Melbourne WebFest, this week, announced the program and official selection for its fourth annual run this July.
The festival will screen 55 web series from around the globe as part of their official selection, hand-picked from a festival record of 230 submissions.
The festival has 23 awards on offer for the 55 nominees, raised from 2015’s 16 possible awards to reflect the rapid growth in digital series entertainment.
In a festival first you’ll also have your own chance to break into this growing market, with creators offered the chance to pitch their idea for an original web series at Pitch Perfect, a fast-paced, interactive pitching competition with a $5000 cash prize. The prize is intended to cover script development and a trip to the Marseille WebFest sponsored by Fox Digital. The event will be hosted by The Bachelor’s Heather Maltman.
As a part of the festival’s Industry Development Day, LaTrobe University will also host a number of master classes and cutting-edge workshops on VR technology, pitching, audience engagement, and directing.
Festival Director, Steinar Ellingsen, noted the growth of the festival and the quality of work the industry continue to produce, praising this year’s Official Selection as the “strongest” and “most diverse” to date.
In addition to the 55 films that make up the Official Selection, the festival will also screen 10 web series through Spotlight on Melbourne, showcasing local talent in the lead up to the official festival program.
The festival’s opening night will kick off on July 1 with a keynote presentation from John Cabrera (Gilmore Girls, H+: The Digital Series) and the premiere of Melbourne WebFest’s own series, Melbourne WebFest Presents: 2046.
Full program details and the Official Selection can be found at www.melbournewebfest.com. Tickets are available now via Eventbrite.
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