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Ivan Milat telemovie for Seven

First round of 2013/14 Screen Australia TV Drama funding sees an Ivan Milat telemovie plus 4 dramas, more Danger 5 and 3 kids' projects.

2013-06-26_1617Shine Australia will produce Catching Milat, a two-part telemovie for Seven about the investigation that led to the arrest of backpacker killer Ivan Milat.

The drama is one of several projects announced in the first of two Screen Australia television funding rounds for 2013/14.

The other projects see a second season of SBS comedy Danger 5 will receive investment plus ANZAC Girls, Love Child, Party Tricks and The Gallipoli Story.

Screen Australia has also invested in three children’s series, including series two of the 26-part live-action adventure In Your Dreams, for Seven, Little Lunch for ABC3 and a second series of Mako Island of Secrets.

Screen Australia CEO Dr Ruth Harley said, “Quality Australian television drama continues to rate extremely well, television production companies are blossoming and forging productive relationships with broadcasters hungry for product and this funding round in particular was highly competitive.”

ADULT TV DRAMA

ANZAC GIRLS
AG TV (SPV of Screentime)
Producers Lisa Scott, Felicity Packard
Writers Felicity Packard, Niki Aken
Directors Ken Cameron, Ian Watson
Broadcaster ABC Television
Domestic Sales Village Roadshow
International Sales ALL3MEDIA
Synopsis In World War I, 3000 young Aussie and Kiwi women served as nurses – nearly 300 were decorated for courage beyond the call of duty. But they were also just ordinary girls. A story based on real events and real people.

CATCHING MILAT
Shine (Aust) Pty Ltd
Producer Kerrie Mainwaring
Writer Justin Monjo
Director Peter Andrikidis
Broadcaster Seven Network
International Sales Shine International
Synopsis This true story of the investigation that leads to the arrest of Ivan Milat details Detective Paul Gordon’s struggle to find the killer – and then convince his bosses he is on the right track.

DANGER 5 SERIES 2
Dinosaur Pty Ltd
Producers Kate Croser, Dario Russo
Writer Dario Russo, David Ashby
Director Dario Russo
Broadcaster SBS
Domestic Sales SBS Content Sales
Synopsis It’s Christmas in the 1980s. Adolf Hitler is alive and has two Yuletide wishes: Danger 5 dead… and the world under his Christmas tree.

THE GALLIPOLI STORY
Matchbox Pictures Pty Ltd
Producers Penny Chapman, John Schwartz, Jacquelin Perske
Executive producers Sam Worthington, Penny Win, Michael McMahon, Michael Schwarz, Luca Scalisi
Directors TBC
Writers Jacquelin Perske, Shaun Grant, Cate Shortland, Stuart Beattie
Broadcaster Foxtel
International Sales NBC Universal
Synopsis The story of journalists Charles Bean, Ellis Ashmead Bartlett and Philip Schuler, sent with the troops to Gallipoli in 1915, and how their quest for the truth helped change the war’s course – and its legend.

LOVE CHILD
Playmaker Media Pty Ltd
Producers David Maher, David Taylor, Sarah Lambert, Sue Seeary
Writers Tim Pye, Liz Doran, Sarah Lambert
Directors Shawn Seet, Shirley Barrett, Geoff Bennett, Ian Barry
Broadcaster Nine Network
International Sales ALL3MEDIA
Synopsis A character drama set in 1969 in Kings Cross; the time and place Australia came of age and the new generation broke all the rules.

PARTY TRICKS
Southern Star Entertainment Pty Ltd
Producers Imogen Banks, John Edwards
Writer Michael Lucas
Broadcaster Network Ten
International Sales Endemol Worldwide Distribution
Synopsis A woman’s campaign to be the next State Premier is complicated when her ex-lover is announced as the new leader of the opposition.

CHILDREN’S TV DRAMA

IN YOUR DREAMS SERIES 2
Southern Star Entertainment
Producer Noel Price
Writers Josh Mapleston, John Armstrong, Tim Gooding, Julie Miller
Director Ralph Strasser
Broadcasters Seven Network, NDR
International Sales Endemol Worldwide Distribution
Synopsis Sam and Ben are settling back into life in Australia when their eccentric German relatives, Philipp and Lili von Hasenburg arrive unexpectedly. But things suddenly go pear shaped when Philipp is arrested and can’t return to Germany. The Australian twins must then make choices that will affect the lives of everyone around them.

LITTLE LUNCH
Gristmill Pty Ltd
Producers Robyn Butler, Wayne Hope
Writers Robyn Butler, Wayne Hope
Director Wayne Hope
Broadcaster ABC 3
International Sales ACTF
Synopsis A mockumentary series about what happens at snack time in the primary school playground, based on the books written by Danny Katz and illustrated by Mitch Vane.

MAKO ISLAND OF SECRETS SERIES 2
Jonathan M Shiff Productions (JMSP)
Producer Jonathan M Shiff
Writers Anthony Morris, Michael Joshua, Max Dann
Directors Evan Clarry, Grant Brown
Broadcasters Network Ten (Domestic), ZDF Germany (German-speaking)
International Sales ZDF Enterprises
Synopsis A new mermaid arrives convinced that Zac is a danger to mermaids everywhere, not realising that there may be another merman in town bent on seizing Mako Island for himself.

7 Responses

  1. The Crime Investigation channel on Foxtel did a lengthy documentary recreation of the Milat murders about five years ago. It gave me nightmares, it was so incredibly graphic depicting the abductions and murders. I will be avoiding this like the plague, these murders and the way he incapacitated his victims beforehand are too sickening to contemplate.

  2. @Mr J Not too surprising with Home and Away 7 has always said 3 drama series fills their slate. With Rafters ending and APTCH getting a series 2 they are probably still trying to work out new ideas for shows (or even waiting for the Rebecca Gibney show) and this fills the gap for now

  3. A number of these series are already well into production – with cast announced. If these Screen Australia “approvals” are such a farce why don’t they just change the Producer Offset to 40% and leave SA out of he equation altogether? These “announcements” seem like a bureaucratic rubber stamp lacking any transparency of process or credibility whatsoever.

  4. This could be good as long it focuses on the investigation, with quality scripting, acting & character development & not something that mainly exploits the memory of the victims with gratuitous re-enactments of the violence they suffered.

    UK production ‘Appropriate Adult’ about serial killers Fred & Rosemary West was an excellent example of a well made production that does that, & of course the movie ‘Zodiac’

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