0/5

Upcoming dramas in Screen Australia funding

SBS, Nine & 10 dramas win funding while a new kids' series looks headed to ABC.

Previously-announced dramas at SBS, 10 and Nine are part of $7.5 million in production funding from Screen Australia.

Hungry Ghosts, Halifax: Retribution and The Secret She Keeps are due later this year.

“2018 was a remarkable year for Australian television with series including Mystery Road and Mr Inbetween proving popular with audiences here and overseas.” said Sally Caplan, Head of Content at Screen Australia. “In an increasingly busy marketplace it’s great to see that three of the four funded television projects are new concepts, and the majority of them have female central characters.”

There is a new kids’ series Itch which appears to be headed for ABC.

Comedy troupe Aunty Donna also have a new YouTube comedy Glennridge Secondary College based on everyday happenings at a suburban high school.

“We’re delighted to be supporting a new web series from comedy group Aunty Donna whose absurdist sketch videos first captured our attention through the ABC Fresh Blood and Google Skip Ahead Initiatives. Aunty Donna’s commitment to developing their own audience and making their own success is impressive and I look forward to seeing this team take their unique brand of comedy to new heights.”

Hungry Ghosts
4 x 51 mins
Matchbox Productions Pty Ltd
Genre Drama, Horror, Thriller
Producer Stephen Corvini, Timothy Hobart
Executive Producer Debbie Lee
Director TBC
Writers Timothy Hobart, Michelle Lee, Alan Nguyen, Jeremy Nguyen, John Ridley
Broadcaster SBS
International Sales NBCUniversal Distribution
Synopsis When a powerful amulet is broken on the eve of the Hungry Ghost Festival in Melbourne, a vengeful spirit is unleashed, bringing the dead with him. As they wreak havoc across the Vietnamese Australian community, reclaiming lost loves and repaying old grudges, a young woman who’s never taken responsibility for who she could be, must finally step up and accept her destiny.

Halifax: Retribution
8 x 48 mins
Beyond Lonehand Pty Ltd
Genre Drama, Thriller
Producers Roger Simpson, Louisa Kors
Executive Producer Mikael Borglund, Rebecca Gibney, Roger Simpson
Director TBC
Writers Mac Gudgeon, Jan Sardi, Roger Simpson
Broadcaster Nine Network
International Sales TBC
Synopsis When Jane Halifax receives a letter threatening a terrible retribution against her family, she finds herself back in a world she thought she had left behind – profiling a diabolical killer.

The Secret She Keeps
6 x 42 mins
Lingo Pictures Pty Ltd
Genre Drama, Thriller
Producers Helen Bowden, Paul Watters
Executive Producers Rick Maier, Jason Stephens
Director Jennifer Leacey, Catherine Millar
Writers Jonathan Gavin, Sarah Walker,
Broadcaster Network Ten
International Sales DCD Rights
Synopsis The Secret She Keeps is a six-part domestic noir series based on Michael Robotham’s acclaimed novel of the same name. Everyone has an idea of what their ‘perfect’ life is. For Agatha, it’s Meghan Shaughnessy’s. These two women from vastly different walks of life hold one thing in common – explosive secrets that could destroy everything they hold dear. Both will risk everything to conceal the truth, but their worlds are about to collide in one shocking act that cannot be undone.

Itch
10 x 24 mins
Komixx Entertainment Pty Ltd
Genre Children’s Drama, Action Adventure
Producers Amanda Morrison, Tania Chambers
Writer Ron Elliott, Heather Wilson, Roger Monk, Jessica Brookman, Craig Irvin
Broadcaster TBA
International Sales ABC Commercial
Synopsis What happens when a source of unimaginable power falls into the hands of a teenage boy?

One Response

  1. seems a bit odd that they are dragging up Halifax FP which hasn’t been on a screen since 2002 when in the meantime Gibney starred as a similar character ‘Winter’. I would’ve thought perhaps 9 could buy the rights to Winter from 7 and continue on with it, probably easier said than done though but it has been done before eg A Place To Call Home, Dr Blake. Still Halifax was a very good show so hopefully it will continue with the same quality.

Leave a Reply