Screen Australia today announced a $2.5 million investment in a diverse, innovative and unconventional slate of productions through its revised Multi-platform Drama Production program.The nine projects announced today are entertaining and original ideas from creative teams with the potential to reach global audiences, said Screen Australia's Chief Operating Officer Fiona Cameron.
"Our support for online storytelling and digital productions has been bolstered through additional funds of $10 million over four years, announced in the 2013/14 budget.
This support is critical to providing Australian storytellers with the scope to distribute programming innovatively in an interactive and online world," said Ms Cameron.
The projects include the new sci-fi thriller Airlock, from the producers of The Tunnel and Event Zero, Enzo Tedeschi and Julian Harvey. The series will be directed by Marc Furmie and distributed primarily using peer-to-peer file-sharing services.
Other projects to receive support include #7 Days Later, an interactive comedy series from a talented team who among them have realised The Strange Calls ABC multi-platform television series and the YouTube Beached Az and Bondi Hipster brands. Each week the audience will write a brief via social media for an all-new episode of #7 Days Later featuring a well-known guest-star, with an ensemble cast of YouTube celebrities such as Nick Boshier (Bondi Hipsters, Beached Az), Alex Williamson, John Luc (Mychonny), Theodore Saidden and Nathan Saidden (SuperWog1). Seven days later that week's episode will premiere across multiple platforms. The series is produced by Dave Jansen, Nick Boshier, Daley Pearson and Charlie Aspinwall with series producer Michelle Hardy, written by Daley Pearson and Nick Boshier and directed by Daley Pearson.
From director Tony Rogers (Wilfred and Rats and Cats) comes How to Talk Australians, a comedy web series set in a fictional call centre training college. Presenter Maharaji Srivistiva Davo and a coterie of Indian instructors deliver a satirical take on the Australian way of life. It is produced by Jason Byrne and written by Rob Hibbert.
Maximum Choppage is a highly original multi-platform TV comedy series produced for ABC2 by Sophie Miller and Julie Eckersley. It's the story of Simon Chan, a prodigal son who returns to his home town of Cabramatta under the lie that he has been trained as a Kung Fu master. The series is written by Lawrence Leung, Duncan Sarkies and Josh Mapleston, with executive producers Debbie Lee and Tony Ayres.
Hunter N Hornet is a comedy web series from producer/director/writer Sonny Vrebac about two wannabe pick up artists who lead lives devoid of women, but who are desperate to change that. It's produced by Oliver Wenn and stars Aljin Abella and Sonny Vrebac.
The Eventide is a multi-platform children's drama, centred around an original novel written by award-winning authors Matt Costello and Neil Richards about elemental beings who live unseen amongst us, but are divided in to two warring tribes. Produced by Joel Beath and directed by Ben Beath, The Eventide will utilise cutting edge digital technology and artistic and storytelling techniques to create an immersive multi-platform drama that is played out in both real and online worlds.
Set in the heart of western Sydneys vibrant multicultural communities, I Luv U But is a comedy web series with a difference from producer Megan McMurchy, director/writer Fadia Abboud and writer Peter Polites. It follows Lebanese Australians Sam and Mouna, who are married for convenience. Both gay, and having never come out to their parents, they are living a lie but they are living it up!
The Lost Tools of Henry Hoke is an interstitial series produced for the ABC by Julia de Roeper about an unsung Australian genius whose inventions, 50 years ahead of their time, could now revolutionise the modern world. It's written by Mark Thomson and directed by Robert Marchand.
AIRLOCK
Web series (sci-fi thriller)
Distracted Media
Producers Enzo Tedeschi, Julian Harvey
Directors Marc Furmie
Synopsis Jonah is tasked with what should be a routine investigation of a death on-board a ship that is docking with his space station. Jonah soon learns that the ship is actually a people-smuggling vessel, and that a strategic attack is being mounted on the space station. Jonah must overcome generations-old intergalactic prejudices in order to save those he can and warn humanity of the impending threat.
THE EVENTIDE
Multi-platform drama for tablet devices and PC
Loud&Clear
Producer Joel Beath
Director Ben Beath
Writers Matt Costello, Neil Richards
Synopsis The Eventide is a multi-platform drama for PC, iOS and Android devices, aimed at children 8-12 years of age. With an original novel written by award-winning authors Matt Costello and Neil Richards as the centrepiece, The Eventide utilises cutting edge digital technology and artistic and storytelling techniques to create an immersive multi-platform drama that is played out in both real and online worlds.
HOW TO TALK AUSTRALIANS
Web series (comedy)
Guilty
Producer Jason Byrne
Director Tony Rogers
Writer Rob Hibbert
Synopsis Presented in the format of an elaborate educational video, the series is set in a fictional call centre training college. From here, presenter Maharaji Srivistiva Davo and a coterie of Indian instructors deliver a satirical take on the Australian way of life. From the director of Wilfred and Rats and Cats.
HUNTER N HORNET
Web series/appisodes
iFodder Content Creators Pty Ltd
Producer/Writer/Director Sonny Vrebac
Producer Oliver Wenn
Cast Aljin Abella, Sonny Vrebac
Synopsis Two wannabe pick-up artists lead lives devoid of women, but they are desperate to change that. Their plans constantly go awry, as they dedicate themselves to perfecting dating scien
