[press release from Foxtel]
FOXTEL announced today Andrew Denton’s production company, Zapruder’s other films have begun shooting a new half-hour satirical drama series for THE COMEDY CHANNEL. :30 seconds lifts the lid on the advertising industry and characters within it.
The six part series is the creation of real life advertising insiders Tim Bullock of Prodigy Films, Justin Drape and Scott Nowell of Sydney agency, Three Drunk Monkeys, the team behind FOXTEL’s successful on-air marketing campaign.
A stellar line-up of Australian talent has been assembled for the four week shoot, currently taking place in Sydney. The who’s who of the Australian acting industry includes, Stephen Curry, Peter O’Brien, Joel Tobeck, Gyton Grantley and Kat Stewart.
The series, screening on THE COMEDY CHANNEL mid 2009, is set in the fictional advertising agency BND Worldwide and follows BND’s brilliant but troubled, Creative Director, Martin Manning (Joel Tobeck, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 30 Days of Night, Tangle) and his staff as they go about their working lives underneath the banner: ‘BND. Truth Well Sold’.
The BND staff list includes:
CEO, Bill Brooker (Peter O’Brien, White Collar Blue, Casualty, The Bill) a man who likes rules, conformity and large graphs.
Senior Art Director, Sumo (Gyton Grantley, Underbelly, Supernova, Under The Radar, Danny Deckchair) the ambitious creative with a powerful lack of conscience.
Producer, McBaney (Stephen Curry, The Castle, The King) a man who can get you a giant singing udder inside five hours.
Copywriter, Kath Bullock (Jenna Lind, Underbelly, All Saints) is the industry newcomer with a still-functioning moral compass.
Account Director, Barbara Main (Emily Brennan, NIDA graduate) better known as Boobera, who has never been known to say no to a client freebie.
The other prominent character in the series is Head of Marketing, Daiyonda Automotive, Marion West (Kat Stewart, Underbelly, Supernova, Newstopia) determined to break glass ceilings without damaging her biological clock.
Brian Walsh, FOXTEL Executive Director of Television and Marketing said: “FOXTEL is committed to the development of Australian comedy and our dedicated COMEDY CHANNEL is the ideal home for this landmark new work from Andrew Denton. We are always keen to extend our slate of local productions when the necessary elements line-up. Having great writing made available to us is key. Added to that, the opportunity to work with Zapruder, as well as being able to take the opportunity to extend our relationship with The Three Drunk Monkeys makes it a natural and exciting position to be in. The talented cast which has been assembled will, no doubt, bring this quirky situation comedy to life in a way that will really resonate with THE COMEDY CHANNEL’s audience. I have no doubt that :30 seconds will be one of the strongest properties on the FOXTEL platform in 2009.”
Andrew Denton, of Zapruder’s other films said: “An extraordinary cast, three talented new writers and a great director – the ingredients, hopefully, for champagne television. :30 seconds is an exciting new direction for Zapruder’s and we couldn’t have found a better home for it than THE COMEDY CHANNEL.”
:30 seconds is co-executive produced by Andrew Denton for Zapruder’s other films and Kim Vecera (Tangle, Satisfaction, Love My Way) for FOXTEL. The director for the series is Shawn Seet (Two Fists One Heart, Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities) and acclaimed story editor Andrew Knight (Sea Change, Tripping Over, After the Deluge).