NITV's new children's drama series Grace Beside Me currently in production
17July 2017
Media Release
Grace Beside Me (working title), a new 13-part children's television series which will premiere on NITV in 2018, has begun filming in the Scenic Rim in Queensland.
Adapted from the award-winning novel by Sue McPherson, Grace Beside Me is the charming story of Indigenous teenager Fuzzy Mac, who just wants to be an ordinary teenager and have fun with her mates. But that's not so easy when your Ancestors have other plans and you keep seeing ghosts!
With one foot in the Indigenous realm of culture, Country - and spirits! - and the other firmly planted in the world of a 21st century teenager, Fuzzy Mac's journey is to realise she belongs to both in her own unique way.
Starring as Fuzzy Mac is Kyliric Masella. Her co-stars include Mairehau Grace and Tjiirdm McGuire as her best buddies Tui and Yar, and Tessa Rose and Charles Passi as her Nan and Pop.
Lead broadcaster NITV has co-commissioned the series with ABC's children's channel ABC ME. Screen Australia is a major investor in the series, with Screen Queensland, ABC and Cutting Edge. Disney Channel has licensed the series in Australian and New Zealand, whilst the rest of world distribution is with Canada's 9Story Media Group. The Australian Children's Television Foundation, Screen Australia's Indigenous Department and Screen NSW also supported early development in the series.
Producers for the series are Lois Randall (Gods of Wheat Street) and Dena Curtis (8MMM Aboriginal Radio, Shadow Trackers), NITV executive producer is Mary-Ellen Mullane, ABC TV executive producer is Libbie Doherty, and directors are Lynn-Maree Danzey (A Place to Call Home, Love Child), Beck Cole (Here I Am, Black Comedy) and up and comer Nicholas Verso, whose first feature Boys In The Trees, was selected for the Venice Film Festival.
NITVs Channel Manager, Tanya Orman, said: We are delighted to introduce Fuzzy Mac to Australia's Indigenous children, as well as all children around the country. Grace Beside Me is a remarkable achievement for NITV, its funding partners and the Indigenous production community, notably, the exceptional team at Magpie Pictures. This is a very special opportunity and we look forward to adding a new dimension to this Australian Indigenous children's story.
Producers Lois Randall and Dena Curtis said: We are so thrilled to have begun filming with our diverse and exceptionally talented cast, and to see the adaptation of Sue McPherson's beautiful book coming to life on the screen.
ABC Television Head of Children's, Michael Carrington, said: We're excited to see this exceptional story being brought to life by Lois and Dena and their incredibly talented team at Magpie Pictures. Our ABC ME audience will be able to relate to the trials and tribulations Fuzzy faces as a teen while also exploring some aspects of Indigenous culture.
Screen Australia's Head of Production, Sally Caplan said: Grace Beside Me is a funny, uplifting coming-of-age story, with a wonderful script from some of Australia's most talented Indigenous screenwriters. We can't wait to see this unique live-action children's series brought to our screens by the accomplished all-female producing team at Magpie Pictures.
Screen Queensland CEO Tracey Vieira said Grace Beside Me was developed with investment from Screen Queensland as part its commitment to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander talent and strengthening the local industry.
Sue McPherson is an award-winning Queensland-based writer and it is encouraging to see her profile grow as part of this new series to be filmed in Queensland, Ms Vieira said.
Grace Beside Me will have its world premiere on NITV in January 2018, with the ABC ME broadcast set for mid-2018.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/08/2026
IPC Expands Brazilian Presence with New Channel Partner CCATech
Industry veterans Carlos Abrah o and Bruno Lopes strengthen local support and expand IPCs prese...
20/08/2026
Zixi Enters Mauritius Market Through Strategic Deployment with MTC Jockey Club
Worlds Oldest Horse Racing Club in the Southern Hemisphere Selects Zixis Softwar...
20/08/2026
LA JOLLA, CA-Scripps Research assistant professor Tiantian Liu has received a five-year NIAID DP2 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Di...
20/08/2026
Audiences reveal appetite for multicultural Australia on-screen 20 August 2026
Dr Georgie McClean, Dr Rebecca Huntley (L-R)
By Dr Georgie McClean and Dr Rebec...
20/08/2026
How Mavis Studio Is Expanding Live Production Teaching at Sussex
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image displays a student about to mix be...
20/08/2026
Vertical Unscripted Series Legal Queens Captured with Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton August 19, 2026
0 Comments
Reality TV veteran Eric Gardner create...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
NITV's new children's drama series Grace Beside Me currently in production
