AACTA PITCH: ELEVATE

The winner of AACTA Pitch: Elevate is THE DEPARTMENT OF LAST REQUESTS, from Angela McDonald.

AACTA Pitch: Elevate is a national pitching competition aiming to discover the most original and exciting ideas for globally-focused, high-concept scripted series.

Beginning with a simple premise and an unusual set of circumstances, an elevated concept holds the potential for endless possibilities within the world of a series.

You’ve probably never heard of the Department of Last Requests. A run- down legal department that processes people’s wills – specifically, wills where the deceased had strange or complicated final wishes and where two drop-kick lawyers have been assigned to carry out their last requests.

Angela pitched her concept alongside four AACTA Pitch: Elevate finalists during a live event hosted by comedian Gen Fricker (LEGALLY BROWN, HAVE YOU BEEN PAYING ATTENTION) at AACTA Shorts + Web Fest presented by MINI at The Factory Theatre in Sydney.

For her winning concept, Angela will receive a $5,000 cash prize, support from Spectrum Films to the value of $2,500, and tickets to the 2019 AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel Industry Luncheon and Awards Ceremony. Angela also heard invaluable feedback from the judging panel and will receive guidance on the development of a pilot screenplay through script coverage from our partnering production companies.

ENDGAME | Gabriel Bergmoser, Bryony McLachlan
A young couple’s life is shattered when they discover they are non-player characters in a violent video game.

MY MOTHER, THE WITCH | Anya Beyersdorf
1693 -- A Lawman is called to God’s Country to hear the wildly divergent confessions of two accused witches due to hang - a young girl and her mother - each swearing black and blue the other is the witch and should be put to death.

THE EIGHT | Adam Kiers, Barbara Stephen, Hannah Carol Chapman, Amal Awad
Christo has been found dead in the carpark of his apartment block. The viewer may follow their own path to investigate the crime with the ability to watch each episode - the perspective of The Girlfriend, The Brother, The Old Lady, The Young Mum, The Brazilians, The Bikie and The Real Estate Agent - in any order to unravel the mystery.

THE DEPARTMENT OF LAST REQUESTS | Angela McDonald
You’ve probably never heard of the Department of Last Requests. A run-down legal department that processes people’s wills – specifically, wills where the deceased had strange or complicated final wishes and where two drop-kick lawyers have been assigned to carry out their last requests.

THE REPLICAS | Adam Daniel
After passing through a strange electrical storm at sea, the passengers of a transit ferry arrive at their island home to discover that they are duplicated versions of passengers that arrived on the same ferry thirty minutes earlier.

		Carly Heaton Executive Producer, Foxtel Carly has been working with the Foxtel drama team for four years. She has since worked across WENTWORTH, A PLACE TO CALL HOME, THE KETTERING INCIDENT, SECRET CITY, FIGHTING SEASON, PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, LAMBS OF GOD and the upcoming series THE END and UPRIGHT.
		Tracey Roberston Hoodlum Entertainment CEO Tracey Robertson is the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Hoodlum, an Emmy® and BAFTA Award winning Entertainment Company. As CEO, Tracey oversees Hoodlum Television, connecting with networks and studios to produce scripted content in Australia, the United States, and the UK. Tracey manages Hoodlum's US and International slate and has completed production of Seasons 1 and 2 of SECRETS AND LIES, as well as the FOX pilot STRANGE CALLS, a remove of Hoodlum's 2012 series THE STRANGE CALLS. Hoodlum has also produced HARROW for the ABC Australia and ABC Studios International Netflix’s first Australian Original TIDELANDS.
		Billy Bowring Drama Development Manager, FremantleMedia Australia Originally from London, Billy began his career writing script coverage for Pathe, Working Title and Film4 in his spare time. He then moved to Number 9 Films as a producer’s assistant, working for two years on feature films. These included a London gangster thriller called HYENA and Todd Haynes’ film, CAROL, starring Cate Blanchett. After spending some time producing short films and music videos, he moved to Australia and began working in script development with Fremantle Australia. He plays a role in guiding FreemantleMedia Australia’s drama slate and working closely with creative talent.
		Stephen Corvini Matchbox Pictures Drama Development Executive and Producer, and Producer of HUNGRY GHOSTS (SBS) Stephen Corvini is a Drama Development Executive & Producer with Matchbox Pictures and is the Producer of SBS Series HUNGRY GHOSTS and SECRET CITY 2 – UNDER THE EAGLE. He also developed and produced the series SAFE HARBOUR for SBS & Hulu and film, and ODDLANDS in collaboration with Back to Back Theatre for the ABC & the Adelaide Film Festival. He has also produced: the series HYDE & SEEK and the telemovie SCHAPELLE for the Nine Network; BETTER MAN for the SBS; and DEVIL’S DUST for the ABC. Stephen also conceived and established the development of the series MR & MRS MURDER for Channel Ten. His other scripted television work includes WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THAT GUY? for the Comedy Channel and MERCURY and CORRELLI for the ABC.