This financial year the Australian Children’s Television Foundation invested a record $421,745 in script development funding for children’s projects.
ACTF head of development and production Bernadette O’Mahony said the range and quality of productions that came across her desk this year was outstanding.
“The bar has definitely been raised and producers are responding to the challenge of creating distinctive, entertaining and innovate local concepts for the Australian children’s audience”, she said.
“There is no lack of supply, the challenge is in how all of these projects will ultimately be commissioned and funded. The ACTF would like to see every single one of them make it to the screen.”
At its June meeting the board approved funding for four new series and further script development support for two projects already in development.
The projects are a mixture of live action drama, comedy and factual entertainment series led by both veteran and emerging creative teams.
The successful applicants were:
- Buster Productions – NSW – $32,911 for the comedy series Parent Up.
- Northern Pictures – NSW – $48,203 for further script development for Hardball.
- Every Cloud Productions – Vic – $12,330 for further development of the live action drama series Seven Little Australians.
- Flying Kite Pictures & Sticky Pictures – NSW – $10,160 for the factual entertainment series Are You Tougher Than Your Ancestors?
- Princess Pictures – Vic – $24,850 for the live action series Mrs. Grumble’s Weekend Rumble.
- Tsavaga Pty Ltd – Vic – $17,380 for the live action drama series The Lit Mix.