Open Channel: Pathways to Industry – follow Jehan Ratnatunga’s pathway from Open Channel to YouTube

Open Channel has for 40 years provided practical skill-sets o help future filmmakers such as secure a career in the screen industry. Open Channel has helped its alumni to secure jobs with YOU TUBE – USA, WORKING DOG and DECEMBER FILMS and attachments on productions including KILLER ELITE, 10TERRORISTS, THE CUP, SMALL TIME GANGSTER, OUTLAND, SANTO SAM & ED’S CUP FEVER, KILLING TIME, and MISS FISHER’S MURDER MYSTERIES. Most recently, we supported Josh Cartensen to gain an Art Department attachment on the new Channel Nine Comedy Series, HOUSE HUSBANDS.

To support pathways to the screen industry, Open Channel’s suite of short courses connects emerging filmmakers and early career practitioners with some of the best industry based tutors such as Gary Wilkins (Ghost Writer, The Pacific, Where the Wild Things Are, Romulus – My Father).

Case Study – Jehan Ratnatunga’s pathway from Open Channel to YOU TUBE CHANNEL USA:

2009 – Jehan wins Open Channel Short and Sharp Pitching
Competition with “Arranged” comedy script
– Represents Open Channel at SPAA Conference (Screen
Producers Association of Australia) pitching competition,
and is Runner Up

2010 – Completes Open Channel Comedy Writing Course with Tim
Ferguson
– Finalist, Movie Extra WebFest competition
– Joins Content Strategy Division, Foxtel

2011 – “Arranged” receives script development from Film Victoria
– “Arranged” pitch wins Open Channel’s Short and Sharp Pro
competition
– Represents Open Channel at Screen Development Network
and Motion Picture Association Asia Pacific (supported by
Screen Australia) National Pitching Competition
WINS National Competition and WINS trip to Beijing
to represent Australia
– Offered position in new Film and TV Division, YOU TUBE USA
and has re-located to Los Angeles

Open Channel has been an irreplaceable part of my pathway into the screen industry. I started out with plenty of creative ideas, but little knowledge of how to get them off the ground – and that’s where Open Channel came in.  Open Channel gave me three things I really needed: Qualifications, Exposure, and Experience. The magic of Open Channel is that it is able to bridge the gap between new people like myself and veterans of the film industry.
Jehan Ratnatunga, writer – Arranged
Open Channel Alumni
YOU TUBE CHANNEL USA Executive