
13 10 2022 - Media release Spooktacular' new series The Spooky Files commissioned by ABC and BBC
(From top left): Guy Edmonds, Matt Zeremes, Paul Watters, Andrea Denholm, Tony Ayres
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) are excited to announce the co-commission of The Spooky Files, a new comedy series from Tony Ayres Productions (TAP) and Megaboom Pictures, the teams behind breakout successes, Nowhere Boys and Hardball. The series is financed with major production investment from Screen Australia and support from VicScreen.
Created by International Emmy award winning writers and directors Guy Edmonds and Matt Zeremes, the 10 x 24 min series is a fun, spooky, adventure-filled look at the universal experience of childhood fears. With an irresistible blend of contemporary characters and retro delights from the 80s and 90s, The Spooky Files will appeal to today s savvy audience who love a big mystery, lots of laughs and just the right amount of scary!
Guy Edmonds & Matt Zeremes are the lead writers and the series is produced by Paul Watters with Executive Producers, Tony Ayres and Andrea Denholm for TAP, which is part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group.
Production is expected to commence in early November 2022, shooting in Victoria. It will air on ABC ME in 2023 and in the UK on CBBC and BBC iPlayer.
Libbie Doherty, ABC Head of Children's, said We're enormously proud to revisit our creative alliance with the BBC to partner with industry leading creatives from Tony Ayres Productions. This brilliant Australian creative team has another hilarious hit on their hands that demonstrates their understanding of the tween audience, their humour, their hang-ups and how to squeeze the funny out of every moment on screen. We know this one is going to be BIG! A huge thank you to Screen Australia and VicScreen for their dedication in supporting Australian productions and supporting the ABC to deliver exceptional quality Children's content to Aussie kids.
Andrea Denholm, Executive Producer, Tony Ayres Productions (TAP), said, "When Guy and Matt brought The Spooky Files to TAP at concept stage, we jumped at the chance to work with this incredibly talented team. From the creators of Hardball and the creator of Nowhere Boys, The Spooky Files is filled with humour, heart, mystery and is destined to find a huge and loyal audience. We are thrilled to have the support of ABC ME, CBBC and Universal International Studios in bringing this delightful series to children all over the world.
Grainne Brunsdon, Screen Australia's Head of Content said, It's vital that Australian children can see themselves reflected on screen, and we are pleased to support this exciting new series that will represent the diversity of the Australian playground. The team behind the widely loved Hardball have proven their ability to connect with young viewers around the world, and The Spooky Files is a fresh, clever comedy that is set to entertain and thrill audiences on ABC and BBC.
Patricia Hidalgo, BBC s Director Children's and Education, said, We are really excited to team up with ABC Australia, a renowned broadcaster with creativity that we admire. This is a great opportunity for us to forge a new working relationship with ABC that will result in brilliant new content for our audience and we look forward to bringing The Spooky Files to CBBC next year.
Victorian Minister for Creative Industries, Steve Dimopoulos, said, Through our $191.5 million VicScreen strategy we're attracting more local productions than ever before, creating more jobs and supporting more businesses. Victoria offers some of the most exceptional filming destinations coupled with a dynamic and driven workforce, providing production companies with compelling opportunities to shoot within Victoria.
Production Credits: The Spooky Files is a Tony Ayres Productions (TAP) and Megaboom Pictures production for ABC ME and BBC. Major production investment from Screen Australia in association with the ABC. Financed with support from VicScreen and BBC. NBCUniversal Global Distribution will manage international sales. TAP is part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group.
MEDIA ENQUIRIES Oge Ike, Marketing Communications Specialist
0447 614 379 | [email protected]
Media enquiries Maddie Walsh | Publicist
61 2 8113 5915 | 61 400 156 625 | [email protected]
Lidia Williams | Senior Publicist
61 2 8113 1091 | 61 468 784 170 | [email protected]
All other general/non-media enquiries
Sydney 61 2 8113 5800 | Melbourne 61 3 8682 1900 | [email protected]
More from Screen Aus
03/02/2023
03 02 2023 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce new drama In Our Blood
Actors Oscar Leal and Tim Draxl from In Our Blood.
As Australia gets read...
02/02/2023
02 02 2023 - Media release Screen Australia announces $2.2 million in funding for 11 online projects
Miss Ink: The Documentary Series
Screen Australia has an...
24/01/2023
24 01 2023 - Media release Eight Australian projects bound for Berlinale 2023 wi...
23/01/2023
23 01 2023 - Media release Aussie feature A Savage Christmas filming now in Queensland
Writer/director Madeleine Dyer on the set of A Savage Christmas
Produc...
20/12/2022
20 12 2022 - Media release Screen Australia announces $1.2 million of development funding
Just Chidi Things (L-R): Ana Tiwary, Chika Ikogwe, Rose Byrne.
Scr...
15/12/2022
15 12 2022 - Media release Six Australian screenwriters selected for the NCIS: S...
08/12/2022
08 12 2022 - Media release Four Australian films selected for Sundance Film Festival 2023
Noora Niasari's Shayda
Four Australian feature films will scree...
08/12/2022
08 12 2022 - Media release Screen Australia's Enterprise program returns in 2023
Sophie Hyde, Closer Productions
Screen Australia is pleased to announce ...
07/12/2022
07 12 2022 - Media release P-Plate comedy returns with Christmas special
Dylan Hesp in A Very Street Racer Christmas
Screen Australia and One Stone Pictures ...
07/12/2022
07 12 2022 - Media release Cameras set to wrap on Warwick Thorntons The New Boy
Aswan Reid on the set of The New Boy Photo by Ben King
Award-winning First ...
05/12/2022
05 12 2022 - Media release PARAMOUNT ANNOUNCES CAST OF THE APPLETON LADIES' POTATO RACE
Claire van der Boom
Claire van der Boom (Blacklight, Palm Beach)...
24/11/2022
24 11 2022 - Media release ABC announces Better Date Than Never
Better Date Than Never
Screen Australia and the ABC are thrilled to announce Better Date Tha...
24/11/2022
24 11 2022 - Media release ABC UNVEILS BOLD NEW DRAMA HOUSE OF GODS
House of Gods co-creator and writer Osamah Sami
Screen Australia and the ABC are pleased ...
24/11/2022
24 11 2022 - Media release Matt Okine and Denise Scott starring in reimagining of Mother and Son
Mother and Son's Matt Okine (Arthur) and Denise Scott (Ma...
22/11/2022
22 11 2022 - Media release Screen Australia and AIDC announce Fresh Cuts Documentary Pitch Initiative
Fresh Cuts Documenatry Pitch Initiative
Screen Australi...
21/11/2022
21 11 2022 - Media release Screen Australia and Australian Writers Guild announce The Creators initiative
The Creators initiative
Screen Australia and the A...
15/11/2022
15 11 2022 - Media release Screen Australia, NZ On Air and TikTok announce Every Voice 2022 recipients
(New Zealand Creatives L-R): Sonya Milford, Sherry Zhan...
10/11/2022
10 11 2022 - Media release Drama Report 2021/22: Record $2.29 billion spent on d...
02/11/2022
02 11 2022 - Media release SBS commissions bold new Australian drama anthology Erotic Stories
Top (L-R) Niki Aken, Tamara Asmar, Alistair Baldwin, Christine B...
28/10/2022
28 10 2022 - Media release Six screen creatives announced for Emerging Writers' Incubator initiative
Top (L-R) Skye Leon, Patrick Hogan, Aven Yap
Bottom ...
14/10/2022
14 10 2022 - Media release Instagram and Screen Australia announce recipients of...
13/10/2022
13 10 2022 - Media release Spooktacular' new series The Spooky Files commissioned by ABC and BBC
(From top left): Guy Edmonds, Matt Zeremes, Paul Watters...
27/09/2022
27 09 2022 - Media release Nine Australian writers set to accelerate their proje...
27/09/2022
27 09 2022 - Media release New drama series Prosper announced for Stan
Lingo Pictures Jason Stephens and Helen Bowden
Stan and Lionsgate have commissioned th...
26/09/2022
26 09 2022 - Media release Screen Australia launches NCIS: Sydney Script Department Program
Image of Sydney Skyline / Shutterstock
Screen Australia has today...
14/09/2022
14 09 2022 - Media release New drama Human Error greenlit for 9Network
Writers Gregor Jordan, Greg Haddrick and Samantha Winston
Screen Australia and 9Networ...
12/09/2022
12 09 2022 - Media release $900k available for online creators to Skip Ahead
Documentary Bad River funded through Skip Ahead.
Applications are now open for t...
07/09/2022
07 09 2022 - Media release Applications open for Screen Australia's Games: Expansion Pack fund
Bits & Bops
Screen Australia has announced the Games: Expa...
06/09/2022
19 07 2022 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $4 million for 30 gam...
01/09/2022
01 09 2022 - Media release Four new documentaries announced for Stans Revealed strand
Danielle Laidley
Stan and Screen Australia today announced four brand n...
31/08/2022
31 08 2022 - Media release Screen Australia announces $12 million of production funding for 9 projects
Total Control
Screen Australia has announced four feat...
30/08/2022
30 08 2022 - Media release Untapped 2022 Participants Announced
Travis Akbar, AP Pobjoy, Alex Wu, Natasha Henry, Michael Hudson, Gina Song
Australians in Fil...
26/08/2022
26 08 2022 - Media release Screen Australia announces Talent USA: New York recipients 2022
Vonne Patiag, Beck Cole, Ren e Webster
Screen Australia has announ...
25/08/2022
25 08 2022 - Media release Aunty Donna serves up their first narrative comedy series for ABC
Aunty Donna
The ABC and Screen Australia are thrilled to announ...
18/08/2022
18 08 2022 - Media release Five Australian projects selected for Toronto International Film Festival 2022
Blueback
Screen Australia congratulates the creativ...
17/08/2022
17 08 2022 - Media release Screen Australia announces $4 million of production funding for 13 documentaries
Rob Collins, The First Inventors
The Australian O...
15/08/2022
15 08 2022 - Media release Screen Australia announces $1 million of story develo...
03/08/2022
03 08 2022 - Media release Screen Australia announces $2 million funding for 9 online projects
Ginger & the Vegesaurs series 2
Screen Australia has announced...
21/07/2022
21 07 2022 - Media release Screen Australia provides $4.4 million to local festi...
19/07/2022
19 07 2022 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $4 million for 31 gam...
18/07/2022
18 07 2022 - Media release Production is underway as ABC ME is set to Turn Up The Volume
L-R: Elaine King as Ginger, Mira Russo as Breeze, Ayiana Ncube as Jam...
28/06/2022
28 06 2022 - Media release Screen Australia, NZ On Air and TikTok announce the r...
21/06/2022
21 06 2022 - Media release Impact Australia returns to Melbourne
Impact Founders Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Tyler Mitchell
The highly coveted screenwriter acc...
14/06/2022
14 06 2022 - Media release AFI announces 2022 Screen Australia-AAA-Onbass Fellow
The AFI Conservatory, Julia Corcoran
The American Film Institute (AFI) has a...
30/05/2022
30 05 2022 - Media release Comedy, crime, coming of age among this year's Digital Originals contenders
Digital Original series A Beginner's Guide to G...
27/05/2022
27 05 2022 - Media release Loss and laughs collide in new ABC series Limbo
Writers Lucas Taylor and Tamara Asmar
Ghosts, grief, loss and laughs will collide ...
23/05/2022
23 05 2022 - Media release Noora Niasaris feature film debut Shayda announced
Writer/director Noora Niasari (Photo credit: Sherwin Akbarzadeh)
From a unique ...
18/05/2022
18 05 2022 - Media release Eric Bana and the team behind box office hit The Dry return for Force of Nature
The Dry
Made Up Stories, Screen Australia and VicS...
10/05/2022
10 05 2022 - Media release Screen Australia announces $5.5 million of production funding for eight projects
Online series No Ordinary Love
Screen Australia h...
26/04/2022
26 04 2022 - Media release SBS Emerging Writers' Incubator returns for Australian screenwriters
2021 writers (top L-R) Sebastian Chan, L le Teoman, Nichol...