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ABC2 commissions first factual series: Do or Die

ABC2 has commissioned its first factual series, Do or Die, which will throw regular office workers into a wild survival adventure.

The four-part, one-hour series, is being produced by Essential Media Entertainment and Zinc Finger Films (in association with ScreenWest) and begins production next month.

ABC2 controller Stuart Menzies said the series "promises friction, deceit, gossip, rivalry, power plays – the stuff of every office".

"It will be compelling television with the added promise of true transformation, real jeopardy and serious adventure,” he said in a statement.

The series, which will take a different workplace through some of the most gruelling challenges in the harshest Australian environments, appears to again walk the fine line between 'reality' and 'documentary'.

Essential Media is currently involved in an ongoing court case centred on the issue after its home makeover series Lush House, which was initially rejected by Screen Australia’s Producer Offset division on the grounds that it was not a documentary.

However, that decision was overturned in June this year by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, which ruled that the production was a documentary and should qualify for the 20 per cent tax rebate.

The judgement has been appealed by Screen Australia and the case is expected to be heard early next year.