Continuance Pictures has selected the Top 25 script submissions for the first Continue Short Film Initiative, which aims to establish a platform for Australian talent and provide opportunities for emerging filmmakers everywhere. Unexpectedly, the Continue initiative proved popular internationally, with filmmakers from all corners of the globe submitting their film and television scripts. A third of submissions came from female screenwriters, and of the top 25 finalists, over a third were written by women.
A number of the scripts were genre-skewed, including Carn-Evil by Jason Siner and Red Right Hand by Nick Pollack . TV and film star Cleo Massey had her script Liar, Liar selected as a finalist.
“Having filmmakers from a variety of backgrounds provides our development department with engaging stories and endless entertainment,” Tristan Barr says. “Prestige horrors, fourth-wall-breaking comedies and touching dramas were the most popular genres tendered.”
While submissions were being reviewed by the development team, the producers started making connections in the US with the help of Screen Queensland, Film Victoria, and Australians in Film. The team met with major writing talent, production houses, and formed larger international connections.
The Continuance team also attended the Hollywood Comedy Shorts Film Festival, and Hollyweb Festival where Continuance’s web series Cursed screened in the 2019 Official Selection. Hollyweb provides the latest and greatest web series, and their creators, valuable exposure, networking opportunities and industry education sessions.
“Our goal is to champion quality content from emerging writers and directors,” David Gim says. “We believe we can bring fresh local and international talent to these production houses, thanks to the Continue Short Film Initiative.”
Additionally, Continuance Pictures partnered with Revelation Film Festival earlier this year to provide the latest iteration of the Continue Short Film Initiative. Successful applicants will be passed onto Continuance Pictures for first-look feature production with local, US and Asian distributors. Revelation Film Festival is held in Perth between the 4th and 17th of July.
“Our partnership with Revelation is the next exciting step in securing partnerships with future Australian filmmakers, and bringing their work into the consciousness of a wider audience,” David Gim says.
Top 25 Continue Short Film Initiative Finalists
The Silent Horror of Being Alive by Wassim Bazzi (AUS)
The Far Acre by Garret Walsh (IRE)
Quietus by Nicole Jones Dion (US)
Six Seconds by Tim Brothers (AUS)
How to Disappear Completely by Rodrigo Salem & Jeremy Christensen (US)
Peaches by Courtnee Zambrano (US)
Take-Off by Joel Stephen Fleming (AUS)
The Neck of It by Alejandro Alberola (UK)
The Caddy by Cary Brown (US)
A Town Called Sunburn by Grace Rein (AUS)
LYZ by Darnell Brown (US)
The Invader by Scott Martin (US)
The Wolf in the Wind by Alexander Duncan (AUS)
Home by Katie Micay (US)
Follower by Tony Newton & Kerry Newton (UK)
Red Right Hand by Nick Pollack (AUS)
Subject by Vincent Befi (US)
The Scribe by Alicia Norman (US)
The Black Balloon by Jason Goldberg (US)
A Mind Alike by Caitlin Milne (AUS)
The Spleenlovers by Clarence Williams IV (US)
Liar Liar by Cleo Massey (AUS)
Jane Doe by Laura Lyte (US)
Carn-Evil by Jason Siner (US)
Darkness by Stuart Quinn (UK)
The winning scripts will be announced in the coming weeks.
