Six writers have been successfully selected to work on a new television drama series as part of the Crosswires television initiative, a collaboration between the Queensland Government's Pacific Film and Television Commission (PFTC) and New Holland Pictures.

The fictional series delves into the mystery surrounding a fatal bomb blast at a university and was created to provide career opportunities for emerging Queensland writers.

PFTC Head of Production Henry Tefay says initiatives such as this are important in assisting filmmakers to gain experience and establish a track record.

"The Crosswires television initiative is a great opportunity for Queensland writers to work alongside experienced film industry professionals and write quality television drama scripts that will earn them valuable screen credits," he said.

Writers with at least one short drama credit were asked to apply in September this year and six were chosen to take part in the initiative.

The writers are now working with New Holland Pictures and acclaimed screenwriter Keith Thompson (Police Rescue, Halifax FP) who will act as script editor on the series.

Executive Producer Mark Overett says he is delighted with the group of writers selected to work on the project.

"We are really pleased with the talent that has been sourced through the Crosswires initiative," he said.

"The writers come from a range of professional backgrounds and they all have a real passion for screenwriting. It's so important to have that commitment from people when working on a project like this."

The writers include:

Rebecca McElroy: With extensive experience in locations and production management, Rebecca has been working in the industry for a number of years. Her short film Dogweed was recently selected to screen at the St. Kilda Film Festival.

David Fellows: David has a passion for screenwriting and a commitment to the industry. He has written over 10 short film, feature and documentary projects, and has undertaken training at both QPIX and the AFTRS.

Stephen Irwin: Stephen is an accomplished screenwriter who has had three short films produced and has directed two of his own screenplays. He has also written a number of documentaries for SBS as well as promotional and training videos.

Sarah Neal: Sarah has a Master of Arts in Creative Writing and Screenwriting from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). She has also written, directed and produced six short films and has worked as a casting director on a number of Australian feature films.

Stephen Martin: Stephen graduated with a Bachelor of Creative Industries from QUT and comes from a stage writing background. In 2004 his short film The Moment After won Best Short under 10 minutes at the Malibu International Film Festival and screened at the St. Louis International Film Festival.

http://www.pftc.com.au/pftc/news/view_news.asp?news_id=631