
26 07 2021 - Media release Screen Australia announces development funding for 28 drama projects
Comedy duo Hot Department are developing online series HOME
Screen Australia has announced 12 feature films, 13 television dramas and three online projects will share in $975,000 of Story Development funding.
The projects include a television series inspired by the 1999 film Two Hands from director Gregor Jordan, and a family feature film from the producers of Bluey called Staycation.
Screen Australia's Head of Development Nerida Moore said, Screen Australia is really proud to be supporting this impressive mix of projects. This includes fresh genre-bending comedies HOME and Our Haunt, and beautiful romantic drama 10 Moments that will bring together 10 chapters from a great team of exciting creative voices. It's also wonderful to support more children's content with Big Serious Studios' Goo Zoo set to invite children into the world of microbiology as part of the company's aims to deliver more STEM content for kids.
This slate is the final development funding awarded in the 2020/21 financial year. During this period Screen Australia received 397 Story Development applications across the Premium and Generate Funds. In the last 12 months, Screen Australia has provided funds to a total of 83 projects out of a pool of 387 projects that were creatively assessed. This included 45 through the Generate Fund for lower budget projects, and 36 through the Premium Fund for higher budget projects from established creators. There were also two projects funded through the Premium Plus Fund for critical late-stage development funding to high-budget projects with firm market interest that were impacted by COVID-19 (note this fund closed in July 2020).
Moore continued, One year on it's great to see the success of projects that we were able to support during the initial impacts of COVID-19 through our Premium Plus Fund, including The Newsreader which is set to air on the ABC next month and New Gold Mountain which is coming to SBS later this year.
The latest projects funded for development include:
10 Moments: An anthology feature film telling the love story of Chris and Ben, two very different men who have a special connection. Ten key moments, from when they first meet through the years that follow, will be brought to the screen by 10 different writer/directors across a range of genres. The creative team currently includes writer/directors Neil Triffett (EMO The Musical), Roger Monk (The Unusual Suspects), Adrian Chiarella (Black Lips) and Brendon McDonall (The Dam). The film will be produced by Michael McMahon (Cut Snake) and Mat Govoni (Lone Wolf) and executive produced by Tony Ayres (Clickbait).
Goo Zoo: A 26-part animated children's series set in a petri dish, in a world populated by microbes. Following the fun and wacky adventures of Tina the Amoeba, this television series from Big Serious Studios will bring to life an amazing microscopic world. Goo Zoo will be directed by Charlotte Rose Hamlyn (Kangaroo Beach) and David Peers (Happy Feet 2). Hamlyn will also write alongside Bruce Griffiths (Spongo, Fuzz & Jalapena), Maria Lewis and Roshelle Fong, with ARIA Award-winning band Art Vs Science lending their musical talents. The series will be produced by Katrina Peers (Legend of the Guardians).
HOME: An eight-part series written by Patrick Durnan Silva and Honor Wolff of award-winning comedy duo Hot Department (featured on At Home Alone Together). HOME is a comedy series inspired by the classic 90's sitcom, set in an absurd and elastic universe. Whiplashing through a mixture of odd, horrendous and hilarious scenarios and characters, The Funkles nuclear family is pushed to the verge of implosion. HOME will be directed by Hot Department director Liam Fitzgibbon, and executive produced by Jono Mastrippolito (A Life in Questions: Wisdom School with Aaron Chen).
Our Haunt: An eight-part television series about a hapless couple who buy an old Surry Hills terrace to do it up, but instead find their haunted house wants to do them in. Unable to afford to leave, they re forced to become bumbling investigators of the previous occupants murders - flashing back to the counter-culture 70s and razor-gang 20s. This horror-dramedy series will be written, directed and produced by Daniel Reisinger whose 2018 series Sideswiped, featuring the likes of Jason Sudeikis, has gained over 50 million views online. The creative team also features writer/directors Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke whose credits include Haunting Of Bly Manor and Cargo, as well as Romina Accurso (The Heights).
Remembrance: An interactive virtual reality (VR) project that will allow audiences to explore the memories of a shell-shocked World War I veteran, in a quest to find the source of his repressed trauma. This project sees writer/director Anna Brady team up again with producer Lester Francois, whose 2018 VR project RONE screened at South By Southwest Festival and Cannes NEXT.
Staycation: A family feature film from the producers of Bluey which follows the dysfunctional Moore family, whose dream holiday is cancelled so they try to survive their summer break at home on a staycation'. Tempted by the luxuries of the rich Smith family across the road, they begin living at their neighbours' house and impersonating the Smiths. But they soon discover the other family are under witness protection. The creative team features writer/director Daley Pearson (Bluey), writers Donick Cary (Parks and Recreation) and Kim Huffman Cary, and producer Charlie Aspinwall (Bluey).
Two Hands (working title): An action-charged comic revenge thriller for television inspired by Gregor Jordan's 1999 feature film of the same name. Writer/director Jordan (Ned Kelly) is developing the series with writers Melissa Bubnic (Shameless
Asia, Australia & Oceanic Stories
30/06/2025
SBS On Demand boosts global news offering with launch of France 24 FAST Channel
30 June, 2025
Media releases
SBS is expanding its international news offeri...
27/06/2025
27 06 2025 - Media release Game, set, action! Screen Australia and ABC announce new mini-series Goolagong
Marton Csokas and Lila McGuire of Goolagong. Image c...
26/06/2025
Buckle up for Great Australian Road Trips launching 31 July on SBS and SBS On De...
20/06/2025
Hit, run, oh sh#t: NITV and SBS get RECKLESS with filming underway in Western Au...
13/06/2025
Pure Drama and Fierce Rivalries set to dominate the world's most iconic spor...
12/06/2025
50 Years Strong: SBS and NITV Supercharge NAIDOC Week 2025 in a joint 50th celeb...
06/06/2025
06 06 2025 - Media release Award-Winning TV Creators Richard Gadd, Sally Wainwri...
03/06/2025
Stories of love, loyalty and self-discovery among six shortlisted Digital Origin...
28/05/2025
SBS celebrates 50 years of reflecting a diverse and contemporary Australia
28 May, 2025
Media releases
Marking 50 years of broadcasting on 9 June 2025, SBS...
28/05/2025
ABS and Verticloud announce a Strategic Partnership to accelerate Digital Transf...
22/05/2025
SBS and Screen Australia showcase the next wave of Australian storytellers with ...
22/05/2025
Rune Pedersen unpacks How Humans Talk in new SBS Audio podcast
22 May, 2025
Media releases
Ever caught yourself using baby talk with your pet and wondered ...
19/05/2025
Eurovision delivers strong Total TV audiences for SBS, dazzling more than 2.21 m...
16/05/2025
Proper Loved Up Stage One Recipients Announced
16 May, 2025
Media releases
Screen Australia's First Nations Department, the Australian Broadcasting Cor...
15/05/2025
Australia's boldest network SBS launches new brand campaign: We Go There...
15/05/2025
We Go There SBS On Demand's new Hub is entirely bold and unmistakably SBS
15 May, 2025
Media releases
The We Go There Hub brings together over 300 ti...
14/05/2025
ABS and SpaceBridge to Join Forces to Strengthen Managed Services Across Europe,...
13/05/2025
Alone Australia Season 3: The Reunion
13 May, 2025
Media releases
As the latest season nears its end, SBS's hit series brings full cast together for re...
13/05/2025
Teletimes interviews ABS CEO, Mark Rigolle...
12/05/2025
And They're Off! The Pure Drama of the Cycling Grand Tours Continues on SBS,...
12/05/2025
10 05 2025 - Media release Australian Filmmaker Lucy Mckendrick Set For Directin...
07/05/2025
SBS and NITV mark National Reconciliation Week with compelling premieres recogni...
07/05/2025
SBS commences search for a new Western Sydney production hub location
7 May, 2025
Media releases
SBS has today launched a Request for Expressions of Intere...
02/05/2025
SBS On Demand achieves stellar month on the back of Alone Australia and The Hand...
01/05/2025
01 05 2025 - Media release Screen Australia empowers 100 distinctive Australian narratives
All The Boys Are Here writer/director Goran Stolevski and It s All...
30/04/2025
Slam poet Huda the Goddess wins 2025 Les Murray Award
30 April, 2025
Media releases
Australia for UNHCR and SBS are proud to announce that Huda Fadlelmawla...
30/04/2025
SBS, NITV and NIDA partner to empower the next generation of screen creatives
30 April, 2025
Media releases
SBS, National Indigenous Television (NITV) and ...
23/04/2025
We heard that you could use a little pick-me-up, so get ready to sh-sh-shake it ...
22/04/2025
McAvaney takes the lead for SBS' Coverage of the World Athletics Championshi...
16/04/2025
Finalists announced! Five stand-out brands shortlisted for SBS Media's Susta...
15/04/2025
Claudia Karvan, Tom Gleeson, and Mark Coles Smith join in the adventure of a lif...
15/04/2025
SBS and Volleyball World sign landmark deal for Beach Volleyball World Champions...
14/04/2025
SBS becomes first Australian broadcaster to have near-and long-term carbon reduc...
11/04/2025
Isn't that Insightful? Kumi Taguchi dives deeper into Insight's taboo to...
09/04/2025
SBS On Demand partners with Euronews to extend network news offering
9 April, 2025
Media releases
SBS is expanding its international news offering with the...
09/04/2025
SBS announces TV's hottest new couple, Tony Armstrong and Courtney Act, as E...
09/04/2025
09 04 2025 - Media release Screen Australia and ACTF Kids IP Incubator Initiative enters next phase
Kids IP Incubator recipients in Melbourne for the workshop...
07/04/2025
Olympic Gold medallist and World Time Trial Champion Grace Brown joins SBS comme...
07/04/2025
Female focus: New season of Living Black highlights women in Federal Election ye...
07/04/2025
SBS News' Cost of Living Secrets podcast returns to tackle one of the key is...
04/04/2025
SBS announces initiatives to provide all Australians with trusted news and infor...
01/04/2025
01 04 2025 - Media release Bus Stop Films' first feature Boss Cat to begin production in June
Boss Cat cast (L-R): Olivia Hargroder, Penny Downie and Juli...
31/03/2025
Ready, set, Party Time!' SBS News empowers young voters with a new politica...
28/03/2025
Marion Grasby's Flavours of Heart & Home is a celebration of culture and fam...
28/03/2025
SBS delivers Federal Election news to Australians in over 60 languages
28 March, 2025
Media releases
As Australia heads to the polls on 3 May, Australia...
26/03/2025
The Secret DNA of Us premieres 17 April
20 March, 2025
Media releases
Family secrets, royal relationships and hidden histories revealed What would you disc...
24/03/2025
ABS further Strengthens Leadership Team with Appointment of Matthieu Boutrolle a...
19/03/2025
NITV and Cricket Australia elevate First Nations sport with National Indigenous ...
19/03/2025
Yumi Stynes wants older women to be SEEN' as SBS podcast returns
19 March, 2025
Media releases
Feminist icon Yumi Stynes shines a spotlight on trailbl...