Dame Changer has announced the 2020 recipients of the Dame Changer/STAN Lottie Lyell Scholarship: producer Lisa Shaunessy (Graduate Diploma in Screen Business, 2011) with her film Splitters, and the Viva La Vida team of producer Abi Tabone (Master of Screen Arts & Business, 2015; Graduate Diploma in Producing & Screen Business, 2011) and writer/producer Lisa Hoppe (Master of Screen Arts, 2012; Graduate Diploma in Producing & Screen Business, 2011). Lisa (in association with Screen Australia’s travel grant), Abi and Lisa will attend Creative England’s Market Trader programme at the European Film Market at Berlinale in a few weeks.
Lisa Hoppe is also the writer of H is for Happiness, which opens in Australian cinemas on February 6. The film will have its international premiere as the opening film of the Berlin Generation KPlus section.
Market Trader is delivered through a combination of intensive workshops, mentoring, market attendance and networking with a specific focus on EFM/Berlinale. The programme examines differing needs and perspectives from each part of the film value chain – makers, buyers, sellers – and hones skills in pitching, negotiating and closing deals.
Last week, Screen Australia announced $3.5 million of production funding towards several works including Nude Tuesday, a project by 2018 Dame Changer Scholarship recipient, Producer Virginia Whitwell. Virginia believes Market Trader was a critical component on the journey to finance the project, saying:
“Overall it was a career propelling, highly educational experience. I am hugely grateful for the opportunity. It has led to many new business relationships and contacts plus a wealth of intelligence on market and current trends. It’s instilled in me the importance of keeping a current global view on what we’re doing.”
Via Dame Changer.