VCA alumni chosen for the coveted Impact Australia screenwriting program

Impact Australia was launched this week at the University of Melbourne’s Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). The Faculty of Fine Arts and Music was delighted to learn that three of our alumni Dannika Horvat, Jordan Prosser and Elias Jamieson Brown were among those chosen to participate in the prestigious program.

VCA alumni Dannika Horvat (Master of Screenwriting, 2016), Jordan Prosser (Bachelor of Film and TV, 2010, Bachelor of Film and TV (Hons), 2013) and Elias Jamieson Brown (Master of Writing for Performance, 2017) are among nine Australian ‘Creators’ selected for the coveted Impact Australia program, which aims to discover, cultivate, and empower Australian screenwriters.

Chosen from a highly competitive field of applicants, these talented screenwriters will convene at the Victorian College of the Arts’ Southbank campus for an intensive 8-week program delivered by Impact and Gentle Giant Media Group.

Participants will be mentored by industry-leading screenwriters from around the world. Each mentor, also known as a ‘Shaper’, will help participants craft their projects and prepare them for a Pitch Day with the goal of selling their project to the global market.

This year’s world-class ‘Shapers’ will include Shaun Grant (Nitram, Snowtown), Kai Yu Wu (The Flash, Paper Girls), Sarah Lambert (Lambs of God, Love Child), Stuart Beattie (Obi-Wan Kenobi, I Frankenstein), Hunter Covington (Community, Black AF), and Stacy Traub (Black-Ish, Glee).

Impact Australia is supported by Screen Australia, in partnership with VicScreen, Screen NSW, Screen Queensland and Screen Canberra. The University of Melbourne is proud to be the Education Partner for the program, enabling VCA Film and Television students exclusive behind-the-scenes access, opportunities to attend development intensives and workshops, and meet one-on-one to discuss the program and the film industry.

Acting Head of VCA Film and TV, Siobhan Jackson said: “All of us here at the VCA are absolutely thrilled that Dannika, Jordan and Elias have been selected for the program.

"Impact is such a successful story development incubator and has an unequaled talent for recognising and nurturing the best - these three alumni won’t disappoint. Their selection is testament to the quality of the graduates produced here at the VCA and the industry readiness of our talented students. I can’t wait to see what they do next.”

The first two years of the Impact program resulted in tremendous success. The majority of the 19 projects developed in the 2020 and 2021 programs have attached producers, and almost all the 23 alumni writers have signed with representation or have gone on to have success after their participation in the program.

Impact CEO, Tyler Mitchell said: "The success of Impact alumni has been phenomenal to watch. With 8 movies produced, a Best Foreign Film Oscar candidate, 48 projects set up at major studios and networks, and the series Firebite on AMC+, which was co-created by Impact Australia's Brendan Fletcher - it's just been incredible to see these writers' careers take off.

“We can't wait to see the exciting material that emerges from this talented group of Creators and look forward to bringing this next wave of Australian creative talent and their projects to the global stage in January 2023."