[press release from Film Victoria]
Film Victoria has confirmed over $1.7 million in production investment for seven new television projects and also financed development for 10 fiction feature and television projects at its latest Board meeting.
The Board confirmed production investment support for two adult drama and two children’s television series. The dog everyone loves will make his return in the second series of WILFRED. Renegade Films Australia Executive Producer Joe Connor, Producer Jenny Livingstone, Director Tony Rogers and Writer’s Adam Zwar and Jason Gann will team up to continue the story of Sarah, Adam and the dog who thinks he’s human – Wilfred – as they continue their dysfunctional love triangle.
Southern Star Entertainment Pty Ltd was supported to shoot the second series of the highly-acclaimed programme RUSH. Producers John Edwards and Mimi Butler will re-acquaint audiences with the team from the Tactical Response Police squad as they get to the crisis first and resolve the problem without the loss of life.
Burberry Productions Pty Ltd was supported to create DEAD GORGEOUS, a comical adventure C classification children’s drama that follows three beautiful, strong willed, ghostly teenage sisters. The 13 part series is a co-production with the UK’s Coolabi Productions Ltd, and is written by Sam Carroll, Neil Mossey, Richard Preddy and Barbara Slade, and produced by Ewan Burnett, Julian Scott and Barbara Slade.
The Board also confirmed finance for Moody Street Kids Pty Ltd 52 part children’s animated series about FLEABAG; the puppy from the local pound who together with Itchy the flea, sets off on an adventure searching for a place to call home. Gillian Carr will produce the series, which has been written by Ray Bosely, Tania Lacey and Chris Anastassiades.
When announcing the funding decisions, Film Victoria CEO, Sandra Sdraulig, commented, “With three months of the financial year left, Film Victoria has already supported 18 TV productions, the same number of TV productions for the entire previous financial year. This is indicative of a positive trend toward television programme development”
Also supported were three single episode television documentaries.
WESTALL 1966: A SUBURBAN UFO MYSTERY will follow the tenacious amateur sleuth and academic as he tries to answer a forty-two year old UFO mystery. Carmel McAloon of Endagered Pictures will produce the project, and Rosie Jones will write and direct.
Arcimedia Pty Ltd Producers John Lewis and Dennis K Smith team up with Writer/Director Jeff Daniels to film THE 10 CONDITIONS OF LOVE, a love story that follows a human rights campaigner from China and the repercussions of her actions against her family.
The potential secret of youth found inside a murky Tasmanian pond will come to the screen in IMMORTAL. Writer/ Director Sonya Pemberton and Producer Tony Wright will explore the discovery of a critical age-defying ingredient by an Australian molecular scientist.
“Audiences are tuning into well-crafted television programmes both across public and commercial broadcasters and it’s exciting to see this fuelling a high demand in investment for television development,” commented Ms Sdraulg. “With such a sustained level of interest from producers to create engaging television, we are delighted to provide the finance to see these projects made in Victoria and making their way onto our screens.”
Along with the production investment decisions, the Film Victoria Board also announced the funding decisions for script development. This is the first round of funding decisions since the new script initiative was announced in February. Film Victoria will finance seven features and three new television series at varying stages of development.
Sandra Sciberras was supported to develop a treatment for the feature project, THE DIG with Producer Kate Whitbread.
Concept documents will be developed by three writing teams:
• Joss King (Writer), Gareth Calverley (Writer and Producer) and Andrew McInally (Producer) for THE ADVENTURES OF TOM FINN
• Hai Ha Le and Duyen Ho (Writers) and Richard Lowenstein, Lynn-Maree Milburn and Andrew De Groot (Producers) for KOOKS and
• May Yeung (Writer) and Melanie Brunt (Producer) for M.I.K.E
Two teams were funded to develop their treatments to first draft stage:
• Sophie Edelstein and (Writer), and Lizzette Atkins (Producer) for BON SCOTT
• Andrew Anastasios (Writer) and Andrew Knight (Writer and Producer) for THE WATER DIVINER
Funding was also provided to four teams to continue next drafts of their projects
• Belinda Bradley & Franz Docherty (Writers) and Jim Shomos (Producer) for THUNDER
• Cam Eason (Writer) for A KIDNAPPING
• Stuart Page (Writer) and Roslyn Walker (Producer) for BLACK SWAN, and
• Rhys Graham (Writer) and Philippa Campey (Producer) for THE WARMTH.