Six filmmaking teams will share in $450,000 of Screen Australia funding to enhance and extend their creative storytelling and production skills through the latest Hot Shots: Short Fiction Funding round.

The successful teams and projects receiving talent development support include –

The Deep End, about a 16-year-old Canberra girl, Emily, looking for authentic love in her bleak world, from producers Belinda Mravicic and Rose Ricketson and writer/director Clare Young. Jane Campion will executive produce and mentor the team.

Fish with Legs, an animated comedy about a school of fish that one day wake up to discover they have legs, from producer Tania Frampton, producer/writer Nikos Andronicos and director Dave Carter.

Ghostbear, an animated family story about a polar bear cub wandering the Arctic in search of his place in the world, from producers Justine Kerrigan and Lincoln Wogan, and writer/director Paul McDermott.

Kill Your Dinner, a comedy about possibly the worst ever attempt at a father-son bonding experience, from producers Christopher Sharp and Matt Dooley alongside writer/director Bryn Chainey.

Problem Play tells the story of an actress who questions her identity whilst rehearsing for a production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, from producers Lauren Edwards and Liam Heyen, and writer/director Matthew Moore.

Wandering Soul, a Vietnam War horror based on real occurrences about a Viet Cong soldier terrorised by his fallen comrades, from writer/director Josh Tanner and producer/writer Jade van der Lei. Predestination filmmakers Michael and Peter Spierig will mentor the team.

The Hot Shots fund provides an opportunity for up-and-coming filmmakers to work with industry professionals and gain invaluable practical experience. The programme plays a significant role in developing and establishing strong and distinctive creative voices in the industry and assists filmmakers eager to transition from short to long-form projects.

Successful recipients will have the opportunity to participate in Hot Shops, a series of industry-led workshops and seminars that immerse writers, directors and producers in a craft-based learning environment to further their filmmaking skills. The two-day Hot Shops programme will connect teams with carefully selected mentors to workshop their creative processes.

Screen Australia’s Senior Development Executive, Nerida Moore, said, “These teams highlight the vitality, talent and creative potential within the emerging sector with projects that include horror, comedy, drama and animation. We look forward to working with these filmmakers to realise their creative visions onto the screen and to facilitate their development to longer-form storytelling.”

The Deep End

Genre Drama

Producers Belinda Mravicic, Rose Ricketson

Writer/Director Clare Young

Synopsis Emily, a 16-year-old Canberra girl, is searching for love in a bleak world where sex is cheap and romance is fantasy.

Fish With Legs

Genre Comedy

Producers Nikos Andronicos, Tania Frampton

Director Dave Carter

Writer Nikos Andronicos

Synopsis A school of fish wakes up one morning to discover that everyone has sprouted legs. Is it evolution, or a punishment from God?

Ghostbear

Genre Family

Producers Justine Kerrigan, Lincoln Wogan

Writer/Director Paul McDermott

Synopsis A polar bear cub, the Ghostbear, wanders through the Arctic wasteland in search of his place in the world and his birthplace in the stars.

Kill Your Dinner

Genre Comedy, Drama

Producers Christopher Sharp, Matt Dooley

Writer/Director Bryn Chainey

Synopsis During one of the worst ever attempts at a father-son bonding experience, a teenager must face his dad’s new hippy girlfriend and the prospect of killing his own dinner.

Problem Play

Genre Drama

Producers Lauren Edwards, Liam Heyen

Writer/Director Matthew Moore

Synopsis During rehearsals for a production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, an actress struggling to come to terms with her character begins to question who she is.

Wandering Soul

Genre Drama, Horror

Producer Jade van der Lei

Director Josh Tanner

Writers Jade van der Lei, Josh Tanner

Synopsis Pressured into abandoning a burial ceremony prematurely, a Viet Cong soldier stationed in the claustrophobic Cu Chi tunnels at the height of the Vietnam War finds himself terrorised by his fallen comrades, who are unwilling to rest in peace.