The next McG or Baz Luhrmann could be just around the corner – literally.
The chance to create a Powderfinger music video or tell a local Indigenous story are the exciting new opportunities available as part of the emerging Sunshine Coast’s film industry initiative.
The highly successful Sunny Coast Showdown is returning with a mission to turn the Sunshine Coast into ‘Sunnywood’ and launch the next stars of the big and small screens.
Powderfinger drummer Jon Coghill and former USA Survivor producer Dan Munday, who hail from Nambour, are behind the screen incubator and festival showcase.
Together with the Sunshine Coast Screen Collective, they are looking to boost the local film and TV industry.
The 2023 event may be bigger and better but the idea is still the same: to give local
screenwriters, filmmakers, cast and crew an opportunity to produce and deliver great projects and showcase them at a community festival.
Coghill believes the inaugural Sunny Coast Showdown in 2021 proved its worth after three of its winning projects received acclaim or attracted further attention.
“Our two unscripted projects – Ballet Dads and The Recipe Collector – have been optioned by major Australian production houses and the short film Life In Two Words received an honorary mention at the Berlin International Art Film Festival,” he said.
“This is an outstanding result that proves there are awesome creatives, crew and cast on the Coast just waiting to be discovered.”
Coghill hopes the event attracts anyone with a desire to make great films and TV, and is calling all screen creatives, cast and crew to be part of the initiative.
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“Anyone who can write a short film script, a music video treatment or an unscripted pitch or treatment has the opportunity to bring their work to life when submissions open in January 2023,” he said.
“We’re also calling for cast and crew who are keen to be part of making some magical
moments.”
The Sunny Coast Showdown is offering tens-of-thousands of dollars in production funding, across multiple categories, with the aim of inspiring and mentoring the next generation of talented locals to make that happen.
Munday said the event aimed to further kickstart a healthy and vibrant screen industry in the region.
“Showdown has helped connect the talent we already have on the Coast and aims to act as a beacon for media executives, developers, talent and governing bodies to gather around,” he said.
“It’s part of a grander ambition: to develop a Sunshine Coast film industry employing local
workers and businesses and attracting world-class projects.”
The Sunny Coast Showdown 2023 will feature two new categories: a local Indigenous project and a Powderfinger music video.
“We feel that local Indigenous stories haven’t been told enough on screen and would love to help them be seen and heard wider afield,” Coghill said.
“And Powderfinger have kindly donated the use of two songs from their multi-platinum album Vulture St. You can submit treatments for one of two songs, either “Rockin’ Rocks” and “A Song Called Everything.”
Submissions for Sunshine Coast Showdown 2023 open on January 23 next year in six categories:
• 2 x scripted short films.
• 1 x local Indigenous project.
• 1 x Powderfinger music video.
• 2 x unscripted projects.
The final projects will be showcased at Sunny Coast Showdown festival event, scheduled for late June, 2023.
Follow the Sunny Coast Showdown Facebook page or visit the website for more.
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