ABC signs production partnership with South Australian Film Corporation

ABC has announced a new screen production partnership with the South Australian Film Corporation.

The ABC SAFC Content Pipeline Fund will commit $5.2m over three years to an ABC-specific fund designed to boost screen industry development and job creation in South Australia. Up to 460 jobs are expected to be created.

ABC Managing Director David Anderson said, “We’re delighted that the South Australian Film Corporation is partnering with the ABC in this joint-initiative to generate exciting new South Australian-based projects for the ABC.

“The collaboration will provide South Australia with a pipeline of quality television production and deliver finance certainty over the three years.”

South Australia’s Premier, Peter Malinauskas said, “For more than fifty years, the South Australian Film Corporation has been telling our stories – putting South Australians in the spotlight, and ensuring our lives, culture and experiences are reflected to us at home, around the nation and overseas.

“Beyond the cultural benefits, this $5.2 million investment in our screen sector will deliver more than 400 production jobs and even more flow-on jobs right here in South Australia.”

Jennifer Collins, the ABC’s Acting Director of Entertainment & Specialist said: “This initiative is about supporting Australian creatives telling distinctly Australian stories and we’re proud to back South Australia’s screen industry to build upon its past successes in producing world-class content across drama, narrative comedy, children’s and factual.

“We’re excited to stimulate the South Australian screen industry with a matched development fund, together with the South Australian Film Corporation.

“We’re also in the early stages of planning an ABC Roadshow with our content commissioners and local producers in South Australia.”

The Content Pipeline Fund is set to start immediately, with a new series of children’s show Beep and Mort the from Windmill Pictures.

South Australian Film Corporation CEO, Kate Croser added, “South Australia’s screen industry is poised to deliver exciting new South Australian based projects and high-quality content by South Australian creatives to ABC TV and ABC iview.

“The recent success of original ABC series from South Australia, Closer Productions’ Aftertaste, Epic Films and KOJO Studios’ First Day and now Windmill Theatre’s Beep and Mort, as well as SA filmed children’s series MaveriX, have paved the way for this consistent stream of production, and demonstrate the capacity of creativity to drive cultural and economic outcomes.”

ABC Head of Children’s Libbie Doherty says, “Australians have fallen in love with these two beautiful characters Beep and Mort and embraced this breakout series that is distinctly quirky and charming in equal measure. Every generation needs its own puppet series and we are delighted to be bringing more of Beep and Mort to audiences later this year. We’re proud to work alongside Kaye and Rosemary at Windmill and grateful to our funding partners, SAFC, Screen Australia and ABC Commercial who are instrumental in delivering this first class, engaging show for children all over the world to enjoy. We’re also delighted that Sky UK has acquired the series for its recently launched channel Sky Kids, and anticipate that audiences in the UK will love it as much as we do.”

It will screen later this year.