TIM PYE TO SPEAK AT SIRENS MASTERCLASS, MAY 9 IN MELBOURNE

Top Australian television and radio writer and producer, Tim Pye (pictured) will speak at the Sirens Masterclass, a creative writing seminar for radio, in Melbourne on May 9. Pye’s television writing and producing credits include TV’s comedy hit, Stupid Stupid Man as well as Emerald Falls, All Saints, Seachange, Water Rats and Wildside.

Pye has won several awards including an AFI for Wildside and the Henry Lawson Award for Fallen Angels. He has worked in both television and radio and is president of the Australian Writers Guild (AWG).

He joins other speakers at the event, Australian screen writers, Jan Sardi and Craig Pearce.  Sardi received an Academy Award nomination in 1997 for his screenplay for ‘Shine’ and is known more recently for his work on the screenplay for the US film, ‘The Notebook’.

Pearce is best-known for his work with Baz Luhrmann on ‘Strictly Ballroom’, ‘William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet’ and Academy Award winning, ‘Moulin Rouge’.

Cannes Radio Lions judge from last year and creator of the award-winning Australian radio brand campaign, Ralph van Dijk of Eardrum Australia, will also talk at the Masterclass and run several interactive sessions on how to write world-class radio ads.  

This year’s Sirens Masterclass follows the announcement of the Gold Siren winner – the best radio ad in Australia over the past twelve months. The breakfast announcement will be hosted by Nova’s top-rating, drivetime show, ‘The Wrong Way Home’ – Akmal Saleh, Cal Wilson and Ed Kavalee.

Both the Sirens breakfast and Masterclass will be held at The Point Albert Park in Melbourne. Commercial Radio Australia is running the events in association with the MADC and the AWG. The breakfast will run from 7.30am to 9.30am and the Masterclass will follow the breakfast and includes lunch. Tickets are on sale now at $395 for the breakfast and Masterclass combined and $65 for breakfast only. For a booking form and more information visit the Sirens website

Chief executive officer of Commercial Radio Australia, Joan Warner said the Siren Awards provided a great opportunity to recognise excellence in Australian radio advertising and highlight the great work being achieved.

The 2008 Sirens winner, chosen by a panel of industry experts, will be automatically entered into the Cannes Radio Lions – to be held in June and its writer will also win two tickets to attend the festival.