Stan has followed Netflix in announcing an expansion of its drama slate, with the Nine-owned streamer to work with Ludo Studios, Feisty Dame Productions, and Thirdborn on a trio of new series.
Ludo Studio will make eight-part road series Thou Shalt Not Steal, to be directed by Dylan River, while Thirdborn is producing coastal mystery thriller Exposure, and Feisty Dame Productions is preparing to shoot Invisible Boys in Western Australia.
Adapted from WA author Holden Sheppard’s book of the same name, Invisible Boys is a ten-part drama that explores the challenges faced by a group of gay teens in Geraldton, after one of them is outed on social media following an encounter with a married man. As they form a tight-knit friendship, the boys find solace and support in one another, exploring their desires and identities in a world that often renders them invisible.
The novel was awarded the 2019 WA Premier’s Prize for an Emerging Writer, the 2019 Kathleen Mitchell Award, and the 2018 City of Fremantle TAG Hungerford Award.
It was optioned by Crazy Fun Park creator Nicholas Verso and Feisty Dame Productions’ Tania Chambers in 2020, with the project going to receive support from Screen Australia’s Generate fund the following year.
Stan commissioned the series as part of a joint initiative with Screenwest designed to foster local talent and spark the development of new series in WA by providing funding of up to $20,000. The production is being supported through Screenwest, Lotterywest, and the WA Regional Screen Fund, with Banijay Rights to handle international distribution.
Verso penned the episodes alongside Sheppard, Enoch Mailangi, Allan Clarke, and Declan Greene, and will also produce with Chambers.
He said it had been a “dream” creating the series for Stan, who had “shown such a strong commitment to quality Australian and LGBTQIA+ storytelling”.
We’ve had a blast in the writers’ room, diving deeply into this world and expanding upon the characters and themes of the book with all its love, heartbreak, confusion, messiness, and joy,” he said.
“I can’t wait to be back on set in Western Australia, bringing the story to life with the wonderful creative team.”
Chambers also paid tribute to the streamer, as well as the other financing partners, for supporting the series, which she and Verso “to resonate strongly with audiences in Australia and across the world”.
Stan will head to South Australia and the Northern Territory for Thou Shalt Not Steal, a 1980s-set story that follows young Aboriginal delinquent Robyn, who escapes detention and reluctantly teams up with awkward teenager Gidge as she searches for the truth behind a mysterious family secret.
The pair begin a perilous journey across the Australian Outback, pursued by Maxine, a sex trafficker whose taxi Robyn stole, and Gidge’s domineering father, a fraudulent preacher called Robert.
The series is executive produced by Ludo’s Charlie Aspinwall and Daley Pearson, alongside producer Sam Moor, and received production investment from Screen Australia with support from the South Australian Film Corporation, Screen Territory, and Screen Queensland’s Post, Digital and Visual Effects (PDV) Incentive.
Like Thou Shalt Not Steal, Exposure also has its share of mystery, with the story centred on Jaco Gould, a photographer who, following the death of her best friend, returns to her hometown to discover the hidden secrets of their relationship and the truth behind the tragedy.
Lucy Coleman is the writer and creator, with Bonnie Moir directing and Thirdborn’s Nicole O’Donohue producing with Justin Kurzel and Shaun Grant. The six-part NSW-set series, which All3Media will distribute, has received significant investment from Screen Australia, with support from Screen NSW.
Speaking about the slate announcement, Stan chief content officer Cailah Scobie said the programs are representative of the streamer’s entire slate.
“These unique dramas have attracted prestigious international partners – DCD Rights, All3Media International and Banijay Rights – signifying the global reach and relevance of Stan Original content,” she said.
“We are thankful to the Australian writers, directors, producers and filmmakers involved in the projects, and the ongoing support of Screen Australia, alongside our other key partners Screen NSW, Screenwest, Lotterywest, the WA Regional Screen Fund, Screen Territory and the South Australian Film Corporation.”