Project Greenlight is a contest and documentary series focusing on amateur filmmaking. Founded by Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Chris Moore through their production company LivePlanet, along with Miramax, Project Greenlight first aired on HBO for two seasons before moving to Bravo for season three. Project Greenlight Australia started receiving contestants in the beginning of 2005, with entries closing on February 14 of that year.

For an explanation of the title, see Greenlight.

Season One

The script contest ran from September 2000 to March 2001. Over 7,000 screenplays were submitted, and Pete Jones was selected as the winner for Stolen Summer, which he then filmed on location in his hometown of Chicago during the summer of 2001. The first season of Project Greenlight, chronicling the selection of Jones's script and the filming of the movie, aired on HBO from late 2001 through early 2002. Stolen Summer premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January of 2002, then went on to a limited theatrical release which brought in just under $120,000.

Season Two

For its second run, the contest was split into two categories: writing and directing. The winners were chosen on January 18, 2003. Erica Beeney won the writing contest for her script The Battle of Shaker Heights, and Kyle Rankin and Efram Potelle won the directing contest. The series aired in the summer of 2003, detailing the production of the film in Los Angeles. The Battle of Shaker Heights opened in limited theatrical release on August 24, 2003, earning just under $280,000 during its box office run.

Season Three

Script submission began and ended during February 2004. After two seasons on HBO, the series has moved to Bravo and season three will air as nine one-hour episodes in early 2005.

Australia

According to the Weekend Australian[1] (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,11849903%255E16947,00.html), Affleck and Damon have "always talked about exporting the concept" of Greenlight to other countries, with England, India and Australia lined up as possible destinations. The foreseen requirements being a "thriving film business and lots of computers". In 2005 Project Greenlight Australia was launched with Pay-TV Movie Network in partnership with Screentime producing the show and offering the AUD $1,000,000 financing to the winning film. The entries are being received online with last entries being accepted by 5pm on February 14.

External links

• Official Project Greenlight Site (http://projectgreenlight.liveplanet.com/index.jsp?nav=home)
• Project Greenlight Australia Site (http://www.projectgreenlightaustralia.tv)
• Screentime anounces Project Grenlight Australia (http://www.screentime.com.au/NewsNov04ProjectGreenlight.html)