Screen Australia has invested $5.6 million across four TV projects, including a comedy series for Nine, an ABC telemovie and two shows for Network Ten.
Nine's House Husbands tells the story of four modern Australian families through the eyes of stay at home dads. The ten-part series is produced by Sue Seeary and Drew Proffitt and will be directed by Geoff Bennett and Shirley Barrett. The show's stable of seven writers includes Griff the Invisible screenwriter Leon Ford.
After being commissioned by the ABC last October, Essential Media & Entertainment's adaptation of Peter Temple's novel The Broken Shore has also received funding. The adaptation is written by Andrew Knight, directed by Jeffrey Walker and produced by Ian Collie. It follows big-city detective Joe Cashin as he discovers that all may not be as it appears in a quiet coastal town.
FremantleMedia is producing Mr & Mrs Murder for Ten. The 13-part series will star Shaun Micallef and Kat Stewart as a married couple that combine a cleaning business with solving crimes that cops can't. Andy Walker and Jason Stephens are producing and the writers' room will include Marieke Hardy, Glen Dolman and Doug MacLeod.
Ten also received financing for a 26-part children's animation series. Get Ace from production company Galaxy Pop follows the adventures of an ordinary school kid whose life changes dramatically after his teeth are accidentally fitted with a set of top-secret, high-tech braces.
According to chief executive Ruth Harley, Screen Australia has invested in 116 hours of adult and children's television drama this financial year.
This latest funding round is expected to generate more than $32 million in production.
TELEVISION DRAMA
THE BROKEN SHORE
Essential Media & Entertainment
Producer Ian Collie
Writer Andrew Knight
Director Jeffrey Walker
International Sales eOne, Hopscotch
Australian Broadcaster ABC
Synopsis Soon after big-city detective Joe Cashin is posted to a quiet town on the Australian coast the whole community is thrown into unrest by the murder of a local philanthropist, a man with some very disturbing secrets.
HOUSE HUSBANDS
Playmaker Media
Producers Sue Seeary, Drew Proffitt
Executive Producers David Taylor, David Maher
Writers Ellie Beaumont, Michael Miller, Blake Ayshford, Drew Proffitt, Christine Bartlett, Leon Ford, Matt Ford
Directors Geoff Bennett, Shirley Barrett
International Sales Nine Network
Australian Broadcaster Nine Network
Synopsis House Husbands is a comedy drama about four modern families with one thing in common – the men are in charge of raising the kids. A warm, funny and real look at the way we live today, House Husbands proves that just because you have kids doesn’t mean you stop acting like one.
MR & MRS MURDER
FremantleMedia Australia Pty Ltd in association with Bravado Productions
Producers Andy Walker, Jason Stephens
Executive Producer Jason Stephens
Writers John Banas, Jonathan Gavin, John Hugginson, Doug MacLeod, Christine Bartlett, Katherine Thomson, Marieke Hardy, Glen Dolman
Director TBC
International Sales DCD Rights
Australian Broadcaster Ten Network
Synopsis A clean freak with a heightened sense of justice, and a misfit with an encyclopaedic knowledge of just about everything, married couple Nicola and Charlie run an extreme cleaning business which specialises in crime scenes. Armed with wit, smarts and the invisibility that cleaning brings, the duo solve the crimes the cops can’t in a murder mystery with a smile.
CHILDREN’S TELEVISION
GET ACE
Galaxy Pop Pty Ltd
Producers Gian Christian, Dina McPherson
Writers Dina McPherson, Ray Boseley, Brendan Luno
International Sales Moonscoop
Australian Broadcaster Ten Network
Synopsis Meet Ace McDougal… just your average, everyday nerdy school kid… Well he was, until he happened to be in the wrong dentist’s chair at the wrong time and accidentally said the wrong secret codeword. Next thing he knew he’d been fitted with a set of top-secret, ultra high-tech experimental braces. From that moment on he’s catapulted – teeth first – into one oddball adventure after another! Now he’s the kid proving you’re never too nerdy to be cool!