By Morgan Hind
Film Victoria has pledged a total of almost $1 million in its latest round of production investment funding, supporting local screen content over several platforms including television, film and online.
The $992,500 investment has been shared between two documentaries and TV series – including a new series from the team behind Summer Heights High and a Channel 10 drama from Southern Star Entertainment. The agency also backed one feature film and an online portal.
“Film Victoria … supports the development of innovative online screen content and projects that attempt to reach audiences across multiple platforms," said Film Victoria CEO Sandra Sdraulig.
"Our investment in an online portal to complement a television documentary series is … a reflection of the increasing importance and popularity of the digital platform to Australian audiences."
The investment was also used to contribute to the upcoming film Surviving Georgia, starring Holly Valance and Pia Miranda, which was shot on location in Warburton in the Yarra Valley.
“Film Victoria was presented with a diversity of projects that represent the strength of local production companies … [Film Victoria’s] role is to support the local talent and to bring a diverse content to a range of audiences,” said Ms Sdraulig.
The full list of projects:
TV Series
OFFSPRING
This 13-part fiction series from the team behind TANGLE and DANGEROUS follows the life of obstetrician Nina Proudman (Asher Keddie), her boisterous family and her chaotic romances
Production Company: Southern Star Entertainment
Producers: John Edwards and Imogen Banks
Writers: Debra Oswald, Jonathan Gavin, Chris Hawkson, Kylie Needham, Michael Lucas and Margaret Wilson
Directors: Kate Dennis, Darren Ashton, Sian Davies and Glendyn Ivin
Cast: Don Hany, Kat Stewart, Eddie Perfect, Richard Davis and John Waters
Distribution: Network 10
OUTLAND
This ABC1 series from the award-winning team behind SUMMER HEIGHTS HIGH explores the idea of belonging, and how to find a place in the world if you grew up pimply, unpopular, geeky and gay.
Production Company: Princess Pictures
Producers: Laura Waters and Andrea Denholm.
Co-producer: Dan Cardone.
Writers: John Richards and Adam Richard.
Director: Kevin Carlin.
Distribution: ABC
Features
SURVIVING GEORGIA
This Victorian feature film tells the story of two sisters who must face their past so they can move on with their lives.
Production Company: Surviving Georgia Films
Producers: Kate Whitbread, Spencer McLaren.
Writer: Sandra Sciberras.
Directors: Kate Whitbread and Sandra Sciberras.
Cast: Pia Miranda, Holly Valance, Caroline O’Connor and Shane Jacobson.
Interactive
THE MULTICULTURAL HISTORY PORTAL
The Multicultural History portal is a series of innovative interactive documentary features that capture the history of immigration to Australia. It will act as a companion piece to the SBS series SECOND AUSTRALIANS and includes an interactive documentary, digital story map, online simulation and resources for immigrants to Australia.
Production Company: The Chocolate Liberation Front.
Producers: Dan Fill and Frank Verheggen.
Writer: Andrew Jacobuwicz.
Documentaries
THE FIRST INTERVIEW
This documentary for ABC1 takes us back to Paris, 1886, to a conversation between great French scientist Michel-Eugene Chevreul and famous photographer Nadar – the first on camera interview in history.
Production Company: Jungle Pictures.
Producer: Fiona Cochrane.
Writer/Director: Dennis Tupicoff.
Distribution: ABC
THE LAST WALTZ
In this documentary for ABC1, owner of Melbourne’s only gay and lesbian ballroom dancing studio Anny Salerni unites her students in their passion for dance as they battle injury, personal drama and discrimination from the mainstream dancing community.
Production Company: Waterbyrd Filmz.
Producer: Nickolas Bird.
Writer: Dennis K Smith.
Directors: Nickolas Bird and Eleanor Sharpe.
Distribution: ABC