Western Australian writers Gary Hamaguchi and Jesse Laurie receive Bill Warnock Talent Accelerator

Screenwest is pleased to announce Western Australian writers Gary Hamaguchi and Jesse Laurie are the successful recipients of the Bill Warnock Talent Accelerator initiative, each receiving $100,000 to develop their professional writing skills and screen projects.

The Bill Warnock Talent Accelerator is a year-long skills development program for early to mid-career Western Australian writers.

The program will accelerate Gary and Jesse’s careers by expanding their creative development skills and screen industry contacts, bridging the gap between their ideas and the marketplace.

Across the next twelve months, Gary and Jesse will each invest $80,000 in their professional development, enabling them to work with some of Australia’s most coveted production companies and industry leaders. They will also invest $20,000 towards development of their own slate of projects.

Gary is a Jaru/Noongar/Japanese writer and director living in Broome, on Djugun-Yawuru country. He has written and directed multiple award-winning short films. He is currently working on the new season of Mystery Road: Origin and has recently released the documentary series Larapinta on SBS on Demand.

“Being a freelance filmmaker living in Broome with a young family can be challenging at times, the remoteness means limited networking opportunities which are vital in this industry. Receiving the Bill Warnock Talent Accelerator will allow me to travel, immerse myself in the industry, attend networking events and still call Broome home. Having the funding also means advancing my career from short films to developing and writing my own shows, telling our stories with our voices and experiences.” said Gary Hamaguchi.

After an early career as an elite AFL athlete, Jesse pivoted into a passionate screenwriter. His feature screenplays have received national and international accolades, and his short film, Raising Thunder was shortlisted for the Australian Writer’s Guild Monte Miller Award in 2021. Jesse is currently developing a feature screenplay with Zero Gravity Management (US) and his first feature film, Zero is in production.

“I’m genuinely so excited and appreciative to have been selected for the Bill Warnock Talent Accelerator. The opportunity to progress my career in a tangible, meaningful way will be invaluable, and I can’t wait to see where I am twelve months from now. Thank you, Screenwest, for your confidence in me — I’m just so grateful.” said Jesse Laurie.

The late Bill Warnock (1934 – 2001) was a revered playwright, screenwriter, novelist, poet and activist who was passionate about the arts in Western Australia. Following a successful career in advertising, he turned to his childhood ambition of writing. He wrote poetry, novels, short stories, plays and screenplays including play, The Judgement of Paris, which premiered at the Festival of Perth in 1997. Warnock, together with fellow Lotterywest Board Member John Fiocco was integral in amending the Lotteries Commission Act (WA) to mandate a fixed percentage of Lotterywest sales to the Festival of Perth and Screenwest each year. Warnock is survived by his wife Diana and children, Kylie and Adam, who carry on his legacy.

“I am thrilled, as are Bill’s children, Kylie and Adam, and their families, that his legacy and long-term commitment to filmmaking in Western Australia should result in two writers of such wonderful quality being the recipients of this exciting initiative.” said Diana Warnock.

“Screenwest is committed to investing in Western Australian talent. Congratulations Gary and Jesse! We’re so pleased to be supporting you both as you take the next steps in your careers. Thank you to the Bill Warnock family for letting us honour his name with this initiative.” said Rikki Lea Bestall, Screenwest CEO.

---