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Doritos has recruited award-winning Australian film maker Elissa Down (pictured) to lead the judging panel in a competition to create the next Doritos television commercial. The You Make It, We Play It competition will give young Australian film makers the opportunity to show the industry just what they can do.
Speaking with Australian Women Online, Elissa Down said she got her start in a similar competition to the one currently being run by Doritos. “There was a competition in Perth to make ten 15 second openers for the Lotto draw and I won that competition, and that was the very first thing I did in the industry,” she said.
After making several short films, Elissa Down co-wrote and directed the 2008 feature film The Black Balloon which stars Toni Collette, Rhys Wakefield, Erik Thomson, Luke Ford and Gemma Ward.
Down told Australian Women Online The Black Balloon was inspired by her own life. “I have three brothers, two of which have autism. So that’s where a lot of the material [for the film] came from.”
Reflecting on the year since her first feature film’s release, Down said, “Last year was like a roller coaster – there was a lot of traveling internationally and interstate. It was just a blur at times because there is so much that goes into the marketing and publicity of a film – and so many people took this film into their hearts and wanted to know more.”
Down’s next project will be a US film she calls Savage Garden. “When I get back to the States I’ll be writing the next draft of the screen play and getting ready to hopefully shoot some time in the future.”
To those who are thinking about entering the You Make It, We Play It competition, Elissa Down has this advice: “If you’re thinking about it, then definitely do it – the industry is made up of people who just do it.”
“If you’re interested in being in the film industry or the ad industry – get an idea, get a camera, get a bag of Doritos, get your mates and make something. You don’t have to have a lot of money. Just come up with an idea you can tell in 20 seconds and you never know who’s going to be picked.”
In addition to their advertisement being played on national television, the winner of the Doritos You Make It, We Play It competition will also receive $20,000 prize money.
The competition is now open for entries until 3 May 2009, with the finalists announced the next day. The Australian public will then have two weeks to vote for their favourite shortlisted ad, with the overall winner announced on 16 May 2009.
For all the Doritos You Make It, We Play It competition details including helpful tips for budding film makers, visit www.doritos.com.au.