The Victorian Government and the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) have awarded the winners of the annual Split Second film competition. Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne today announced Melbourne-based Stacey Park and Shane Senanayake were this year’s winners, impressing the judging panel with their innovative and impactful storytelling.

The competition invited Victorian creatives aged 18 to 30 to submit their attention-grabbing concepts for road safety aimed at young drivers.

Each winner received a $5,000 cash prize and a production budget of $45,000 to focus on low-level speeding or not wearing a seatbelt.

Stacey’s short film ‘Keep the Tempo’, uses the precision and rhythm of Korean drumming as a powerful metaphor for road safety, creatively visualising how even a slight increase in speed can throw everything off balance.

Shane’s film uses humour in ‘Unusual Behaviours’, to highlight the flawed logic behind not wearing a seatbelt – comparing it to growing up in a town where no one wears pants – to remind viewers of the importance of seatbelts and that wearing them should never be optional.

Both winners will receive mentorship from The Taboo Group and Truce Films to develop their scripts for screening in February 2025.

Melissa Horne, Minister for roads and road safety said, “This film competition is a great way to shape road safety messages for young Victorians that speak directly to what matters most to them. These initiatives are vital in encouraging good driver behaviour to make our roads safer for everyone.”

CEO of transport accident commission, Tracey slatter said, “We believe young Victorians will feel the impact of Stacey and Shane’s innovative thinking. By sparking conversations and shifting mindsets, their creativity will help drive positive change in road safety.”

“I’m beyond excited, I entered this competition just because I love creative problem-solving, never expecting to actually win. To now be working on an ad of this scale, with such an important purpose, feels like the opportunity of a lifetime,” said competition winner, Shane Senanayake.

“I’m incredibly proud to have won the TAC Split Second competition. It offers a unique opportunity to apply my creativity and cultural perspective to shape public safety messaging that genuinely resonates with young people” said competition winner, Stacey Park.

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