Ausfilm is calling for applications from producers who want to attend the producer collaboration sessions at Ausfilm Week Los Angeles set for October 26-31.
Held on October 29/30, the sessions will enable Australian producers to pitch projects to US executives and to claim the producer offset for Australian production.
“The goal of the initiative is to present some of Australia's most commercially viable feature projects to potential US partners,” Ausfilm said.
Reps from US companies including Atlas Entertainment, Cota Films, Exclusive Media, Lakeshore Entertainment, Netflix, Paradigm, RatPac Entertainment, Scott Free, Sony Pictures Acquisitions, The Jim Henson Co., The Weinstein Co., UTA and Universal Pictures have participated in prior sessions.
To be eligible, producers must have made at least one film which utilised the offset and had “notable exposure.” There is no fee to attend but producers will have to arrange travel to Los Angeles and cover their own costs of accommodation and incidentals.
The deadline for applications is Friday, August 8 and each must include at least one completed screenplay. Producers selected will be notified in early September.
The online-application form can be found here: http://www.ausfilm.com.au/events-missions/ausfilm-week-los-angeles/producer-application/
Any questions should be directed to Michelle Sandoval, michelle.sandoval@ausfilm.com.au, Client Liaison Executive Ausfilm, Los Angeles.
GUIDELINES FOR THE PRODUCER COLLABORATION SESSIONS
• The Producer Collaboration Sessions are a feature only focus.
• The Producer Collaboration Sessions are an Australian producer forum. The track record of the producer is of highest consideration in addition to the project's creative and/or financial elements.
• A copy of the application must be submitted to both Ausfilm and the applicant's state screen agency (Film Victoria, Screen NSW, Screen Queensland, Screen West, or South Australian Film Corporation).
• Australian producer means Australian born or of Australian residency able to work in Australia. Australian producers living outside of Australia must also submit their application to Ausfilm and their Australian state screen agency, as indicated in the application form.
• At least one completed screenplay must be submitted with the application. The screenplay must be in English and submitted in PDF format.
• The Producer Collaboration Sessions are evaluated by Ausfilm and the applicant's state screen agency. Scripts are not made available for review to anyone outside of Ausfilm and the applicant's state screen agency. Scripts not accepted into the Producer Collaboration Sessions will be destroyed, as set out in the submission terms and release.
• Only experienced producers with at least one screenplay to pitch are eligible to participate. Producers must have at least one previous feature film with notable exposure. Producers must have experience accessing the Producer Offset.
• There are no participation fees for the Producer Collaboration Sessions however producers will need to arrange travel to Los Angeles and will be expected to cover their own costs of accommodation and incidentals.
• The Producer Collaboration Sessions are a two-day event, three-hours each day (2:30PM-5:30PM). Producers are required to participate in the daily sessions as well as the Ausfilm hosted pitching workshop on Monday, October 27..
• In addition to the Producer Collaboration Sessions, Ausfilm Week Los Angeles hosts a series of other events that accepted producers will be welcomed to participate in. The schedule of events will be sent to accepted producers along with their meetings schedules in early September, 2014.