4th Nov – 8th Nov 2019
Gladstone, Queensland
APPLICATIONS CLOSED
Application fee $65 / $15 Screenworks Members
Applications are now open for early-career regionally-based screen director/writers to apply to be part of a workshop led by internationally acclaimed director Nash Edgerton along with Christiaan and Connor Van Vuuren to develop the comedy science fiction feature film Croak.
Screenworks in partnership with Jungle Entertainment, Midwinter Films and Screen Queensland, with the support of Screen Australia, is proud to be running the four and a half-day Croak Feature Development Lab in Gladstone from November 4th – 8th 2019 with the talented Nash Edgerton as development consultant.
Nash will join forces with Jungle Entertainment’s Producer Chloe Rickard, Midwinter Films’ Producer Bridget Callow-Wright and the Van Vuurens to deliver this unique workshop. Together, this team of internationally acclaimed industry professionals will guide early-career director/writers from regional Australia, through the late development stage of the feature film as part of a Development Lab which will be delivered in partnership with Screenworks.
A total of five early-career regionally-based director/writers from across Australia will be selected to travel to Gladstone to participate in the Croak Feature Development Lab.
Each participant will be paid a fee of $4,500 in addition to having their travel to Gladstone and their accommodation expenses covered.
Screen Queensland has invested in the development of Croak as well as the Development Lab and at least two of the selected director/writers will be from regional Queensland.
Croak is an original concept written by Shane Brady and co-written by Priscilla Cameron for Jungle Entertainment and Midwinter Films with Christiaan Van Vuuren and Connor Van Vuuren as directors and developed with investment from Screen Queensland and Screen Australia.
Deadline for application is 9am (AEST), 26th August 2019
APPLICATION FEE
Current Screenworks Members – $15 administrative processing fee.
Non-members – $65 administrative processing fee which includes a one-year Screenworks Regional Emerging Professional Membership (valued at $45).
If you wish to apply for a fee waiver due to financial hardship, please email [email protected].
If you’re unsure of your membership status, please contact Screenworks on (02) 6681 1188.
Click here to become a Screenworks member
NOTES:
- Applications will only be accepted from Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents with a current passport that currently live in Regional Australia (as defined below).
- Terms and conditions for this program and submitting application apply – please see below for more information.
About Croak
When a giant killer toad wakes from hibernation, folks in the nearby mining town mysteriously begin to croak.
A gang of teenagers living in a mining boomtown discover their biology teacher is harbouring a dark secret that is about to unleash death and destruction on the area.
Croak is a comedy science fiction creature feature with a big heart and green tinge. When coal-seam gas fracking forces Josh and Stacy’s family off their farm, their Mum takes a job in Galston, a booming coal and gas port. Josh, a sensitive nature boy, and Stacy, a knockabout country girl, are pitched into a new school in a new town amidst strange goings-on: pets vanishing and cars mysteriously crushed in the night.
Comedy Science Fiction / 95 min
Directors / The Van Vuuren Bros
Writer / Shane Brady
Co-Writer / Priscilla Cameron
Producers / Bridget Callow-Wright and Chloe Rickard
Executive Producer / Jason Burrows
CREATIVE CONSULTANT: Nash Edgerton
Nash Edgerton is a writer, director, producer, stuntman, actor and editor.
He has directed nine multi-award winning short films, including Spider and Bear that have wowed audiences and entered cult status worldwide.
His feature films include The Square, an Australian film noir and the comedy thriller Gringo, starring David Oyelowo, Charlize Theron, Joel Edgerton and Amanda Seyfried.
Edgerton is currently directing the second season of the highly acclaimed FX series Mr Inbetween.
CREATIVE TEAM
Directors, Van Vuuren Bros
The Van Vuuren Bros are the creative team behind viral hits such as The Fully Sick Rapper, Bondi Hipsters and Kid in Cockpit, which have collectively received more than 11 million hits worldwide. Connor completed film school at UTS, and is also an experienced actor and stunt performer who has worked on productions such as Alien: Covenant, The Wolverine and The Hobbit. Christiaan, however, moved into filmmaking after being told he had tuberculosis and was confined to a hospital room for six months, where he created a series of viral videos based on his online alter ego, The Fully Sick Rapper.
Together, the Van Vuuren Bros have since created work for a range of Australian television networks. Their first attempt at a long-form narrative, entitled SICK!, aired on MTV and earned them a 2012 ADG Award nomination for Best Direction in a Television Comedy. The Van Vuuren brothers are currently in development on a series adaptation of SICK! for the US. Their work co-writing and directing 37 episodes of Bondi Hipsters, earned them a 2013 ADG Award for Best Direction in an Original Online Project, and the entire series was picked up for broadcast by ABC2 and JUICETV (New Zealand).
In 2014, their multi-platform comedy series Soul Mates, a spin-off of Bondi Hipsters produced with Ludo Studio, aired on the ABC. Soul Mates follows two friends who are continually drawn together across the course of human history: as prehistoric cavemen, as 1980s Kiwi Assassins, and as the Bondi Hipsters. Soul Mates II, the second series, screened on ABC and ABC iView in 2016.
In addition to their own creative projects, they directed a number of sketches in The Elegant Gentlemen’s Guide to Knife Fighting for the ABC and Jungle. In the brand funded space, the Van Vuuren Bros have created work for brands including Coke, Sony, Ikea, AMEX, Unilever, and a short format series for Cadbury/MTV that won an Astra Award for Most Outstanding Use of STV in a Consumer Advertising Campaign.
Christiaan and Connor are currently in development on a number of television and feature projects.
Producer, Chloe Rickard
Chloe Rickard is a filmmaker rapidly emerging as one of Australia’s most dynamic and innovative comedy producers. A Partner and Head of Production at Jungle Entertainment, she has served as lead producer on Here Come the Habibs, No Activity (Stan’s first original commission), Soul Mates, The Moodys, A Moody Christmas, Elegant Gentlemen’s Guide to Knife Fighting, and over 200 TVCs.
She produced Soul Mates series 1 & 2 for the ABC and NBCU, and with backing from Screen Australia, is in development of the feature film The Murderous Urges of Ordinary Women.
Chloe is a recipient of Screen Australia’s Enterprise Growth program with the Van Vuuren Bros and one of the founders of the ScreenThink, a group of young thought leaders whose research into piracy recently won the support of the Content Coalition formed by News Corp, Village Roadshow, Foxtel and other leaders of the screen business.
Producer, Bridget Callow – Wright
Bridget is an award-winning screen producer with a focus on scripted narrative film and television. Commercially savvy and creatively spirited, Bridget loves to nurture storytellers with an exceptional vision to push boundaries and take risks in their work.
Bridget is the head of Jungle Entertainment’s new feature film division, expanding on their suite of premium comedy and drama productions for television. Jungle Entertainment is one of Australia’s most successful television production companies, with currently three shows on air in the US.
Under her own production company Midwinter Films (which she retains for select producing projects), Bridget has produced three award-winning theatrical feature films sold around the world and premiering at top tier film festivals (Toronto, Tribeca, Rotterdam). Her latest film The Butterfly Tree was awarded Best Film and Best Actress at CAIFF, was nominated for 3 AACTAS and starred Melissa George (The Slap), Ewen Leslie (The Cry) and Ed Oxenbould (Wildlife). The Butterfly Tree premiered internationally at Toronto International Film Festival.
Bridget has a wide network of international and local financing and producing partners, in-depth knowledge of the international content marketplace, and an extensive creative producing skillset. Most recently she produced a Christmas special of the award-winning series No Activity for STAN, BBC Studios and Jungle Entertainment, directed by Trent O’Donnell (The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, New Girl), the Canneseries award winner short form series Over And Out.
The Croak Feature Development Lab is funded through:
Screen Australia’s Enterprise Ideas Program
with investment support from Screen Queensland
and delivered in partnership with Jungle Entertainment and Midwinter Films
Terms & Conditions
By submitting the Croak Feature Development Lab application form, you will be required to agree to be bound by the following set of terms and conditions:
1. If my application is successful, I understand and agree that it is a requirement for all selected applicants to enter into a Participant Agreement with Screenworks with regard to their involvement in the Croak Feature Development Lab;
2. I understand that as part of the Participant Agreement, selected applicants will also enter into an agreement with Jungle Entertainment. I understand and acknowledge that all Intellectual Property Rights in any work arising from or created, produced or developed in relation to the Croak Feature Development Lab (including copyright) will vest absolutely and remain the sole and exclusive property of Jungle Entertainment and the copyright owners;
3. I confirm that, if selected for the Croak Feature Development Lab, I am available to travel to Gladstone QLD to participate in the Croak Feature Development Lab between 4th November 2019 and 8th November 2019, and one day either side for travel if required;
4. I understand that Screenworks will arrange and cover the costs for all flights, ground transport and accommodation for selected applicants, in addition to some catering arrangements;
5. I understand that applicants selected to participate in the Croak Script Development Lab will receive $4,500 excluding GST for their participation in the Croak Feature Development Lab (4.5 days) and includes per diems for meals not provided;
6. If selected for the Croak Feature Development Lab, I understand and agree to be interviewed, photographed or recorded during any part of the Croak Feature Development Lab. Any such recording, photograph or interview may be used across any media format for behind the scenes/ancillary content or promotional purposes; and
7. I warrant and confirm that the information that I give in this application is true and correct and that I understand that it will be used to determine my suitability for inclusion in the Croak Feature Development Lab.
8. I confirm that I am an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident with a current passport and live in an area defined as “Regional Australia” as shown on the Screenworks website.
Please note: The Croak Feature Development Lab Assessment Committee will assess all eligible applications against a set of guidelines and assessment criteria.
The Assessment Committee will not redress errors in applications. If an application is deemed ineligible, it will not be assessed.
The Assessment Committee is under no obligation to read all content provided.
The Assessment Committee will make the ultimate decision regarding the successful applicants. This decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
Regional Australia Definition
Regional Australia refers to areas in each state and territory as defined below:
In NSW – regional areas are defined on the State Council map on the Screen NSW website, and includes all areas outside metropolitan Sydney and the ACT (http://www.screen.nsw.gov.au/page/maps/nsw-state-council-map).
In Queensland – regional areas are defined as a resident outside of South East Queensland, being defined as a 100 kilometre radius of the Brisbane or Gold Coast central business district.
In the ACT – all areas in the ACT.
In Victoria – regional areas are defined on the Regional Councils map on Film Victoria website – click on the following link, click on map search and select regional councils. (https://www.film.vic.gov.au/images/uploads/Map_of_Victorian_Regions.pdf).
In Tasmania – all areas in Tasmania.
In South Australia – regional areas are defined as a resident living outside of Adelaide, being more than a 50 kilometre radius from the Adelaide GPO.
In the Northern Territory – all areas in the Northern Territory.
In Western Australia – regional areas are defined by Screenwest in their Western Australian regional film fund and on the regional map on Screenwest website (https://www.screenwest.com.au/film-in-wa/locations/interactive-map/regions-of-wa/).
