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Whitlam drama through the eyes of Cleo

A new ABC drama project is set to look at the Whitlam era through the eyes of former Cleo editor, Ita Buttrose.

Prolific producer John Edwards and partner Imogen Banks are set to produce a new ABC drama project looking at the Whitlam era through the eyes of former Cleo editor, Ita Buttrose.

Cleo is one of several projects in the latest funding investments from Screen Australia.

Edwards and Banks have both produced Tangle and Offspring. Edwards is also busy with Rush and Pay TV drama Spirited -the latter has also received investment for a second season. Its first series will air on W in August.

Wicked Love telemovie producers David Taylor and David Maher also receive funding for a new drama for Nine, Blood Brother.

Dance Academy 2 gets more funding following its recent Film Victoria approval and celebrated children’s producer Jonathan M. Shiff for a new series for TEN, Nickelodeon and Germany’s ZDF Enterprises.

The approvals are as follows:

BLOOD BROTHER
Playmaker Media Pty Ltd
Producers David Taylor, David Maher
Writer John Misto
Sales & Broadcaster ITV Studios Global Entertainment, Nine Network
Synopsis A dramatic account of the Gilham family murders which occurred in Sydney in 1993.

CLEO
Southern Star Entertainment Pty Ltd
Producers John Edwards, Imogen Banks
Writer Christopher Lee
Director Emma Freeman
Sales & Broadcaster Endemol Worldwide Distribution, ABC TV
Synopsis The Whitlam era as seen through the eyes of Cleo magazine and its young editor, Ita Buttrose.

THE SLAP
Matchbox Pictures Pty Ltd
Executive Producer Penny Chapman
Associate Producer Christos Tsiolkas
Producers Helen Bowden, Michael McMahon and Tony Ayres
Writers Alice Bell, Kris Mrksa, Emily Ballou, Brendan Cowell, Cate Shortland (adaptation from novel)
Directors Jessica Hobbs, Robert Connolly, Cate Shortland, Tony Ayres
Sales & Broadcaster DCD Rights, Hopscotch, ABC TV
SynopsisThe Slap is a bold, provocative television drama series that forensically examines the mores and morality of contemporary middle-class life. Based on Christos Tsiolkas’ best-selling novel, The Slap traces the shattering repercussions of a single event upon a group of family and friends.

SPIRITED 2
Southern Star Entertainment Pty Ltd
Producers John Edwards, Jacquelin Perske and Claudia Karvan
Writer Jacquelin Perske
Director Jessica Hobbs
Sales & Broadcaster Endemol Worldwide Distribution, Foxtel Australia
Synopsis Spirited 2 is the second series about a fantastical, eternal love story between a rock star ghost and a dentist who will fight the living, the dead and anything in between to stay together.

Children’s TV series:
DANCE ACADEMY SERIES 2
Werner Film Productions
Producer Joanna Werner
Executive Producers Bernadette O’Mahony, Joanna Werner
Writers include Samantha Strauss, Liz Doran, Greg Waters
Sales & Broadcaster ZDFE, ZDF, ACTF, ABC TV
Synopsis Tara returns to the National Academy of Dance with the goal of representing Australia in the world’s most prestigious ballet competition. But perhaps she should be more focused on just surviving Second Year, where having climbed to the top in her first year at the Academy – in dance, in life, in love – she now has a very long way to fall.

LIGHTNING POINT
Jonathan M Shiff Productions Pty Ltd
Executive Producers Jonathan M Shiff, Julia Adams
Producer Jonathan M Shiff
Co-producer Stuart Wood
Story Producer/Script Editor Chris Roache
Associate Story Producer David Hannam
Writers Simon Butters, Sam Carroll, Carine Chai, Max Dann, David Hannam, Anthony Morris, Chris Roache
Directors include Director Block 1 Colin Budds, Director Block 2 TBA
Sales & Broadcasters ZDF, ZDF Enterprises, Network Ten, Nickelodeon Australia
Synopsis Zoey and Kiki are two irrepressible girls from another galaxy who become castaways in a small Australian surf town. But even with the help of local girl Amber, how long can these alien surf girls keep their identity secret?

14 Responses

  1. @ducko I read that article today also…in the Switched On section? Was it suggesting that she had definitely been cast or just linking the two John Edwards producitons? I think it said “I can see Asher Keddie as Ita Buttrose…”. I think she’s fantastic, it would take a seriously seriously large amount of Asher Keddie before I considered it overkill, but I take your point.

  2. Great to see John Edwards back at the ABC – he’s been producing the best drama in Australia for years, but unless you have PayTV you haven’t been able to see it. I’ve been really disappointed in ABC drama commissioning for the past few years – 3 seasons of BORing is beyond endurance!

  3. I like Justine, Claudia and Asher as much as the next person, but they seem to get the lionshare of the limited work. Unemployment must be at 98% among thirty something/forty actresses. Susie Porter should be added to that trio. I hope that the excellent casting agents that toil away in this country will cast Ita creatively, not just go for a visible name or face. Asher as Blanche D’Alpuget will be intersting to see. High profile names playing iconic or household figures can just as risky as casting a nobody.

  4. yeah, yeah, they’re all great actresses who work with that team. I am wondering what the right age will be. How old was Ita during this period?

    Want to watch one of Edwards best dramas with a lot of unknowns at the time, watch Marking Time. Im personally hopeful an unknown or relatively unknown will be cast however may end up being too hard a find.

  5. @ducko, was thinking exactly the same thing. John Edwards has worked with Justine Clarke before in his poorly received female surgeon series, with Justine in the lead role. Seems he likes to stick with people he’s worked with previously (Claudia Karvan, Asher Keddie) so wouldn’t be surprised.

  6. Thinking about it further, I could see Justine Clarke in the role of Ita. I know she’s in Tangle but that has a smallish audience given it’s only shown on Pay TV.

  7. John Edwards is fast turning into an uber producer, and bringing to TV some very interesting and dare I say original projects. Glad to see both Spirited and Offspring up for a second series before the first has even aired. Hopefully a pleasant change from the somewhat pedestrian fare served up elsewhere (Spirited certainly is). And he’s obviously very comfortable with having female driven lead roles, also good news.

  8. we dont always agree but this time i do. I think Asher is great but after Offspring gets into full swing it will be Asher overkill.

    Good question….. who to cast…..

  9. The Whitlam project seen through Ita’s eyes sounds fascinating – could be a clever twist on the standard bio pic or telling of history. I am enthusiastic about any new narrative projects that at the very least play with the form, have original creative energy about them, and keep the tradition of Australian story telling alive and well.

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