Sophie Hyde.
Screen Australia and ABC have announced the five successful projects to be funded through the $1.5 million Long Story Short initiative.
Each project will be funded to create and produce a short-form, digital-first scripted series for 18-35 year olds, to screen on ABC iview.
The five successful creative teams were chosen from more than 250 applications, and offer a mix of comedy and drama. Each will participate in a two-day workshop in July, led by ABC TV executives and multiplatform writer and script developer Mike Jones.
“We were blown away by the standard of the applications, there were so many strong creative teams in the mix. We think these five projects really know their audience and will work so well as digital-first content,” said Screen Australia investment manager Mike Cowap.
“We’re thrilled to team with Screen Australia on so many fantastic new scripted projects, building on ABC iview’s reputation for world class digital-first, short form series,” said ABC head of audience and digital Rebecca Heap.
The successful projects are:
• The Edge of the Bush (VIC) — A comedy from creator/writer and performer Anne Edmonds (Fancy Boy, Have You Been Paying Attention?) who plays multiple, multi-generational members of the same family, estranged from each other after their calisthenics empire was torn apart years before. Executive producer Kevin Whyte; also featuring a who’s who of top emerging comic talent.
• F*cking Adelaide (SA) — A dramedy following self-confessed failure Eli and his annoyingly optimistic sister Kitty as they return home to their dysfunctional family in Adelaide, a place Eli said he’d only ever visit for Christmas and funerals. From Closer Productions’ director Sophie Hyde (52 Tuesdays), Bec Summerton (producer) and Matthew Cormack (writer).
• Mustafa Needs a Wife (NSW) – Newly dumped 26-year-old Mustafa must find himself an Afghani wife in a month… or else his mother finds one for him. A comedy from writer/actor Mansoor Noor (Rake, Cleverman), Yingna Lu (producer), Luke Davison (co-writer) and Steve Anthopolous (director).
• Other People’s Problems (VIC) – Timid but talented writer Florence and her go-getter sidekick Ann team up to ghost write other people’s letters in exchange for clothes. A dramedy from Charlotte Seymour (producer), Penelope Chai and Jane Dickenson (writers), director Erin White (Stories I Want to Tell You In Person, At Home with Julia) and executive producer Sue Maslin (The Dressmaker).
• Maybe Today (VIC) — From Indigenous author, activist and master storyteller Boori Monty Pryor comes a collection of vignettes from his life that have delighted audiences worldwide, inviting us to find humour in sad places. Joining him are Kelly West (producer/writer/director), Jon Stanley (producer/director) and Princess Pictures’ Emma Fitzsimons (executive producer).