Binge is looking for a gripping thriller in the vein of the UK’s The Bodyguard or Vigil, Stan is seeking more Christmas features, and Paramount+ wants an original and contemporary Australian series that will provoke conversation.
Executives from each of the platforms laid down briefs for producers over the last week via individual webinars for Screen Producers Australia’s (SPA) Pitch on Demand initiative.
The tailored program is designed to fast-track opportunities for producers to projects directly to streaming service commissioners.
Producers are now able to send through their submissions from now until October 4. Those who are shortlisted will also have the opportunity to practice their pitch to SPA and will be offered feedback prior to meeting the streamers.
Binge seeks “brand defining” drama
Having launched in May 2020, the Foxtel-owned Binge has only made two scripted commissions so far: Love Me (which is going to a second season) and Colin From Accounts.
Given the relative newness of the platform, commissions are currently “brand defining”, executive director Alison Hurbert-Burns told the SPA webinar. It wants “marquee, high value, premium” television, noting dramas will potentially sit in a carousel alongside HBO series like Succession and Mare of Easttown.
Commissions must also provide something different; something that cannot be filled via international acquisition.
“We are ambitious in terms of what we can achieve in our Australian storytelling, and we are quite considered in what we are therefore looking for,” she said.
“If I’m getting a lot of murder shows, or true crime thrillers, which come through a lot of that studio supply, what can we add to the mix that we can’t buy that really speaks to an Australian audience or will stand out in that slate?”
For its specific Pitch on Demand brief, Binge is after a limited scripted drama of around 4-6 episodes and at least 40-minute episode length.
In particular, Hubert-Burns is looking for something that is designed for male and female co-viewing, and offers compelling tale with “double movie” impact. While she joked that Binge doesn’t have “submarine budgets”, she is looking for something gripping along the lines of Vigil or other similar British mini-series.
“What we know is that crime series really drive female viewing; [but] I’m looking for something that’s got a little bit more action and thriller. It can still be set amongst a crime, [but] we do get a lot of death and murder through some of the things that we acquire – don’t limit it to having to be a crime around a death. It can be a thriller or a corporate crime, a white collar crime.”
She noted she is less interested in paranormal thrillers, though isn’t adverse to something with a “supernatural thread”, ala The Outsider, starring Ben Mendelsohn.
Foxtel Group is only after Australian rights, and Hubert-Burns said the platform will work with international production partners and distributors to get budgets up. For instance, on Colin From Accounts it is working with distributor CBS Studios.
She added that while stories can go overseas – they don’t don’t have to be “achingly Australian” – the executive says there must be an Australian sensibility.
“We did a lot of work on Love Me to get the humour and the Australian tone there. If it’s a great protagonist, if the story is driven from the Australian point of view but it goes to other places, it goes to London… totally fine. It doesn’t have to be 100 per cent Australian. But we obviously love supporting Australian stories, dramas, creatives and local talent. So as much that can come out of Australia the better… we do want to see an Australianness to it.”
Foxtel does develop projects. A good pitch will have a clarity of story and vision, knows who the audience is and how they will feel over episode arcs. Producers should come in with an awareness of what Binge already has in its catalogue.
Ideally pitches would include Bible, and while pilot scripts are welcome, they are not a must if the idea is clear. Similarly, packaged projects – as in, attached actors and directors – are not necessary, but Binge does pay careful attention to writing teams.
“Writers are in hot demand… We like to have time to have the scripts right. Having an understanding of who’s attached, who would like to write or who’s available is important,” said Hurbert-Burns.
Stan looking for “feel good” Xmas content
Stan head of scripted Amanda Duthie told its SPA webinar the Nine-owned platform has recently moved from “party bus to monster truck” in terms of the volume of commissions. Last year it delivered around projects, this year it expects to end up at 20.
For its Pitch on Demand brief, the streamer is looking for another Christmas feature film, following on from Sunburnt Christmas, Christmas on the Farm and the upcoming Christmas Ransom.
“Christmas keeps coming around every year, so we know there’s always a slot for it,” said Stan head of features and development executive Rachel Okine.
“It’s something we want very much to be a part of the Australian cultural tradition, to have these stories to tell; to not have to rely on a European or Northern Hemisphere interpretation of what Christmas means, and to bring it much closer to home. It’s why it’s important to us.”
While open to different interpretations of Christmas, Okine said the “feel good” factor is key.
“Especially in December; people are wanting a fun experience, an escapist experience. That can take the form of a romantic comedy, it can take the form of a family film. For example, our Christmas offering this year, Christmas Ransom, has heist elements in it, so it adds that kid-friendly action-adventure component.”
Okine is open to pitches at various stages: from concept and treatment through to scripts and/or packages.
“It’s an annual rollout, so we can looking at things that will be ready at different stages in the coming years.”
Duthie adds Stan is keen for its Christmas films to be a means to discover new voices.
“It’s a talent discovery opportunity, the Christmas films; to direct your first feature or to be penning your first feature. The screen agencies have been terrific in terms of bringing on attachments and other suggestions of people.”
More generally, Stan views all its projects in relation to its broader slate, noting it can’t have too many similar project in its development pipeline. Further, very few of its projects are financed solely out of Australia.
“So it’s working with our international partners to ensure we’re supporting and helping convert fantastic Australian production from development into production. Seeing what works on the platform for Stan, but seeing what works for global audiences,” Duthie says.
“We’re obviously excited by the breadth of projects because our audience is varied and quite diverse, it skews younger – so looking at work that will speak to those audiences.”
Budget range for the Christmas film will depend on Stan’s expectations of it travelling or not; without significant international investment, budgets would likely fall under $5 million.
Paramount+ wants to start conversations
The newest major streamer in the Australian market is Paramount+, which launched last August and whose local slate so far encompasses second, third and fourth seasons of Five Bedrooms and a second season of The Secret She Keeps (both originally Network 10 dramas); comedy Spreadsheet; music feature 6 Festivals; upcoming John Ibrahim epic Last King of the Cross, and NCIS: Sydney. In unscripted, its orders include Couples Therapy Australia and The Bridge.
Paramount ANZ senior vice president of content and programming Daniel Monaghan told the SPA webinar that its commissions are designed to plug gaps in its international pipeline of Paramount content. For instance, it brought Five Bedrooms onto the platform from 10, and ordered Spreadsheet, as it felt amongst series like Dexter and HALO it was missing content aimed at women aged 25-54. The music-focused 6 Festivals was also designed to complement its offerings that come via MTV.
Five Bedrooms has proved to be one of Paramount+’s most successful shows to date, with Australian original scripted and unscripted part of the strategy locally since launch, Monaghan said.
“I think it’s the fastest way to grow and cut through. And speaking frankly, Australian originals get a lot of PR and that drives a lot of subs; so it works in everyone’s favour.”
For its Pitch On Demand brief, Monaghan said Paramount+ was looking for original and contemporary limited series, with an “authentically Australian” voice.
“We want Australian stories that particularly provoke immediate conversation. We’ve always been, at 10, a fan of being talked about… We want to continue that across with our shows on Paramount+. I think so far we’ve done a good job of that. We want strong Australian voices, and we want any commission that we do to complement what we have from our pipeline content. By that, I mean the international premium programs that are either IP or new.”
Monaghan was open to both half hour or hour-long episode series, and doesn’t want to limit pitches to any particular demo – “a good story is a good story”. However, one thing that is important: creatives partner with production companies that have a track record. Six to eight episodes is ideal, with 10 the ceiling. “That’s the appetite on a streaming platform. Anything longer becomes arduous.”
In terms of tone and style, Monaghan would love a drama in the vein of Yellowjackets, a dark comedy like The White Lotus or a comedy with a tone like Ted Lasso. He’s also keen for YA, aimed at an audience similar to Heartbreak High. He is open to documentaries but cautions it must “have the cut through to hit on a streaming service in a very noisy environment.”
Paramount ANZ will develop series, but it is not common.
“We’ll always take a script if you have it. If you only have a pitch deck, you’ll get a quick answer as to whether or not we’re interested in seeing the script. If we really like it and we want to take it off the table we could pay for development for a script. But that’s not a regular occurrence.”
Monaghan said it will always pitch its Australia projects up for global distribution.
“We’ll look at rest-the-world [right] quite quickly, and if not we’ll hand them back to the producer and let them make that part of their finance plan.”
All three webinars are available to watch via YouTube: Binge, Stan and Paramount+.