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21 02 2024 - Media release

Screen Australia and Australians in Film Announce Applications Open for UNTAPPED 2024

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Sabir Pirzada (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), Alice Bell (Expats), Noora Niasari (Shayda) and Danny Philippou (Talk to Me)

Screen Australia and Australians in Film (AiF) are excited to announce the Masterclass speakers for UNTAPPED 2024, with applications for the program now open. The speakers taking part are award-winning co-writer and co-director of the global breakout hit, A24’s Talk to Me, Danny Philippou; award-winning executive producer and writer of Amazon’s Expats, Alice Bell; award-winning writer and director of indie feature Shayda, Noora Niasari; and writer of Star Wars: The Bad Batch and Person of Interest, Sabir Pirzada.

UNTAPPED, which has been running for the past four years, is Australia’s premier artist development program for undiscovered and historically excluded Australian writers and directors to create career pathways into the US market.

UNTAPPED 2024 will comprise a series of masterclasses from March to June 2024 hosted by Philippou, Bell, Niasari and Pirzada. Up to six recipients will be selected to participate in an online Development Lab between August and November 2024, with each receiving mentorship, story consultation, creative feedback and professional development support.

First Nations Australians, people who are culturally and linguistically diverse, living with disability, LGBTQIA+ and/or who are living in regional and remote locations are encouraged to apply for UNTAPPED.

Screen Australia’s CEO Deirdre Brennan said, “We’re looking forward to finding another talented cohort of emerging and diverse Australian storytellers for UNTAPPED 2024. This unique program ensures they will have the skills, project direction and global insights needed to navigate the US market. Danny, Alice, Noora and Sabir will each play a pivotal role in guiding participants – offering their wealth of experience and expertise. We’re incredibly excited to have them on board.”

Peter Ritchie, Executive Director of Australians in Film said, “We are absolutely thrilled that Danny, Alice, Noora and Sabir have agreed to be our Masterclass speakers for UNTAPPED 2024. Craft and skill are the very foundation of telling a successful story, and each of our Masterclass speakers will bring a wealth of knowledge and inspiration to Australian artists wanting to tell their unique stories to the world. Enormous thanks to everyone at Screen Australia and all our partners who continue to keep the doors open for Australia’s best emerging writers and directors.”

Miranda Aguilar, an UNTAPPED 2023 participant and writer said, “Breaking into the industry can be an incredibly daunting, opaque process. Programs like UNTAPPED are critical to bringing in new talented voices that might otherwise be dissuaded from trying to enter this line of work. I genuinely appreciated how AiF and UNTAPPED really cared about setting us on the right path forward in order for us to courageously forge our way through.”

UNTAPPED applications are open until Friday March 15 at 5:59am (PDT) | Friday March 15 at 11:59pm (AEDT). For applications and guidelines, click here.

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Media enquiries

Maddie Walsh | Publicist

+ 61 2 8113 5915  | [email protected]

Ted Rose | Senior Publicist

+ 61 2 8113 1091  | + 61 456 558 679 | ted.rose@screenaustralia.gov.au

All other general/non-media enquiries

Sydney + 61 2 8113 5800  |  Melbourne + 61 3 8682 1900 | [email protected]