
Munday said the aim was to produce “something that in the short to mid-term drives and sustains more production on the Sunshine Coast”.
“This could be a pilot that sells a series, a complete web series that goes viral on YouTube, or even an indie film that does a Blair Witch,” he said.
Sunny Coast Showdown executive producer and Screen Collective president David Edgar described ShowdownMAX as a game-changer for the local film industry.
“This initiative isn’t just about funding; it’s about creating a pathway for local talent to develop commercially viable projects that can compete on the global stage,” he said.
“We’re giving creatives the resources, mentorship, and industry connections they need to take their ideas from concept to production. If you’ve got a great project, now’s the time to step up and make it happen.”
Supporters of the initiative include Screen Queensland, Sunshine Coast Council, and Noosa Council, while there have been in-kind contributions from In-Noosa Magazine, Hot-91, and Bridgestone Noosa-Nambour-Caloundra.
Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney said her organisation was “proud to support initiatives that champion homegrown talent and showcase the incredible opportunities in our state”.
“The Sunny Coast Showdown continues to level up. Showdown MAX is designed to propel Queensland’s screen industry forward in backing one standout pitch project with commercial potential for enhanced development,” she said.
“This program provides practitioners from the Sunshine Coast with the professional guidance, funding, and industry access needed to take their work to the next level.”
Accompanying ShowdownMAX is the Sunny Coast ShowOff Film Festival, presented by Camera House Maroochydore, which will cater to short films, docs, and other formats. Further details will be announced soon.
Full entry details, requirements, and timelines of ShowdownMAX are available on the Sunny Coast Showdown website.