By Rebecca Harris
Three amateur scriptwriters have been declared the winners of the inaugural John Jameson Productions scriptwriting competition.
William Howarth, Van Badham, and Ian Thomson beat nearly 450 other hopefuls with their 200-word film synopses, featuring an “unexpected ending”.
The competition is sponsored by Jameson Irish Whiskey, whose brand manager, Monica Hart, said this marked the beginning of a long partnership with the film industry in Australia.
“Jameson has a global alignment with film as sponsor of the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival and Tribeca in New York,” she said.
“In Australia, we felt that the screenwriters were often the unsung heroes of the film community. Our competition created a forum, via John Jameson Productions, to give talented young writers an opportunity to have their ideas realised.”
The judging panel included actresses Pia Miranda and Lisa Hensley, along with well-known producers Russell Boyd, Jan Sardi and Jane Scott.
The winners will now have their script developed into a short film by a professional production team with a budget of $20,000 each for screening in November.