ENTRIES CLOSE THIS WEEK! - FRIDAY 12 FEBRUARY AT 5PM (Sydney Local Time)
LAST YEAR'S WINNER 'DUNGOONA' AIRS ON MTV CHANNEL 124 SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY AT 9PM (Sydney Local Time)
FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO: www.one80project.com.au
Sydney, Australia, Monday 8 February 2010 - MTV, Optus and BlackBerry are pleased to welcome internationally acclaimed actor Sam Neill to the judging panel for the OPTUS ONE80PROJECT'S fourth year of competition.
Emmy and Golden Globe nominated Neill, star of movie classics Jurassic Park, The Piano and currently Daybreakers, joins a panel of industry experts including Australian actor Xavier Samuel, who has just finished filming the third instalment of the Twilight series phenomenon Eclipse, his Road Train co-star and star of Beautiful Kate, Sophie Lowe, US based MTV Films heavyweight and Executive Vice President of New Media, David Gale and Chris McGlinn, Director of Marketing for Amalgamated Holdings Limited who brings with him over 25 years of cinema experience. The OPTUS ONE80PROJECT is a joint initiative between Optus and MTV Networks Australia, in association with BlackBerry® and Event Cinemas.
"I'm pleased to be involved as the judge for the 2010 OPTUS ONE80PROJECT as I think it's a great initiative for up and coming film makers. I encourage everyone to give it a go and I'm really looking forward to seeing some interesting new work," Neill says.
"The OPTUS ONE80PROJECT provides a chance for Australian TV makers to break into the industry with the unique opportunity to reach mobile, Internet and TV audiences. With entries closing this week, I encourage anyone interested in becoming part of this year's program to get in quick! Our top ten will then be available to view on your Optus compatible 3G[1] mobile and the website - I can't wait to see what this year's talented entrants have to offer," said Michael Smith, Managing Director, Optus Consumer.
The OPTUS ONE80PROJECT is an opportunity for local aspiring TV makers to turn their good idea into a big shot at the small screen. A 180-second pilot with an accompanying treatment can be uploaded onto the OPTUS ONE80PROJECT website, www.one80project.com.au, until 5pm (Sydney Local Time), Friday 12 February 2010. All entries must be suitable for viewing on Optus smartphones and 3G1 mobile phones, internet and TV.
Since his New Zealand screen debut in Roger Donaldson's Sleeping Dogs in 1978, Sam Neill has appeared in over 80 film and television productions. Neill is internationally recognized for his theatrical contributions with The British Academy of Film and Television naming him Best Actor on British Television and being the recipient of an Order of the British Empire for Services to Acting.
With multiple Golden Globe and Emmy nominations, Neill's film credits include roles in the award winning film The Piano, blockbuster Jurassic Park and Working Title’s Wimbledon to name a few. He is currently starring in the vampire thriller Daybreakers, in cinemas now, alongside Ethan Hawke, William Dafoe and fellow Aussies Claudia Karvan, Vince Colosimo and Isabel Lucas.
Tune-in to MTV on channel 124, Sunday 28 February at 9PM Sydney Local Time to watch Dungoona, the winning drama from last year's OPTUS ONE80PROJECT, or Optus mobile and internet customers can view it now via Optus ZOO's online portal or via Optus ZOO[2] on their compatible 3G mobile handset[1].
LAST YEAR'S WINNER 'DUNGOONA' AIRS ON MTV CHANNEL 124 SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY AT 9PM (Sydney Local time)
ENTRIES FOR OPTUS ONE80PROJECT 2010 CLOSE THIS WEEK - FRIDAY 12 FEBRUARY AT 5PM (Sydney Local Time)
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE OPTUS ONE80PROJECT AND HOW TO ENTER, LOG ONTO www.one80project.com.au.
For further information:
Laura Vozzo
Communications & Publicity Manager
MTV Networks Australia
laura.vozzo@mtvna.com.au
Phone: (02) 9921-0299
Milly Gattegno
Publicist
MTV Networks Australia
milly.gattegno@mtvna.com.au
Phone: (02) 9921-0261
Note To Editors
OPTUS ONE80PROJECT
The national television competition OPTUS ONE80PROJECT is an opportunity for all local aspiring TV makers to turn their good idea into a big shot at the small screen. A 180 second pilot with an accompanying treatment can be uploaded onto the OPTUS ONE80PROJECT website, www.on80project.com.au until 5pm (Sydney Local Time), Friday February 12, 2010. All entries must be suitable for viewing on Optus smartphones and 3G mobile phones, internet and TV.
Ten entries will then be short-listed by an industry panel of judges including David Gale who will also go on to select a judges' choice winner. Previously head of MTV Films, Gale oversaw the release of 26 movies including Hustle and Flow, Election, Napoleon Dynamite, The Longest Yard, Murderball, Beavis and Butthead Do America, Jackass: the Movie and Jackass number two. Previous OPTUS ONE80PROJECT judges have included Noah Taylor, Abbie Cornish, Emily Barclay, Neil Armfield, Teresa Palmer, Alex Dimitriades and Nash & Joel Edgerton.
The public will also be able to choose a winner. The ten short-listed pilots can be viewed by Optus mobile customers on their 3G smartphone or mobile phone via the Optus ZOO Mobile TV site, or they can be streamed from the competition website (www.on80project.com.au). Viewers will vote for their favourite pilot via a short code sent to their mobile phone or at the competition website. Votes can be cast over five weeks, from Monday March 1, 2010 to Monday April 5, 2010.
The pilots from the ten finalists will be screened at the OPTUS ONE80PROJECT Awards held on Sunday, April 18, 2010 at which the two winning entries, the Judges' Choice Award and the People's Choice Award, will be announced.
Both winners will receive an amazing prize package including a share in $20,000 cash and a BlackBerry® Smartphone. In addition, the Judges Choice will get the opportunity to work with MTV production experts and an Executive Producer at MTV Australia's production facilities valued at $250,000 to develop and shape their original pilot into a full-length multi-platform drama. The completed final episodes will be shown first on the Optus ZOO web and mobile portals and later shown on MTV Australia.
The winning submission will be produced and aired on MTV in Australia and will be available to Optus 3G customers with a compatible mobile handset on the Optus ZOO portals. With 3G (2100MHz) handsets, coverage only available within Optus 3G areas. With Dual Band (2100/900 MHz) handsets, coverage only available within the Dual Band coverage area, see www.optus.com.au/coverage.
About Optus
Optus is an Australian leader in integrated communications. The company specialises in a broad range of communications services including mobile, local, national and long distance telephony, business network services, internet and satellite services and subscription television. For more information please visit www.optus.com.au
About Optus Mobile TV
Mobile TV gives Optus 3G customers the chance to access the biggest TV brands on their compatible mobiles, both live and on demand. Channels include: MTV, Sky News, South Park, The Hills and more. Access is through Optus ZOO, for more information please visit www.optus.com.au/mobiletv. For more information on 3G Optus coverage areas, visit www.optus.com.au/coverage.
About MTV
MTV Networks Australia & New Zealand is a 24 hour music and entertainment network that operates 3 distinct channel groups: music, kids and comedy.
In Australia, the multi-platform operation comprises MTV, VH1 and TMF (The Music Factory). The network also operates kids’ brands Nickelodeon (also Astra 'Channel of the Year') and Nick Jnr.
MTV Networks Australia is broadcast via Foxtel, AUSTAR (basic) and Optus: MTV - channel 124/VH1 - channel 810/TMF - channel 812 /Nickelodeon - channel 701/ Nick Jnr - channel 703.
In addition to showcasing local and international artists, the network also houses a portfolio of 22 digital brands and is the home of first-run international content including The Hills, The City and Nitro Circus.
MTV is also Australia's leading provider of mobile video content.
In New Zealand, MTV Networks NZ is Sky's biggest external channel provider with a bouquet that includes MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and 21 digital assets.
MTV Networks is the largest television network in the world and a leading creator of content across all platforms. MTV Networks is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA. B)
About David Gale - Executive Vice President of New Media at MTV
David Gale is Executive Vice President of New Media at MTV, overseeing the development and production of interactive projects for the web and other new media platforms. Gale's division has launched a variety of unique properties including a social network and video uploading site for skaters called The CLUSTR, a motion comic series based on the hit comic book Invincible and the blockbuster online release of Jackass 2.5, the first major studio film premiered on the internet. In May 2009 MTV New Media released $5 Cover Memphis, created by Hustle and Flow filmmaker Craig Brewer, which recently won a 2009 OMMA award. $5 Cover is a reality-based story set in the current Memphis music scene. The experience encompasses music performances and user discovery using the most current technology to provide access to the content on all platforms. MTV New Media recently announced $5 Cover Seattle directed by Lynn Shelton (writer/director of the critically-acclaimed Humpday) and Savage County, an original horror film for new media platforms. Gale was previously head of MTV Films, where he oversaw the release of 26 movies including Hustle and Flow, Election, Napoleon Dynamite, The Longest Yard, Murderball, Beavis and Butthead Do America, Jackass: the Movie and Jackass number two.
[1] With 3G (2100MHz) handsets, coverage only available within Optus 3G areas. With Dual Band (2100/900 MHz) handsets, coverage only available within the Dual Band coverage area., see www.optus.com.au/coverage.
[2] Browsing the OPTUS ONE80PROJECT Mobile Site is free for Optus customers. Data charges apply to navigate from OptusZoo to the OPTUS ONE80PROJECT mobile site.