WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Thanks to OPTUS ONE80PROJECT & MTV, past winners are now successfully carving out a name for themselves in the fickle industry of Aussie television drama.
2009 Winners
Last year's winners, director Reuben Field and producer Dean Bates (AKA Starchild Productions) have continued their dream run with a Logie nomination for their ABC comedy Review with Myles Barlow, and four AFI nominations.
The pair – both former country boys who are now based in Sydney –drew on their youth in rural Australia to make their winning trailer, "Wauchope". In July this year they returned to the Mid North Coast to shoot the one-hour version, re-named "Dungoona" with a motley crew of city professionals and brilliant local amateurs. The cast included their original hero, Darin Berlin, joined by Logie winner Kat Stewart and their lucky discovery, amazing sixteen-year-old Natasha Bassett.
Since shooting, Reuben has spent months working intensively on post-production, finessing the edit and securing great music from the likes of The Paper Scissors. Meanwhile Dean has gone back to music videos, producing or overseeing videos for Guy Sebastian, John Butler Trio and an ARIA-nominated Kate Miller-Heidke clip.
Once their pilot is complete in December, the team look forward to shooting the second series of Review with Myles Barlow next year –and hopefully the next stage of life for "Dungoona".
2008 Winners
Sydney-sider Sarah Daggar Nickson, who described her winning three minute entry as Twin Peaks-meets-Desperate Housewives suburban mystery set in the lost world of the North Shore.
Shooting her one hour pilot "Dream Life" in the Sydney suburbs of Wahroonga, Pymble and Cammeray, Sarah drew inspiration from her observations as a school student more than a decade ago.
Not only has the project given her the financial means and expertise to see her idea through to a finished product, as well as unprecedented exposure, the kudos from winning the title also helped her recruit star actor Sigrid Thornton to the project.
As part of her prize, Daggar-Nickson is now working with producers at MTV to develop the pilot into a full-length drama to screen on the music television network next month and also via the Optus Zoo mobile portal.
Keep checking back for updates for when you can see Sarah's drama "Dream Life" for yourself.
