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RBT moves to South Australia as Screentime opens Adelaide office

Prdn. company opening office outside Sydney for the first time in its 22 year history.

Observational  series RBT is relocating from NSW to South Australia with Screentime to formally open its Adelaide office in July.

Screentime SA will be headed up by accomplished series producer and director Colin Thrupp, working with executive producer Basia Bonkowski.

This is the first time Screentime has opened an office outside Sydney in its 22-year history. In addition to Pine Gap currently in production, SA has been home to ANZAC Girls and 2 seasons of Wolf Creek. Screentime SA is looking to attract, develop and produce content in South Australia, bolstered by the SAFC and independent facilities.

Screentime Executive Chairman Bob Campbell said, “The establishment of Screentime SA will see us working with the South Australian creative community to continue to build our production slate in the State. ANZAC Girls and two seasons of Wolf Creek – as well as our current productions Pine Gap and RBT – strongly illustrate our commitment to production in South Australia which will be further enhanced by this initiative with the South Australian Film Corporation.”

South Australian Film Corporation CEO Courtney Gibson said, “Attracting Screentime to open an office in the State is all about maximising opportunities for South Australian creatives and crews, not just in drama but also in non-scripted production. Screentime is one of Australia’s leading forces in non-scripted and its fantastic having someone with Colin’s peerless credentials driving the development of production with the local sector via Screentime SA.”

Nine Head of Content Production and Development Adrian Swift: “Our audience love RBT – the diligence and patience of the police and the extraordinary stories they hear from drivers up to no good on our roads. We’re thrilled to be going to South Australia to discover a new police force and a lot of new stories as they keep our roads safe and disastrous drivers under control. We congratulate Screentime on the move and thank SA Police and the SAFC for their support of the production.”

Screentime and Matchbox Pictures are opening offices in Adelaide under a two-year funding allocation from the Arts South Australia-funded South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) under the Television Company Partnership Initiative.

6 Responses

  1. This program is misleading. I was in Sydney last year and was flagged down for an RBT. I was apprehensive as it was the NSW Police and on RBT everybody is over the limit and gets arrested. I did the breath test and the officer gave me a receipt saying it was negative and I could go on my way. I didn’t expect that.

  2. While these shows can be entertaining, is it right that police support the filming of innocent people with their day to day interactions with Police? (remember you are innocent until proven otherwise by a court). If I were pulled over for an RBT or Borderforce whatever, can I refuse to be filmed?? They say no because it is in a “public place”… It is wrong that police forces support the shows by wearing mics / cameras etc an capturing people going about their day for the purpose of cheap entertainment.

    Even if I’m innocent there is no way that I would want my clients to see me on TV on one of these shows…

    1. South Australia Police Inspector Colin Cunningham of the SA Police Media Unit : “The new RBT series to be undertaken in South Australia for the first time is a unique opportunity for the South Australia Police to demonstrate their commitment to road safety, and will act as a clear deterrent to members of the public who continue to choose to drink and drug drive. Road safety is everyone’s responsibility.”

  3. I think Nine air wayyyyy to many episodes of RBT. Has the potential to back-fire (in fact, ratings suggest it’s already been watered down because of the aforementioned).

    Why don’t Nine do what Seven have done with Highway Patrol (double epsiodes each Tuesday night for some years now, a couple of years ago was doing over 200k)? I do see the odd epsiode on 9Gem or 9Go!

    I will add that I think these shows are past their expiry date now, HP notching up a decade and RBT a year behind. HP was an instant hit in 2009 and Nine followed with RBT a year later, both were enduring and popular each year that followed.

    But now seems a waste of air time, other than when nothing else good to air. Isn’t that what Seven’s facual stance is now anyway? When a show underperforms or a night that doesn’t air, they chuck on new HP, Border Security or The Force (or something else)? To the point…

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