Cloudstreet miniseries under financing cloud
Screen Australia is said to be concerned at the low level of licence fees by pay television in funding their drama projects.
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Screentime’s small screen adaptation of the Tim Winton novel Cloudstreet, due to screen on Showcase, was reportedly denied funding by Screen Australia.
The Australian notes that Screen Australia is said to be concerned at the low level of licence fees Showtime is expected to pay for the 6 hour miniseries. The snub reflects the tougher funding requirements placed on pay-TV projects compared with free-to-air projects.
With a script by Tim Winton and Ellen Fontana, Cloudstreet tells the lives of two working class Australian families who come to live together at One Cloud Street, over a period of twenty years in Perth, 1943.
Initially, Showtime and global television distributor Liberty Global International were expected to finance the entire $10m project.
Showtime’s next miniseries Tangle will air in October and Satisfaction is currently in production on its third series for a December launch.
Cloudstreet Producer Bob Campbell, would neither confirm nor deny the rebuff by Screen Australia. Screentime is hoping to begin shooting before the end of the year.
Source: The Australian
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4 Responses
I read the book and loved it. I’ve looked up this page as I thought I had missed the mini series. I think that people are starved for good australian stories, look at the success Red Dog has had. This has all the ingredients for success.
It is going ahead. From the horses mouth in Perth
Yes already published new info since then. Click on show’s Tag for later stories.
this is disappointing
i was really looking forward to this series, as it’s up there in my favourite books of all time… and i had faith that showcase would do a good job as in the past.
fingers crossed it still goes ahead.