The ABC and Netflix have co-ordered children’s series MaveriX from Brindle Films, set in the world of junior motocross and due to shoot in Alice Springs in 2021.
Created by Rachel Clements, Sam Meikle and Issac Elliott, the 10 x 30 drama will follow six teens accepted for the first ever MaveriX Academy in Alice, where they are pushed to the limits and given the chance to join a professional racing team.
Clements and Trisha Morton-Thomas will produce the scripts written by Miekle, Fin Edquist, Michelle Offen and Kelly Schilling. The creators are all executive producers with Bernadette O’Mahony.
According the Northern Territory government, MaveriX will be the largest ever local production to shoot in the territory. It’s expected to inject $5 million into the NT economy and employ nearly 400 people when filming begins next year.
The NT Government has invested a record $1.5 million into the series via Screen Territory, while major production investment comes via Screen Australia in association with the ABC and support from the Australian Children’s Television Foundation and the South Australian Film Corporation. The series will air in Australia on ABC ME and available on Netflix globally.
ABC head of children’s production Libbie Doherty said: “We are pleased to announce MaveriX, a big, audacious ABC ME series that will sit alongside our other award-winning shows like Mustangs FC and The Unlisted. A wall-to-wall high-octane motocross adventure, made for the upper end of the ABC ME audience, the series is an ambitious contemporary action drama. Shot in the distinctive heart of Australia, Alice Springs, and featuring a rich culturally diverse cast that reflects our multicultural ABC ME audience, we believe that MaveriX will grab hold of our audience’s imaginations from the very first frame and never let go.”
Screen Australia head of content Sally Caplan said: “This is an original drama that will captivate young audiences with an action-packed story that also showcases the stunning landscapes of the Northern Territory. We are proud to support the experienced Brindle Films along with local creatives to bring this adventurous teen series to life.”
Screen Territory director Jennie Hughes said: “Screen Territory is delighted to work with Brindle Films on MaveriX. This high-adrenaline series will capture the imaginations of young audiences throughout the nation and around the globe. The ongoing economic benefits of this production signify a game changer for the town of Alice Springs and the broader Territory, and a turning point in positioning the NT as the place to create exceptional, distinctive stories the likes of which can be seen nowhere else.
“Australian children’s television remains as important as ever, beloved not only in allowing kids to see themselves reflected on screen, but it is also Australia’s best-selling and most successful content export; sought after internationally and attracting fresh audiences with every new generation.”