Miranda Tapsell and Joshua Tyler. (Photo: John Platt)
Top End Wedding co-writer Joshua Tyler is the inaugural recipient of Screenworks and Australians in Film’s Regional Screen in LA Scholarship Program.
Tyler, who lives in Kyneton in country Victoria, will undertake a four-week residency at AiF’s Raleigh Studios-based incubator, Charlie’s; receive personalised sessions with industry consultants, and be introduced to Hollywood executives and creatives while in the US.
“It’s fantastic to announce Joshua Tyler as the inaugural recipient of our new Regional Screen in LA Scholarship Program,” said Screenworks’ CEO Ken Crouch, who noted the high standard of applications received.
“Joshua has already achieved amazing early-career success across multiple story-telling platforms including Top End Wedding, which has recently had its world premiere at the prestigious 2019 Sundance Film Festival and shows strong potential to be a significant Australian talent.
“Our independent assessment panel and judges agreed that Joshua presented a very impressive application and is at a pivotal time in his career so will be able to maximise the benefits of the Regional Screen in LA opportunity.”
AiF chairman Simonne Overend said: “Coming to LA without the support and structure of the AiF creative community can be challenging. This scholarship is so vital for screen creatives hoping to connect to a global audience. We are looking forward to welcoming Joshua into the AiF fold, and working with him to achieve his career and project goals, post the Sundance premiere of Top End Wedding.”
Tyler penned Top End Wedding with star Miranda Tapsell, and also wrote for Plonk and Oh Yuck!. Of the opportunity, Tyler said: “The Regional Screen in LA Scholarship has come at a perfect time as I aim to use the release of Top End Wedding to help open doors on the world stage.
“I have a number of film and TV projects in the pipeline that will benefit enormously from this unique scholarship and hopefully the knowledge and networks I acquire in LA can also aid the wider community of artists living in regional Australia.”
Tyler grew up in the Barossa Valley in South Australia, and lived in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney before moving to Kyneton five years ago.
“Living regionally has always felt right for my family and me, however, finding a work-life-balance has come at a cost professionally. On the flipside, living in the country also has great benefits creativity, it is no coincidence that many writers seek the space of a rural setting for their work.
“It is incredible that Screenworks acknowledges the challenges for regional artists and works to help regional practitioners overcome them with these types of opportunities.”
Screenworks and AiF have committed to the scholarship for at least three years.