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Academy Award®–winning producer to lead Screen Australia’s inaugural Think Big Documentary Lab

Screen Australia has announced a new intensive workshop to inspire Australian filmmakers to create documentaries for the big screen.

The Think Big Documentary Lab is a three-day residential workshop designed to enable participants to focus on the development of a theatrical documentary within a collaborative and intimate environment.

To be held in late November 2012, the workshop will be led by Simon Chinn Academy Award®–winning producer of Man on Wire, Project Nim and Searching for Sugar Man. He will be supported by Australian filmmakers Gillian Armstrong (Love, Lust and Lies), Matt Bate (Shut Up Little Man! An Audio Misadventure) and Tony Krawitz (The Tall Man).

“The Think Big Documentary Lab wants documentary makers to do just that: think big,” said Liz Stevens, Screen Australia’s Manager, Documentary. “It’s an opportunity for filmmakers to push the scope and vision of their projects so that the narrative generates bigger ideas and becomes more than the sum of its parts. Simon Chinn and the Australian mentors will bring first-hand practical experience to the lab to help guide the participants on this exciting journey.”

Applications are now open for eligible documentary filmmakers or filmmaking teams with compelling projects at some stage of development. Up to 16 individuals or seven filmmaking teams will be selected to participate.

The workshop will look at the creative and commercial aspects of a successful theatrical release and the elements required for critical acclaim and success on the international film festival circuit. Case studies and exercises aimed at exploring the development of cinematic documentaries will hone participants’ skills, and ensure they leave with an improved proposal and treatment, as well as a defined pathway for the continued development of their documentary project.

The Think Big Documentary Lab will run for three full days from Monday 26 November to Wednesday 28 November, in rural New South Wales, with arrival at the venue required on Sunday evening for a prompt start the following day, and departure on Thursday morning.

Applications close Friday 28 September 2012.