You have to feel proud if your campaign has a long life. Taboo’s Split Second film competition for Victoria’s Transport Accident Commission (TAC) is back for its third consecutive year. The idea was conceived by Taboo for the TAC in 2018. The film competition calls on budding young filmmakers aged 18 to 25 to develop their own 45-second film idea highlighting mobile phone related driver distraction.

This year’s new plot twist comes in the form of two new cast members – Village Cinemas, which is partnering with the TAC to feature the winning film during summer blockbuster screenings across Victoria, and Australian actor and Logie winner, Firass Dirani. Dirani, who is known for his roles in Underbelly: The Golden Mile and House Husbands, has come on board to support the campaign by featuring in the winner’s film, with competition entrants required to write Dirani into their script.

Taboo executive creative director, Nick Jamieson, says, “Each year, we look at how we can make the competition bigger, better and more exciting for entrants. So, we’re incredibly excited for 2020 with our new partners, Village Cinemas, and the addition of Logie-winning actor, Firass Dirani, who’ll be starring in the winning film.”

Over the past two years, more than 220 film ideas have been submitted for the Split Second film competition, with young filmmakers inspired to champion road safety through their art.

In 2018, 21 year-old film student Callum Borthwick won the competition with his film Gates of Heaven, which screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival to thousands of film aficionados.

Alyssa De Leo achieved career success after winning in 2019 with her film, The Afterlife Bar, depicting well-known historical figures who were taken before their time. De Leo secured an internship with Taboo and won the film category at MADC Stars Creative Showcase.

This year’s winner will face a panel of judges from the TAC and Victorian film and advertising industry heavyweights and the winning filmmaker will receive $5,000 prize money and a $50,000 production budget to make their film, with the help of Dirani and Airbag.

Competition entries are now open, calling for submissions from this week onwards via social media, supported by PR and influencer engagement driven by Alt/Shift.

The Split Second competition will close on Wednesday, September 23, with the winning entry announced on Thursday,  October 15. Eligible Victorians can enter here.

Credits

Creative Agency: Taboo 

Executive Creative Director: Nick Jamieson

Art Directors: Max Kennedy & Steph Kitchin

Designers: Dane Falkström & Tristan Goddard

Copywriter: Claudia Sarosiek

Agency Producer: Christina Meunier

Senior Strategist: Tatum Ambler

Account Director: Suzi Williamson

Account Manager: Lily Anderson

Public Relations: Alt/Shift

Client: Transport Accident Commission