Since its inception, Ireland’s longest running Pitching Competition, at the Galway Film Fleadh, has emphasised that good wrirting is still the backbone of the audiovisual sector and provided many writers with an opportunity to get their foot in the door of the industry. As perhaps the best example, the 2006 Pitching Award Winner Will Collins, is returning to the Fleadh this year with the Irish Premiere of his new film, Song of the Sea.
The finalists will pitch their idea as an ‘Elevator Pitch’ of 90 seconds in front of an audience and a panel of industry experts on on the closing day of the Film Fleadh, 12thJuly. The winner will be announced at the Awards Ceremony that evening and will receive a cash prize of €3000, to be used as the winner sees fit.
In addition to the prize money the real benefits are multifarious. For those selected, it is a golden opportunity; regardless of who wins, each finalist has a captive industry audience to communicate their story to, and their first opportunity to win over a crowd.
This year’s finalists and their projects are:
- Mark Finnegan – Dying for Fashion– A shameful, inhumane industry that is simply not compatible with animal welfare.
- Liam Alex Heffron – Temporal– St. Columba meets Columbo in an Ireland of High Kings and High Crosses.
- Mark Gilleece – Psych 101– A brilliant, but bored, psychology student learns she can play with hearts as well as minds.
- Eamonn Keane –Rise and Rise Again– Divided by Two Wars, Betrayed by Both Sides, United by Revenge.
- John Cavanagh and Eamon Quinlan – The Sweeps– Odds Long, Starters Off.
- Dan Mooney – Cauldron Born– Some Urban Legends Never Die.
- Emma Greaney – The Book of Secrets– It’s a kind of magic.
- Max Webb – Strangers– An Animated Art House Action Movie.
- Luke Morgan – Ewetopia– Do you ever wonder where your dreams come from?
- John Morton – The Kudome Valentine– Beth and Tracy have peaked in Irish women’s wrestling’s shallow pool but when a major Japanese breakthrough beckons, are both ready to fight for it?
The Pitching Competition is a FREE, PUBLIC event, taking place in Ballroom 3 of the Radisson Blu Hotel Galway on Sunday 12thJuly at 3pm.