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Create your project on the Sunny Coast
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What is ShowdownMAX?

presented by Bendigo Bank Community Bank COOROY,MARCOOLA TEWANTIN-NOOSA

ShowdownMAX is a revolutionary evolution of the not-for-profit Sunny Coast Showdown, a program developed to help propel the Sunshine Coast into a major Australian screen hub. ShowdownMAX focuses all its resources — up to $250,000 — on finding,developing, and producing a single project with significant commercial potential. 

From all submissions four projects will be shortlisted and move to the paid development round, where they will each receive $10,000 of professional, hands-on input from some of Australia's leading content creators. Once development is complete, applicants will pitch their project to the final judges, and the winning project will receive over $200,000 in production funding and support.

Key Objectives:

To produce content that drives our local industry employs our local crews, uses our regional locations, and brings opportunity and income to Sunshine Coast residents and businesses.

Showdown MAX is particularly, but not exclusively, interested in pilots of serialised, repeatable, returnable content for networks and streamers. These pilots would then form part of a compelling pitch for the sale of a complete series. Also of interest are complete short-form web series for online platforms such as YouTube.

Thinking scripted? The next Home and Away? A domestic and international powerhouse. The Office? So good it was reproduced in multiple territories. Or maybe Midnight Diner? A quirky Japanese series that found a cult following on Netflix.

Unscripted? – You might have the next great, noisy ob-doc like Real Housewives, a factual format like Love on the Spectrum, a simple but revolutionary gameshow like Taskmaster, a quiz show like Hardquiz, a talk show with a twist or even the next Survivor?

ShowdownMAX is also open to receiving submissions for feature-length projects and limited series if you have a compelling commercial model that can fit into the tight pre-production-post timeline and budget.

About Showdown

Find out more about the film incubator here.

Sponsors

2025

FAQ's

What funding is available?

How much is entry?

Who can enter?

Who judges the winners?

What tips do you have?

What do you mean by Commercial potential?

Is brand funded/co-funded content allowed?

Can the project be based on existing IP?

Is the timeline flexible?

If my project wins, what role will I play?

Can I get help with my pitch?

Who owns my project if it wins?

What if I want to make a short film?

Can I be a sponsor or patron?

Where can I see Rules, T&C's?

What should I do if I have concerns or feedback about ShowdownMAX?

* See rules and conditions for further info

Contest Timeline

April 7 – Information night
April 14 - 25 - Submissions open
May 9 – Final 4 announced - $10,000 development
May 12 - 30 - Development
June 9 - Winner announced
June 9 – July 4 - Pre production
July 7 – July 18 – Shoot
July 21 - September 27 – Post Production
September 30 – Final Delivery

Acknowledgement

The Sunny Coast Showdown organisers acknowledge the traditional custodians and Elders past, present and emerging, of the Kabi Kabi peoples and the Jinibara peoples on which we work and live. We further acknowledge, thank and pay our respects to the traditional custodians of the multitude of Indigenous Nations across Australia upon where our concerts and events take place. Always was, always will be. Showdown proudly supports diversity and inclusion