The Split Second Competition was first created by TABOO and Transport Accident Commission (TAC) in 2018 and has since had over 800 film concepts submitted by young Victorians. Running for its 5th consecutive year, this competition is a call to Victoria-based storytellers aged 18 to 25 to use their creativity to save lives on our roads, with production partner, The Sweetshop, for the second year in a row.
This year’s winner was Sati Öcal with her comedic short film, Gadgets, which was nominated from over 160 concepts. The 22-year-old from Broadmeadows received a $5,000 cash prize and $70,000 production budget to bring her creative concept to life with TABOO and The Sweetshop. Following its premiere at ACMI last night, the film will be aired in cinemas across the state between October and November 2023.
This year’s runner-up, Amon Mether, will have his film, Get Checked, promoted across TAC social media channels.
This year marked an evolution in the competition by opening two road safety briefs to choose from, aligning to TAC’s key road safety priorities: drowsy driving and vehicle safety.
TABOO managing director, James Mackinnon, commented, “Young drivers are the most at-risk cohort on our roads – but they’re also a cohort that has the passion and desire to change the world for the better. Through Split Second, TAC has created a way to make young drivers part of the solution– not just the problem. We’re incredibly proud of what Sati and Amon have achieved this year and we look forward to the impact they’re films will have on their peers.”
As production partner for the competition, The Sweetshop is there every step of the way to guide the winners through the process of making their winning films. Aiming to nurture and support growing talent is an essential part of The Sweetshop’s ethos, so being able to do this while conveying important messages to at-risk audiences seems like a no-brainer.
Edward Pontifex, co-managing director at The Sweetshop Australia, said, “Having been involved with TAC Split Second for the second year, our philosophy was the same; to provide an environment for the winners, where they feel empowered to execute their concept knowing that they have an experienced team who can support and educate them. We attempt to give them the most realistic experience of what is involved when pulling a shoot together and their responsibilities.”
Sati Öcal commented, “The Split Second Competition has been an incredible introduction to the professional film industry. A highlight was being on a proper film set for the first time with professional crew and actors. I’m so used to having friends and family on set when making my low-budget student films. So it was pretty surreal to be a part of the real deal as the director. It
was unreal and I highly encourage other young aspiring filmmakers to apply for this unique opportunity.”
Amon Mether, 2023’s Content winner, added, “Working on Get Checked allowed me to apply the knowledge I had gained at university to a real-world scenario. I expected my role to be tokenistic, but I found the opposite to be true. My opinions were respected and challenged. I never felt like I could fail because I had exceptional people around me.”
For TAC’s mission, The Split Second Competition is an opportunity for young storytellers to make a difference in road safety. By sharing their unique perspectives and creativity, they contribute to a safer future on our roads.
