Six emerging Australian screenwriters have been named to be part of the script department for the long-awaited first version outside of the United States of the global-hit series NCIS, Screen Australia announced recently.
Clare Sladden, Josh Sambono, Ella Cook, James Cripps, Rachael Alford and Siobhan Domingo (photo: Daniel Asher Smith)
Following two months of evaluating the applications, officials and organizers of the initiative welcomed the successful participants and expressed confidence that through the Script Department Program, which is a collaboration among Screen Australia, Paramount Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), CBS Studios, Endemol Shine Australia, and the Australian Writers’ Guild, the chosen screenwriters can further grow their craft towards building successful careers in the industry.
Selected to work on the first season of NCIS: Sydney under the script program are:
- Rachael Alford, a writer and actor from Melbourne, Australia, who has performed in many live shows across the country and has steadily built her screenwriting portfolio with work on shows like Neighbours while also developing her own projects.
- Ella Cook, a screenwriter, script editor and producer for both film and stage, backed by a background in Drama Development. In 2021, she premiered her short film The Exit Plan, at festivals in Sydney and abroad, garnering rave reviews and awards.
- James Cripps, a screenwriter and script editor, who was involved in many shows, including those for Netflix (Pine Gap) and Nine Network (Underbelly Files: Chopper and Informer 3838). He also developed his series High Rotation with support from Screen Australia.
- Siobhan Domingo, a screenwriter and director whose works have been screened both locally and abroad. This year, she got to take part in the Impact Australia development program to develop one of their original series The Almost Insufferable Burden of being a Talented Woman.
- Josh Sambono, a Jingili man who has been steadily making his mark as an action and horror writer. He has written a number of short films that have been screened at festivals in different parts of the world, displaying passion for genre storytelling with indigenous characters.
- Clare Sladden, a Brisbane-based screenwriter and director who has found success in the festival circuit and online with quality short films. She was also named on Inside Film Magazine’s 2022 ‘Rising Talent’ list.
The placed screenwriters are to be exposed to the different aspects of the script department and development process during the 10-week full-time paid program. They, too, get to work with veteran script coordinators, writers, editors and other creatives on NCIS: Sydney, who can provide added perspective and inspiration as they continue to grow in their line of work.
“We were blown away by the volume of applications for this initiative, showcasing the breadth of screenwriting talent we have around the country and a testament to the NCIS global brand,” said Screen Australia Head of Content Grainne Brunsdon. “A huge congratulations to the successful participants.”
For his part, Endemol Shine Australia Chief Executive Officer Peter Newman highlighted the important contribution that the chosen screenwriters will have in developing the script of the show.
“Working alongside established screenwriters, the six recipients will contribute to the scripting process therefore adding their creativity and storytelling talent to the Australian iteration of this iconic franchise,” said Newman, whose group is producing NCIS: Sydney in association with CBS Studios.
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