Catapult Decisions

Four funded projects are given the opportunity to attend a four day workshop in which industry practitioners with extensive experience provide general development training as well as one-on-one feedback on their projects. These four projects will then each be teamed with a script editor who will guide them through the development process of redrafting their script.

This year we are also offering an opportunity for projects considered Highly Commended to receive a new form of investment; a Project Consultation, in which experienced script developers will provide one-on-one feedback on projects.

November 2009

Title: DEATH AND ALL HIS FRIENDS
Applicant: Beth King
Writer: Beth King
Current Stage: 1st Draft
Proposed Stage: 2nd Draft
Synopsis: In a dysfunctional, blended family, rebellious, thirteen year old Lily Pleasant, is constantly at odds with her perfect step-sister Em. When the Pleasants embark on a road trip, tensions explode, forcing the question of whether Lily is a victim of circumstance or innately 'bad'. As the trip reaches its destructive end, evil confronts them, in a random act of violence which will change their lives.
Program: Catapult - $13,000

Title: GYPSY HEART, THE
Applicant: David Willing
Writer: David Willing
Current Stage: 2nd Draft
Proposed Stage: 3rd Draft
Synopsis: Verdun Walsh, a passionate yet lonely psychologist meets Laversha internet dating. Verdun believes their one night stand is all it will be until she strides into his consultation room beginning a once a week sexual encounter and they fall in love. His happiness suddenly ends when Laversha disappears, then claims to be Verdun's client and accuses him of professional misconduct.  Stunned, Verdun vigorously denies the charges but he's found guilty and his registration to practice is terminated.  A shattered Verdun searches for Laversha but when he finds her he discovers his past, not coincidence has brought about his demise.  Sometimes deceit, revenge and betrayal are all fair in love.
Program: Catapult  - $13,000

Title: MERNA
Applicant: Brett Cousins
Writer: Brett Cousins
Current Stage: 1st Draft
Proposed Stage: 2nd Draft
Synopsis: Will and Nicole retreat to an isolated rural property to finally confront the demons that have torn apart their relationship. They are derailed by Nicole's terrified sister Jacquie, who is fleeing from Lach, her unstable and violent boyfriend. Just as the couple realise there might be more to Jacquie's appearance than meets the eye, Lach tracks them down. His violent retribution forces each of them to confront their worst nightmares.
Program: Catapult - $13,000

Title: NON-BELIEVERS, THE
Applicant: Steve Mitchell
Writer: Steve Mitchell
Current Stage: 1st Draft
Proposed Stage: 2nd Draft
Synopsis: Rich, a cynical insurance assessor, needs one more bust to earn a bonus and entry to the 'Non-Believers' club at his company. He's sent to debunk a farmer claiming that aliens stole his cows, but discovers the farmer is his uncle and he has, in fact, been losing cows. Rich sets out to prove aliens aren't the cause so that he can reject the claim with impunity, but sees the aliens for himself when he stumbles upon them abducting a truckload of bottled water. Unfortunately, he gets no support from the locals who are all convinced there's no such thing as aliens - thanks to implants in their heads that tell them that. A sexy UFO investigator, Natasha, helps Rich see this connection. He hijacks a UFO, removes the implants from the locals, demands the aliens return his uncle's cows so he can still reject the insurance claim and get his bonus, and sends them back to where they came from - the future.
Program: Catapult  - $13,000

Highly Commended

Title: 1981
Applicant: David Hansen
Writer: David Hansen
Current Stage: 2nd Draft
Proposed Stage: Project Consultation
Synopsis: MICK is a young Aboriginal policeman trying to restore peace to his community. When a wild dog trots down main street with the remains of a human head in its mouth, a handful of community members step into action. The investigation causes MICK to confront some major issues involving his family, his community and his people.
Program: Catapult - $3,000

Title: AMBER LIGHT, THE
Applicant: Shaun Newcombe & Levente Szilagyi
Writer: Shaun Newcombe & Levente Szilagyi
Current Stage: 4th Draft
Proposed Stage: Project Consultation
Synopsis: Chris Goodson is a small-town cop, under pressure to conform, struggling with a decaying mind. When Adam, a sex offender is relocated to his town and later a young woman is found murdered, the locals bay for Adam's blood. Chris chooses to protect Adam but the pressure to conform is too great, his sick mind deteriorates, and he kills Adam to restore order in the town.
Program: Catapult - $3,000

Title: DREAMS ON THE THIRD SHIFT
Applicant: Shane Begg
Writer: Shane Begg
Current Stage: 1st Draft
Proposed Stage: Project Consultation
Synopsis: Set over the course of one night. Five very different but close factory workers are made redundant by their tyrant boss.  Instead of going home and facing their families, they tie him to his chair in his office to learn the truth of their suspicious redundancy and blackmail him using his gambling addiction into negotiate a better deal. However throughout the night, the group eventually find themselves having to parry and joust in a battle of wits and head games against one another in order to obtain their jobs back by the following morning.
Program: Catapult - $3,000

Title: TINYBAND
Applicant: John Pace
Writer: John Pace
Current Stage: 5th Draft
Proposed Stage: Project Consultation
Synopsis: Two rock musicians well past their prime move to LA to make it big, only to find themselves mysteriously shrunk to the size of Ken dolls and thrust into the spotlight as the weeny-pop sensation, Tinyband. One falls into in denial that he's tiny. The other falls in love with a normal-sized woman. The record company uses them as a promotional machine. Groupies use them as human dildos. It's Spinal-Tap meets Step-Brothers, all reduced to the size of Chipmunks.
Program: Catapult - $3,000