Brisbane Writers Festival (BWF) and Screen Queensland will bring together the publishing and Queensland production industries in a special festival event, ‘Books to Box Office’, that could see an author’s work adapted into a film or television programme with the support of a Screen Queensland development package, worth up to $40,000.

“The development package will be awarded to support an adaptation pitched at the event, and includes the option fee for the author, with a $2,000 bonus for a book by a Queensland writer,” said Maureen Barron, CEO of Screen Queensland.

The ‘Books to Box Office’ session will be held as part of the BWF program on Friday 9 September from 3:30pm and will combine information about adapting literary works for film and television, and short, snappy pitches by writers, publishers or agents. A ‘wild card’ segment at the end of the session will allow selected audience members to pitch their own idea.

“The session will be followed by an industry function that brings producers, writers and directors together with publishers and agents to network and start the conversations that can lead to a novel or manuscript being optioned by a Queensland producer,” Ms Barron said.

“One of the largest film productions to be made in Queensland is based on the beloved children’s literary series by CS Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

“Some of Australia’s best-loved film and television programs are also based on literary works, including the recent Academy Award-winning film The King’s Speech and the television mini-series based on Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet.”

“We would like to see the development of literary works from the book to the box office for Australian and international audiences to enjoy, and Queensland’s producing talent has the experience to make these extraordinary films.”

‘Books to Box Office’ has attracted some of the Queensland screen industry’s leading producers, writers and directors as panelists, including:

• Tracey Robertson and Anthony Mullins from Hoodlum Active, currently producing the multiplatform content for the TV-series adaptation Conspiracy 365;
• Mark Overett from New Holland Pictures, currently developing the Keith Bulfin book Undercover into a feature film with Niels Arden Oplev, the Danish director of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo;
• Trish Lake, principal of Freshwater Pictures – a media company that produces film and television and is also a literary agent – is currently executive-producing Nick Earl’s The World of Chickens; and
• Jock Blair from Screen Queensland, who has more than 40 years’ experience as a writer, producer, and script editor on iconic Australian TV shows such as Bluey and The Sullivans, and films including the adaptation of Ruth Park’s Playing Beattie Bow.

 Queensland producers are eligible to apply for the development package, with submissions open for approximately six weeks following the BWF session and networking event. The selected recipients will be announced during the Brisbane International Film Festival (BIFF) from 3 to 13 November 2011.

Details about the session are available in the Brisbane Writers Festival program online (www.brisbanewritersfestival.com.au) and for more information on the special development package, go to the Screen Queensland website (www.screenqueensland.com.au).

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Amy Hurrell
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