West Coast Visions 2024 now open for applications
Screenwest and Screen Australia are pleased to announce that applications for West Coast Visions 2024 are now open.
West Coast Visions is a special initiative designed by Screenwest to uncover, inspire and develop talented and motivated WA filmmakers with distinctive visions, providing them with up to $750,000 production funding to produce their debut feature film in Western Australia.
Since 2023, Screen Australia has pre-committed up to $500,000 equity into West Coast Visions annually, bringing the total funding up to $1.25 million – the largest funding initiative of its kind in Australia.
Filmmaking teams also receive ongoing creative and strategic support from both Screenwest and Screen Australia, providing them with a stronger starting point and a more confident pathway to production.
2023 recipient PROCLIVITAS, written & directed by Miley Tunnecliffe and produced by Kate Separovich was the first West Coast Visions film to receive $1.25 million production funding (historically $750,000), thanks to Screenwest and Screen Australia’s new partnership. PROCLIVITAS is set to head into production in Western Australia later this year.
2022 recipient Birthright, written & directed by Zoe Pepper and produced by Cody Greenwood is currently in pre-production in Perth and 2021 recipient He Ain’t Heavy, written & directed by David Vincent Smith and produced by Jess Parker is set to make its world premiere this year. Both films also received funding from Screen Australia.
Some of the notable career outcomes of the initiative include Jub Clerc’s Sweet As winning top festival awards at MIFF, Toronto and Berlin and Zak Hilditch’s These Final Hours being selected for the 2014 Cannes Film Festival Directors’ Fortnight where he secured US representation and went on to write and direct 1922 and Rattlesnake for Netflix, as well as his upcoming survival thriller, We Bury The Dead, starring Daisy Ridley and set to kick off production in WA next month.
Ben Young premiered Hounds of Love at Venice Film Festival 2016 where he won the Fedora Award and secured US representation. He has since been selected to direct feature films and TV series including Extinction, Devil’s Peak, Clickbait, The Wilds and The Twelve. Following the release of audience favourite How to Please a Woman, Renée Webster was selected to direct Season 2 of Aftertaste for the ABC and Closer Productions.
West Coast Visions 2024 Q&A webinar
Screenwest is inviting WA practitioners to attend a West Coast Visions Q&A webinar with Screenwest’s Head of Scripted: Content and Talent, Tenille Kennedy, who will give an overview of Screenwest’s expectations of the initiative for 2024, and discuss the guidelines and eligibility criteria.
Lucy Hill, Investment & Development Manager at Screen Australia, will also be available to discuss their contracting requirements and how they will work with the successful applicant.
Please note: the session will not be recorded.
Date: Monday, 5 February 2024
Time: 12:00pm – 12:30pm AWST
Where: Zoom – register here to attend
How to apply
Applications close Monday, 8 April 2024 at 5:00pm AWST.
The full guidelines and application materials are available on the Special Initiatives page of the Screenwest website.
Program Contact
For more information about West Coast Visions, please contact:
Kirby Brierty, Scripted Production Program Manager
Screenwest
T: +61 8 6169 2122
E: kirby.brierty@screenwest.com.au
Tenille Kennedy, Head of Scripted: Content and Talent
Screenwest
T: +61 8 6169 2107
E: tenille.kennedy@screenwest.com.au
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