Sunny Coast Showdown winners ‘shocked’ and ‘blown away'

A Sunshine Coast film and TV competition that uncovers the region’s best up-and-coming screenwriters and producers has announced its 2023 winners.

Each winner receives mentoring, support and funding to elevate their projects, produce them locally, and deliver the final product at the Sunny Coast Showdown showcase festival on June 24.

The Sunny Coast Showdown also gives locals the opportunity to showcase their talents nationally and globally, with the potential to kickstart a career in the screen industry.

Winner of one of two scripted categories, Ryan Butler, a video editor and director from Beerwah, hopes the accolade will help him return to an industry he loves.

“I’m shaking, I’m blown away,” Mr Butler said.

“I took a pause from making film to have a family and this year was all about getting back into it.”

The Showdown received about 90 high quality submissions from local writers in scripted, unscripted, music video and Indigenous categories, with organisers stunned at the amount of talent the event has uncovered.

Learning and development professional, Adam Szubrich, moved to Mooloolaba during Covid and was ‘in shock’ after winning the second scripted category with his screenplay, Slow Dating.

“I did not expect to make a professional film on the coast,” he said.

“I thought moving here was potentially limiting or destroying my writing career. This is bloody amazing.”

Former federal cop from Bokarina, Stephen Walker, is the committee’s choice winner and said he was overjoyed his comedy script, Stripper Trade Off, was chosen. He said the Showdown proves there’s a bright future for a local screen industry.

“I’m continually overwhelmed by the industry talent situated here,” he said.

“We have the will here, the talent here, the heart – it’s only a matter of time before that’s followed by investment and bigger productions.”

Creative technologist, Jessie Hughes, won the Powderfinger Music Video category and said she would love to help grow the industry on the Sunshine Coast.

“We live in the most beautiful place. To have a dream lifestyle and the dream job at the Coast - that’s the dream,” she said.

Sunny Coast Showdown Winners

Scripted

1. ‘Bin Day’ by Ryan Butler (Beerwah) A pacifist woman and her lazy husband must work together to rid their home of an unwanted, undead pest during the apocalypse.

2. ‘Slow Dating’ by Adam Szubrich (Mooloolaba) When an elderly lady tries speed dating it leads to a night with a charming stranger and a heartbreaking revelation.

Committee’s Choice

3. ‘Stripper Trade Off’ by Stephen Walker (Bokarina) A stripper and a tradie walk into a club... going about their respective businesses... just for the wrong clients.

Powderfinger Music Video treatment

4. ‘Rockin’ Rocks’ by Jessie Hughes (Shelly Beach) An adrenaline-fuelled pirate pursuit for fools’ gold to rock music.

Indigenous Project

5. ‘Tia Pitman documentary’ by Jakob Lydford (Yaroomba) Local indigenous girl Tia Pitman’s life and story as an Indigenous roller-skater, navigating the male dominated skatepark, finding creative freedom and self-expression in a gorgeous way.

Unscripted

6. ‘My Dream Hideout’ by Anita Poteri (Kin Kin) My Dream Hideout is a family show featuring a team of experts who will visit a selected family/person and transform their secret hideout idea to reality.

7. ‘A-Wake’ by Catherine Mack (Sunshine Beach) An epic journey of the soul. How Abi Wake found her roots on the Sunshine Coast, and within herself. Moving from trauma to freedom through dance.

The Sunny Coast Showdown is proudly sponsored by Sunshine Coast Council.