$3.2m funding for Kids’ titles

Screen Australia has announced funding for two live action series and two animated children’s projects.

The $3.2 million of production funding will be shared by Tom Weekly Versus… heading to ViacomCBS and Surviving Summer on Netflix, along with 100% Wolf: The Book of Hath and a Kangaroo Beach Summer Special, both for the ABC.

Screen Australia’s Head of Content Sally Caplan said, “We are proud to announce this impressive line-up of children’s titles as part of our ongoing commitment to supporting quality Australian screen stories for young audiences. It’s important that Australian kids can see their stories and experiences reflected on screen and families around the country will be in for a treat with these new projects. Northern Pictures are going from strength to strength – building on the success of Hardball, they are now set to bring popular book series Tom Weekly to the screen. We have Surviving Summer from the talented team at Werner Film Productions which is sure to captivate teens here and around the world, and fans of Kangaroo Beach and 100% Wolf will be delighted to see more of these entertaining stories coming to the ABC.”

Surviving Summer
10 x 30 mins
Werner Film Productions Pty Ltd.
Genre Drama
Directors Ben Chessell, Charlotte George, Sian Davies
Writers Josh Mapleston, Magda Wozniak, Keir Wilkins, Gemma Crofts, Kirsty Fisher
Producer Joanna Werner
Executive Producers Joanna Werner, Stuart Menzies
Broadcaster Netflix
International Sales ZDFE
Synopsis Brooklyn, USA. Great Ocean Road, Australia. Worlds apart. Thrown together. Surfing is the easy bit.

Tom Weekly Versus…
40 x 12 mins and 20 x 30 mins
Northern Pictures Pty Ltd
Genre Comedy, Family
Director TBC
Writers Guy Edmonds, Matt Zeremes, Amy Stewart, Kala Ellis, Erica Harrison, Nayuka Gorrie, Tristan Bancks, Penny Greenhalgh
Script Producer Fin Edquist
Producer Joe Weatherstone
Executive Producer Catherine Nebauer
Broadcaster ViacomCBS Australia
International Sales Viacom International
Synopsis Everything is true, except the stuff I make up. Based on the books by Tristan Bancks.

100% Wolf: The Book of Hath
26 x 22 mins
Flying Bark Productions Pty Ltd
Genre Comedy, Drama, Family
Director Jacquie Trowell
Writers Fin Edquist, Tess Meyer
Producers Barbara Stephen and Alexia Gates-Foale
Executive Producer Michael Bourchier
Broadcaster ABC
International Sales Paco Leadstar / Studio 100
Synopsis Starting with the appearance of a Polar Bear in the woods outside Howlington school and ending with the defeat of the terrifying Hath in 825AD, nothing is going to be easy for Freddy and his werewolf friends.

Kangaroo Beach Special
1 x 22 mins Summer Special, 4 x 1 min Mockumentary Shorts, 2 x 2 min Music Videos
Cheeky Little Media Pty Ltd
Genre Action adventure, Animation
Directors David Webster, Steve Moltzen, Stephanie Davidson
Writer & Creator Tim Bain
Producer Celine Goetz
Executive Producer Patrick Egerton
Platform ABC iview
Synopsis Welcome to sun-soaked Kangaroo Beach, summer home to best friends Pounce, Frizzy, Neville and Gemma, four super-keen cadets training to be junior lifeguards.