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Screen Australia’s Pitch Black Shorts program to fund six ten-minute shorts

Dena Curtis' Nan and a Whole Lot of Trouble.

Off the back of last week's announcement that Screen Australia would spearhead a new research project into diversity in local TV drama, the national screen body's Indigenous Department is calling on indigenous filmmakers to apply for its Pitch Short Blacks initiative.

Pitch Black Shorts is designed to bring ten minute dramatic stories, authored by indigenous people, to the screen.

Screen Australia is after projects that will be "bold, based on strong ideas, exhibit a high level of creative ambition and demonstrate the possibility of being financed for production". 

Applicants can apply for up to $6,000 for project development. 

Eight creative teams will be selected to participate in a development program, which includes attending two Screen Australia-run workshops in June and August 2016. 

Eight teams will then be whittled to six who will be granted production funding.

Head of the Indigenous Department at Screen Australia Penny Smallacombe said that “Pitch Short Blacks is a unique opportunity for new and emerging indigenous screen practitioners". 

"We want to see their bold, creative and ambitious ideas for ten minute dramatic stories, and we look forward to working with the selected teams from development through to production.”

Applications close on April 22 2016.