AACTA Announces National Pitching Competition for Scripted Television and Web Series

The cast and crew of TOP OF THE LAKE: CHINA GIRL accepting the AACTA Award for Best Television Drama Series at the 7th AACTA Awards.

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) today launched AACTA PITCH, a national pitching competition that aims to discover Australia’s next world-class scripted series for television or web.

With the audience demand and consumption for new, original drama and comedy at an all-time high, this is one of the most exciting times for emerging Australian content creators. Identifying and nurturing the best and most exciting new series ideas, AACTA PITCH will provide meaningful support for creatives as they start their journey to the world stage. AACTA encourages people from all backgrounds and levels of experience to enter.

A shortlist of up to eight finalists will be selected to participate in the final AACTA PITCH event in August, staged at Event Cinemas Bondi Junction in Sydney.

Finalists will have the opportunity to screen their trailer or proof of concept and pitch their series in front of a live audience, including a judging panel of esteemed figures from the worlds of television, online, production, development and commissioning. Finalists from interstate will be provided with flights and accommodation to attend and participate in the AACTA PITCH event.

The 2018 AACTA PITCH judging panel includes:

  • Mike Cowap, Senior Producer Scripted and Unscripted at Princess Pictures;
  • Carly Heaton, Drama Development Executive at Foxtel;
  • Lee Naimo, Online Investment Manager at Screen Australia; and
  • Shay Spencer, Drama Development Manager at Jungle

Finalists will be pitching for the chance to win a $5,000 cash prize as well as invaluable feedback and mentorship opportunities from AACTA, participating production companies, development executives and screen craft practitioners. The AACTA PITCH winner will also receive post-production support from Spectrum Films to the value of $5,000 and tickets to the 8th AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel Industry Luncheon and Awards Ceremony. All shortlisted finalists will receive a year’s AFI | AACTA membership. 

“With more and more original and innovative content becoming widely available through streaming, online and traditional television broadcasting, this is an exciting time for our emerging Australian creatives, many of whom have ideas for great series waiting to be discovered,” said AFI | AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella. “We are excited to provide these new Australian voices with a platform to shine through AACTA PITCH. This is an incredible opportunity for these creatives to present their ideas to some of our industry’s key content commissioners and producers, network build and hone their vitally important pitching skills.”

AACTA PITCH entries are now open. Entrants are required to pitch a scripted series by providing a pilot or proof of concept. An entry fee of $50 applies. AACTA welcomes everyone with an idea for a series to enter, and encourages series concepts from creators and teams from diverse and under-represented backgrounds.

Entries close on Friday 20 July 2018 at 5pm AEST.

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