11 11 2019 - Media release Screen Australia announces Story Development funding for 26 projects
Melissa Lee Speyer, Gemma Bird Matheson, Lynette Wallworth
Seven television dramas, nine online projects, nine feature films and a podcast will share in almost $900,000 of Story Development funding.
The slate includes the (alleged) return of the Leyland Brothers; the makers of Bluey turning their eye to live-action feature film; and the first podcast the agency has funded as a proof-of-concept device.
Nerida Moore, Screen Australia's Head of Development said, We're now into the second year of the Generate and Premium Story Development programs, and the industry is fully utilising the opportunity to develop film and episodic content at different budget levels. Bunya Productions made a compelling case to try podcast as a television development tool to explore story, build audiences and create revenue, so we're trialling a new format too.
With episodic content taking around two years to transition from development to production, and film being anywhere upwards of five years, it's essential we supply a pipeline of new talent and projects into the marketplace for financing, production and ultimately, audiences. To that end, I'm particularly pleased to see so many new names attached to applications, with over half of the successful Generate Fund applicants in this slate having never received Screen Australia development funding before.
The projects funded for development include
50 Shades of Black (Girl): A six-part online comedy which follows the perpetually anxious Hanna in the aftermath of being mistaken for Maya, a successful black musician, at a gig one evening. The experience sparks Hanna's curiosity as to what else she could get away with by pretending to be another person of colour. With the assistance of her best friend Bonnie, the two women embark on a journey that sees their lives entwine with a number of other women of colour. It s through this experiment that Hanna and Bonnie explore their connection to their identity as black women, and what it means to be black in Australia. This project is written and executive produced by Gemma Bird Matheson (The Housemate). It is produced by Lizzie Cater (Birdie), Ratidzo Mambo and executive produced by Alexandra Keddie (The Housemate).
Engineering Consciousness: A podcast from writer/director Lynette Wallworth (Awavena), which will investigate what happens to someone's consciousness when they face a near-death experience. Over two episodes Wallworth will interview a range of artists, scientists, neurologists and Indigenous leaders in order to understand new technologies and medical trials that are attempting to activate this psychological state in others. The podcast will be used to develop a television drama series on the same topic, and will be produced by Sophia Zachariou and Greer Simpkin of Bunya Productions, the award-winning production company behind Sweet Country and Mystery Road.
Kara, Infected: A 10-part vertical series for mobile which follows Kara who, after a deadly plague decimates Sydney, is quarantined at home with only her mobile phone and social media to keep her company. But soon Kara is forced to face the dangers that await her outside, all while the eyes of the world watch on. This science fiction thriller is co-created by producer Taylor Litton-Strain (Jade of Death) and writer/producer Wendy Hanna (Dumbotz).
Leyland Brothers: Monster Hunters: A 10-part fictional television series about what went on behind the scenes of the iconic Leyland Brothers' adventures across Australia. Mike and Mal Leyland brought the Australian landscape into lounge rooms across the country with their documentary series in the 1970s, and this new comedy will show the real story' of how the brothers hunted monsters in the Outback. This paranormal adventure is created, written and directed by Daina Reid (Romper Stomper, The Handmaid's Tale). Reid is joined by writers Christiaan and Connor Van Vuuren (Soul Mates), Kirsty Fisher (Laid), Kodie Bedford (Mystery Road) and producer Joanna Werner (Dance Academy).
Lucky Lee: A six-part detective comedy series centred on Maggie Lee, a Chinese-Australian millennial who is on her third gap year and has no life plan. When amateur detective and conman Charlie enters her life, Maggie teams up with him to search for her missing father. This project will be written by Niki Aken (The Hunting), Melissa Lee Speyer (Jadai The Broome Brawler), Lawrence Leung (The Family Law) and Tristram Baumber (The Unlisted). They are joined by associate producer and co-creator Ivy Mak (Sydney Sleuthers) and producers Rob Gibson (Bloom) and Ian Collie (Rake) of Easy Tiger Productions.
Petey: A science fiction comedy from Ludo Studio, the multi Emmy Award-winning production company behind Bluey and Robbie Hood (co-produced with Since 1788). This feature film centres on Petey who, 25 years after a childhood encounter with an alien, is reunited with his extra-terrestrial best friend. The alien has returned to earth with a lot of baggage, and he's ready to start a family. Spun from the world of Steven Spielberg's ET, this is the first feature from writer/director Daley Pearson and will poke fun at a generation obsessed with nostalgia. It will be executive produced by Charlie Aspinwall, Pearson and Nick Boshier.
Tales from the United Nonsense: An eight-part television series following the tragi-comic adventures of Australian woman Janey Resnik, posted to South Asia on her first UN assignment in the politically charged years following 9/11. She is thrown in the deep end of the strange, exhilarating world of development aid and gets caught up in a love triangle of her own making. Aided by her acute case of white saviour hero complex, Janey is on a mission to save the world. This
Asia, Australia & Oceanic Stories
28/01/2020
26 01 2020 - Media release AFI announces Screen Australia Onbass 2020 fellow
AFI Screen Australia Onbass recipient Eleanora Steiner
The American Film Institu...
28/01/2020
28 01 2020 - Media release Eight Australian projects selected to screen at Berlinale
H is for Happiness (Photo credit David Dare Parker)
Eight Australian pro...
28/01/2020
28 01 2020 - Media release Screen Australia and Snapchat to develop two scripted series
Snap Original Two Sides created by Australian filmmaker Hannah Lehmann...
23/01/2020
Watch All 51 UEFA Euro 2020 Matches in 4K UHD on Astro. FREE when you subscribe to Sports Pack now!
Date Released:23 Jan 2020
Share
Tweet
Football fans w...
22/01/2020
RAAGA volunteers carry disabled up Batu Caves
Date Released:22 Jan 2020
Share
Tweet
In collaboration with NGO, Tamilan Uthavum Karangal (Tamilan Helping Ha...
22/01/2020
22 01 2020 - Media release Screen Australia greenlights $3.5 million for 5 projects
amazing Grace
Nude retreats, marine poachers and hot-tempered chefs Scr...
21/01/2020
21 01 2020 - Media release CEO's 2019 Year in Review and 2020 Preview
The Australian Dream, Parked, Ride Like A Girl
Today the Motion Picture Distributor...
19/01/2020
TOKYO Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502) announced today that Masaharu Kamo, a f...
17/01/2020
TOKYO--Toshiba Corporation (Tokyo: 6502) today announced that the English edition of the Toshiba Group Corporate Social Responsibility Report 2019 (hereinafter ...
17/01/2020
NHNZ wins at Asian Television Awards January 17, 2020
NHNZ took home two awards at the recent Asian Television Awards including, Best Natural History or W...
14/01/2020
Astro celebrates Pongal with exciting content for customers
Date Released:14 Jan 2020
Share
Tweet
Kuala Lumpur, 14 January 2020 - Astro customers can enj...
10/01/2020
ASTRO SHAW'S AWARD-WINNING THE GARDEN OF EVENING MISTS' DEBUTS IN CINEMAS ON 16 JAN 2020
Date Released:10 Jan 2020
Share
Tweet
First Malaysian f...
10/01/2020
Automation of paper form data entry through OCR and RPA
KDDI Corporation
J...
07/01/2020
SAN MATEO, Calif., January 6, 2020 - Following another year of successful holida...
21/12/2019
Astro offers new pop-up channel, K-Mania, for the best of K-pop entertainment
Date Released:20 Dec 2019
Share
Tweet
K-Mania (CH 390) will be available fr...
21/12/2019
Introducing the Astro Chinese New Year 2020 Campaign
Date Released:10 Dec 2019
Share
Tweet
8 special rewards for the manifestation of Good Fortune
Astro...
19/12/2019
Brand-New Game Show Allunggal Vellunggal on Vaanavil
Date Released:19 Dec 2019
Share
Tweet
, 18 2019 - ...
17/12/2019
Condominium Residents can now Upgrade their Centralised Satellite Infrastructure for FREE to enjoy 4K UHD on Astro Ultra Box
Date Released:17 Dec 2019
Shar...
13/12/2019
Techtel is pleased to announce the appointment of Grant Simms to the role of Sof...
11/12/2019
11 12 2019 - Media release Two Australian projects selected for Sundance Film Festival
Robyn Nevin as Edna in Relic (Photo: Jackson Finter)
Australian featur...
11/12/2019
11 12 2019 - Media release Screen Australia announces $1.9 million for 11 documentaries
Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson (Photo: Fran Moore)
Screen Australia has ...
05/12/2019
ASTRO Q3FY20 PATAMI UP 11% TO RM171mn
Date Released:05 Dec 2019
Share
Tweet
Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad | Result highlights for the third quarter of the...
05/12/2019
05 12 2019 - Media release Screen Australia congratulates 2019 AACTA Award recipients
Deborah Mailman at the 2019 AACTA Awards (Photo: Brent Lewin, 2019 Getty...
29/11/2019
Enjoy 30Mbps Broadband and Astro at RM 99
Date Released:29 Nov 2019
Share
Tweet
Astro & Broadband now has a special offer - 30Mbps internet broadband wit...
29/11/2019
KYOCERA Corporation
KDDI CORPORATION
Japan Airlines Co., Ltd.
INAMORI FOUNDAT...
28/11/2019
Astro Sahut Seruan FINAS, Bantu Artis Veteran Kembali Beraksi
Date Released:28 Nov 2019
Share
Tweet
Demi menyahut saranan Perbadanan Kemajuan Filem Nasio...
28/11/2019
TOKYO Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502) today held the Toshiba Group FY2019 Technology Strategy Briefing, where it unveiled the strategy and technologies that w...
27/11/2019
27 11 2019 - Media release The magical adventure returns with The Bureau of Magical Things season 2
The Bureau of Magical Things
ZDF Enterprises, Screen Quee...
27/11/2019
27 11 2019 - Media release Alternate green lit for South Australian production
Ali Mueller, Anthony Garland, Anita Gou, Anna Vincent
South Australian Film Co...
26/11/2019
26 11 2019 - Media release SBS and Screen Australia announce Digital Originals projects
Digital Originals participants with Anna Dokoza and Ryan O'Connell...
25/11/2019
Astro Tawarkan Diskaun Eksklusif 50% Bagi Coding Camp' Bersama Ciy Club Sempena Cuti Sekolah Ini!
Date Released:21 Nov 2019
Share
Tweet
Program kese...
23/11/2019
Sydney, Australia, 22 November 2019 - Techtel, Australia's leading broadcast...
20/11/2019
Strim lebih 9,000 video untuk kanak-kanak di Astro GO
Date Released:20 Nov 2019
Share
Tweet
Media Pack
Sempena musim cuti persekolahan ini, Astro menyaj...
19/11/2019
Take home cash prizes with the SYOK 15K Giveaway
Date Released:19 Nov 2019
Share
Tweet
All Malaysians can stand a chance to take home cash prizes from a ...
19/11/2019
19 11 2019 - Media release New drama series New Gold Mountain announced
Peter Cox, Benjamin Law and Yolanda Ramke
SBS and Screen Australia are thrilled to an...
18/11/2019
Astro Kasih Provides Better Vision for School Students
Date Released:18 Nov 2019
Share
Tweet
Over 200 students from schools in the remote areas of Sabah ...
18/11/2019
Wildlife Rescue premieres on Choice TV November 13, 2019
We are delighted to announce we have delivered a five-part series following the life-saving work ...
13/11/2019
Enjoy the New Astro Experience with 4K UHD, Cloud Recording and Fresh Interface
Date Released:13 Nov 2019
Share
Tweet
Enjoy the New Astro Experience
wit...
13/11/2019
13 11 2019 - Media release Star-studded lineup announced for Bloom season 2
Phoebe Tonkin, Bryan Brown
Stan, Screen Australia and Film Victoria today announc...
13/11/2019
13 11 2019 - Media release Applications open for Bunya Talent Indigenous Hub LA
Mystery Road season two, produced by Bunya Productions for the ABC
The Bunya ...
13/11/2019
13 11 2019 - Media release Screen Australia announces 2019 Developing the Developer participants
Moreblessing Maturure, Ratidzo Mambo, Taryne Laffar
Screen A...
11/11/2019
11 11 2019 - Media release Screen Australia announces Story Development funding for 26 projects
Melissa Lee Speyer, Gemma Bird Matheson, Lynette Wallworth
Se...
07/11/2019
07 11 2019 - Media release Craig Reucassel to present two new documentaries in 2020
Craig Reucassel
Presenter, prankster and passionate advocate, Craig Reuca...
07/11/2019
07 11 2019 - Media release Shaun Micallef explores drinking culture in new documentary
Shaun Micallef's On The Sauce
ABC and Screen Australia today annou...
07/11/2019
Astro is iQIYI's 1st App Partner outside China
Date Released:06 Nov 2019
Share
Tweet
Astro and iQIYI launch iQIYI App, making Malaysia, the first mar...
06/11/2019
Toshiba Corporation
Toshiba Digital Solutions Corporation
Toshiba Corporation ...
06/11/2019
Tokyo Toshiba Corporation (Tokyo: 6502) announced today that Toshiba Group has joined Open Invention Network (OIN) as a community member.
OIN is a community th...
04/11/2019
LITE breast cancer awareness campaign culminates with Shaz's Breast Cancer Fight Club
Date Released:04 Nov 2019
Share
Tweet
Organised in conjunction ...
02/11/2019
RAAGA Deepavali Specials - Deepavali Donation Drive
Date Released:01 Nov 2019
Share
Tweet
-
...
11 11 2019 - Media release Screen Australia announces Story Development funding for 26 projects 
