Flinders PhD Alex Vickery-Howe has been selected as the winner of the Australian Writers’ Guild 2016 What’s the Story? screenwriting competition for South Australian writers.
Alex was awarded the top prize for his feature film script Stupid Dead Boy, a dark comedy about three high school friends who plot to drug and humiliate an unfaithful boyfriend, only to discover his dead body instead.
The competition, which was open to South Australian writers, sought scripts that showcased a great and universal story as well as excellence in craft and skill.
Jim Carroll was awarded highly commended by the judges for his script The Moth Myth, while ten other projects were longlisted.
Alex reflected on the opportunities available to emerging writers, saying: “A frequent complaint among emerging writers for both stage and screen is that we often find ourselves drafting and redrafting scripts, or jumping through hoops, with no production outcome at the end of it.
“For writers to really learn and develop, we need direct engagement with the marketplace. We need to see our work performed.”
Professor Diana Glenn, Dean of the School of Humanities and Creative Arts, said Alex had enjoyed success last year with the publication of his play Out of the Ordinary, which was his first publication after the completion of his PhD in Drama at Flinders.
“The play was also performed at the Bakehouse Theatre with the collaborative help of Flinders Drama Centre and Drama Workshop graduates,” she said.
“Alex’s continuing success, as evidenced by winning this prestigious award from the Australian Writers’ Guild, is a testimony to his prodigious talent and is exemplary of the ethos of the performing arts at Flinders, which seeks to motivate students to be receptive and resourceful creators who are able to generate new creative projects.”
As part of their prize, the pair will be funded by the South Australian Film Corporation to attend the AWG Pathways Big Day In event in March, an opportunity for screenwriters, producers and broadcasters to discuss content trends and the changing landscape of screen development and production in Australia.
They will also be invited to join AWG’s prestigious Pathways Program, where their projects will be showcased to industry professionals and be in consideration for Scripted Ink. development funding.
For more information on the projects or the Pathways Program, please visit the AWG website here.
Check out Alex’s website here: http://www.alexvickeryhowe.com/