The multicultural milieu of Western Sydney, 2010 Melbourne, and a town on the brink of destruction provide the backgrounds for three projects moving into production through the ABC and Screen Australia’s Fresh Blood initiative.
Comedy dramas Going Under, Urvi Went to an All Girls School, and Westerners will receive $400,000 in funding ($200,000 from the ABC and $200,000 from Screen Australia) for the production of a pilot with the potential to be commissioned as an ABC series.
It comes after each team received $50,000 to make three comedy shorts of 3 x 5-minute duration, while also taking part in workshops in Sydney along with seven other finalists.
ABC head of entertainment Rachel Miller said the broadcaster had been impressed by the “ingenuity, diversity, and production value” displayed in the short-form stage.
“We can’t wait to see their truly ‘fresh’ storytelling come to fruition in long form and we’re excited to be once again partnering with Screen Australia on this fantastic initiative,” she said.
Screen Australia’s head of online and games Lee Naimo said the projects exemplified the creativity and diversity that the Fresh Blood initiative aimed to champion.
“Building on the success of the previous Fresh Blood initiatives, we’re proud to support these three teams and their exciting projects to move into production on their pilots, promising to bring fresh perspectives to Australian audiences,” he said.
Find more information about the selected projects below:
GOING UNDER – Written by Lauren Bonner and Danielle Walker and produced by Craig Ivanoff and Saskia Vaneveld.
Synopsis: A comedy-drama that explores the lies people tell to save face, grieving for something not yet lost, and not disappointing Mum. The story is set in a town on the brink of destruction. As the protagonist gets reacquainted, she falls back in love with the community she had left behind.
URVI WENT TO AN ALL-GIRLS SCHOOL – Directed by Nina Oyama, who also writes with Urvi Majumdar, Rohan Ganju and Suren Jayemanne. Produced by Lauren Nichols with executive producers Michelle Buxton, Urvi Majumdar and Chris Mcdonald.
Synopsis: A coming-of-age comedy-drama set in 2010 Melbourne that follows the journey of a teenage girl determined to become an actress despite her traditional Indian family’s wishes. Urvi Went to an All Girls School asks audiences how far they’d go to follow a dream — defying cultural expectations in the uniquely heightened environment of a selective all-girls school.
WESTERNERS – Directed by Munasib T Hamid and co-written by Kevin Duo Han and Mark Mariano. Produced by Monique Mulcahy and executive produced by Max Miller, Georgia Mappin and Sam Lingham
Synopsis: A surrealist comedy-drama that follows three young adults of the diaspora that move out from the Western Suburbs of Sydney to the Inner West in need of the freedom to express their inner realities. Westerners combines humour with a surrealist style, depicting the characters’ struggles and comedic escapades in a culturally diverse environment – exploring themes of identity, community, and the quest for meaning.