Welcome. As with everything—except plastic in our oceans—nothing lasts forever and on 8 November 2016, the last in a trilogy of Good Pitch² Australia events that began in 2014, was held at the Sydney Opera House.

What it’s all about

The three events in total raised more than $14 million—all philanthropic funding for nineteen documentary films and their social impact campaigns.  It’s an incredible result and not the whole story. The money given is important because without it, the scope of what can be achieved is impossible but as it’s about social change, it’s not only about the money.

Good Pitch² Australia is a modern marriage of filmmaking and a non-partisan coming together of people under the aegis of philanthropy who are motivated to do something about an issue that makes their hearts beat faster.

In the room, on the day, it’s like that: you can almost hear the thump in the cage. I’d be lying if I didn’t say it’s a great show but there’s a lot more at stake because it’s about people ambitious for a better world. Pulling off a Good Pitch event is the opposite of fighting a war (producing films can be like that)—and more like a significant diplomatic coup d’état. That said, military precision and strategic alliances are required but persuasion of the non-violent kind wins.

Outrage is exhausting and feeling powerless sucks. Where to start? Documentary films, a narrative form long recognized as a powerful tool in personally connecting audiences to complex issues and experiences, are used to raise awareness, get people talking, focus attention on a specific issue, and together with social impact campaigns, influence social attitudes, and in some cases, policy. And then there’s all the professionals, from a diversity of fields, who work with these issues in their daily working lives and come together to give their knowledge, expertise and support to the films and filmmakers.

Why a blog?

Because it made sense to document and write about the filmmakers as well as the individuals and organisations that have contributed (time, expertise, ideas and/or finance) to the films supported by this unique model. We don’t cover every film and social action campaign but we open a door on the process and how it all fits together. When I attended the first Good Pitch in 2014, I had no idea what an ‘impact producer’ is and unless you’re one of them or work in the arena of social impact, I doubt you do either. (It’s hard not to notice that most of them are women).

There’ll be interviews with filmmakers, social impact producers, senior advisers and collaborators, opinion pieces, short videos, stories about fascinating people and times.  This blog is also designed to be a resource—there’s a lot of knowledge here, generously shared by the Good Pitch² Australia team, the filmmakers, and professionals involved in supporting the films and impact campaigns.

In the spirit of the Good Pitch model as it was originally designed: read, learn, get inspired, rip off and keep up the good fight.

How it works:

Under Categories, you will find: Close Up: chat which is interviews (in-depth and not sound-bitey); Wide Shot: opinion and long form pieces about the films or related issues or individuals; Short Cuts: favorite films, curious facts, and small gems that are integral parts of the whole; Guest Blogger: who’s writing the words and editor for content.

Subscribe, and every time we post – you’ll receive an email.

Note: This blog won’t cover what is already on the sites for Good Pitch or Good Pitch² Australia or the individual films—you can go there yourself. The same goes for the hosts: Shark Island Institute and Documentary Australia Foundation (DAF); the community partners: Philanthropy Australia, Pro Bono Australia and partners: Britdoc, the Ford Foundation and the Sundance Institute—without all of whom, Good Pitch² Australia wouldn’t happen.

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