Finalists announced for TAC short film competition

12 Jul 2013

Eight young Victorians are in the running to win this year’s Transport Accident Commission (TAC) Make a Film, Make a Difference (MAFMAD) competition, Assistant Treasurer Gordon Rich-Phillips said.

Announcing the finalists today, Mr Rich-Phillips said these eight Victorians now had the chance to win a $20,000 film production budget and see their film on television and in cinemas.

“In May this year, MAFMAD invited young Victorians to create a short film about looking after their mates on the road,” Mr Rich-Phillips said.

“The eight finalists, all aged 25 and under, submitted the best film ideas among more than 450 entries. Their ideas will now go through a second round of judging, to further analyse their scripts before the best two short film ideas are selected next month.”

Winners receive a $20,000 production budget and the help of mentors to produce their film, as well as $5,000 in prize money. The winning films will be shown across movie screens, on television, online and at music festivals over summer.

Mr Rich-Phillips said targetting some of the road safety hazards that put young people at risk was one of the key actions of the Victorian Coalition Government’s 10 year Road Safety Strategy.

“Young people continued to be over-represented in road trauma and MAFMAD invites young people to help us share messages with their peers about staying safe on the roads,” Mr Rich-Phillips said.

“This year’s finalists are not only promising filmmakers in their own right, but their ideas for MAFMAD films have the potential to really make a difference to road safety in this state.”

Twenty-five Victorians aged 18-25 have been killed on the roads this year so far, compared to 33 at the same time last year.

Find out more about MAFMAD at the MAFMAD website or MAFMAD Facebook page.

For more information contact Emily Bogue on 5225 6450

The finalists and their film ideas are:

• Maddy Cheyne - Warrnambool. No Place Like Home Safe draws on the Wizard of Oz film for inspiration.
• Jessica Szwarcbord - Collingwood. Failed Heroes draws on the ‘hero’ film genre for inspiration.
• Peter Camilleri - Garibaldi. Hold This involves a teenager carrying his friend's heart while they take to the road.
• Simon Dall - Brunswick. I've Never centres around a group of teenagers playing a drinking game that turns to the topic of driving.
• Sebastian Lee - Wantirna. Levelling Up is to take a video game style view of a young group’s night out.
• Rebecca Bouchier - Moonee Ponds. My Mate Gary, sees Gary, a Grim Reaper-like looking character, have trouble fitting in at his new school.
• Daniel Erczmann - Brighton. Worst Fear rolls through the worst fears of two young boys sitting down together.
• Jack Clark - Scoresby. Wilhelm Scream focuses on a Melbourne artist creating electronic songs, sampling sounds pulled from motor accidents.