• Search Keywords

  • Year

  • Production Status

  • Genre

  • Co-production

  • SA Supported

  • First Nations Creative

  • Length

  • Technique

Funding Approvals
In the Archive
2017–2018 production funding

TV Drama | Children's TV Drama


JUNE 2018

MY LIFE IS MURDER
10 x 60mins
CJZ 
Genre Crime, Mystery, Drama
Producer Claire Tonkin
Executive Producers  Nick Murray, Lucy Lawless 
Director TBA
Writers Claire Tonkin, Peter Gawler, Jane Allen 
Broadcaster Ten
International Sales DCD Media Rights
Synopsis A cop show without a cop, My Life is Murder is a contemporary mystery series with a complex, charismatic and compelling investigator who can’t help fighting the good fight – whether it’s solving murders or combatting the small frustrations of daily life.

MS FISHER’S MODERN MURDER MYSTERIES
8 x 45 mins
Every Cloud Pty Ltd
Genre 
Drama
Producer Beth Frey
Executive Producers Fiona Eagger, Deborah Cox
Director Fiona Banks
Writers Deborah Cox, Samantha Winston, Chelsea Cassio, Jo Martino
Broadcaster Seven Network
International Sales All3 Media International
Synopsis It's 1964 and when the famous aunt she never knew goes missing over the highlands of New Guinea, the gorgeously reckless Peregrine Fisher inherits a windfall and must prove herself brilliant enough to become a world class Private Detective in her own right.

FIVE BEDROOMS
8 x 42mins
Hoodlum Entertainment
Genre 
Drama, Romantic Comedy
Producer Nathan Mayfield
Executive Producers Nathan Mayfield, Tracey Robertson
Writers Michael Lucas, Christine Bartlett 
Broadcaster Network Ten
Synopsis Five unlikely friends take a bold leap onto the property ladder by buying a house together.  It could be genius, it could be a disaster - but they're not putting their lives on hold any longer.

UPRIGHT
8 x 30mins
Lingo Pty Ltd
Genre 
Drama 
Producers Jason Stephens, Chris Taylor, Tim Minchin, Melissa Kelly
Executive Producers Helen Bowden, Penny Win, Tim Minchin
Director Matt Saville
Writers Chris Taylor, Tim Minchin, Kate Mulvany, Leon Ford
Broadcaster Foxtel
International Sales Entertainment One
Synopsis A down-and-out musician has to push a piano from one side of Australia to the other in order to honour his mother’s dying wish.

DOCTOR DOCTOR SERIES 3
Easy Tiger Productions Pty Ltd

Genre Comedy, Drama
Producer Ian Collie, Claudia Karvan, Tony McNamara
Directors Jennifer Leacey, Ben Chessell, Geoff Bennett, Lucy Gaffy, Ian Watson, Lisa Matthews
Writer Tony McNamara, Liz Doran, Tamara Asmar, Angela McDonald, Gretel Vella, Tim Lee
Broadcaster Nine Network
Synopsis The clock has run out on Doctor Hugh Knight’s (Rodger Corser) probation, leaving him free to return to the big smoke. But when tragedy strikes the Knight family, he’s going to find it harder than ever to leave the family farm.

BLOOM
6 x 60mins
Playmaker
Genre 
Drama
Producer Sue Seeary
Executive Producers Nick Forward, Rob Gibson, Glen Dolman, David Maher, David Taylor
Director John Curran
Writers Glen Dolman 
Broadcaster Stan
Synopsis One year after a devastating flood kills five locals in an idyllic country town, a mysterious new plant appears with the power to restore youth.

PLAYING FOR KEEPS
8 x 46mins
Screentime Pty Ltd
Genre Drama
Producers Kerrie Mainwaring, Paul Moloney
Directors Sian Davies, Tori Garrett, Scott Major
Writers Claire Phillips, Christine Bartlett, Ian Meadows, Ainslie Coulston
Broadcaster Network Ten
International Sales Screentime Commercial Pty Ltd
Synopsis In the male-dominated world of a football club the real power is with the women. In a fresh, contemporary voice this female-skewed, heightened, telenovela style drama takes no prisoners. Foregrounding five very different women, Playing for Keeps explores this unique world from their perspective. From the grand-stands and the locker rooms to the red carpets and the bedrooms. Is it infatuation or love, power or relevance? What makes these women tick? This is lifestyles of the rich and famous writ large. Bold, brassy, funny and dangerous.  Playing for Keeps will be addictive, must-see TV. When you fly high you sometimes feel the heat.

THE HUNT
4 x 54mins
Closer Productions Pty Ltd
Genre Drama 
Creators Sophie Hyde, Matthew Cormack
Producers Rebecca Summerton, Sophie Hyde 
Director Sophie Hyde
Writers Matthew Cormack, Niki Aken
Broadcaster SBS
International Sales DCD Media
Synopsis Two idealistic high school teachers discover students are sharing explicit photos of their underage friends and peers – a revelation that puts unbearable stress on the tightly woven lives of four teenagers and their families.

GET KRACK!N SEASON TWO
8 x 25mins
Guesswork Television Pty Ltd
Genre 
Comedy 
Producers 
Tamasin Simpkin, Antje Kulpe
Executive Producers Kevin Whyte, Kate McCartney, Kate McLennan
Director Hayden Guppy
Writers Kate McCartney, Kate McLennan
Broadcaster ABC
International Sales Guesswork Distribution
Synopsis Get Krack!n is the highly anticipated new series from the stars of The Katering Show (Australian TV’s all time most viewed digital series).

BAD MOTHERS
8 x 60mins
Jungle FTV Pty Ltd

Genre Drama
Producers Chloe Rickard, Steven Zanoksi
Executive Producers Rachel Lang, Chloe Rickard, Gavin Strawhan, Phil Lloyd, Steven Zanoksi
Writers Gavin Strawhan, Rachel Lang, Phil Lloyd, Sarah Walker, Tim Lee
Broadcaster Nine Network
Synopsis Bad Mothers is a fresh ensemble drama about four very different friends negotiating the perils and joys of being a modern mum: from parties to play dates, hangovers to homework, mishaps to murder.

APRIL 2018

THE BLAKE MYSTERIES
86mins
December Media Pty Ltd
Genre 
Drama, Mystery
Producer George Adams
Executive Producers Stuart Menzies, Tony Wright
Director Ian Barry
Writer Paul Jenner
Broadcaster Network Seven
International Sales ITV
Synopsis It’s been almost three years since we last saw Jean and a hell of a lot has happened in that time. Jean and Blake were married for only 18 months when Blake went missing. Since then Jean has taken on her husband’s mantle as, a solver of mysteries. Murder, mayhem and Jean Blake are a potent mix and anything can and will happen.

DECEMBER 2017

HOW TO STAY MARRIED
8 x 23mins
Princess Pictures Pty Ltd & PBL Entertainment Pty Ltd
Genre 
Comedy, Drama
Producer Jess Leslie
Executive Producers Andrea Denholm, Emma Fitzsimons
Director Natalie Bailey
Writers Peter Helliar, Nick Musgrove
Broadcaster Network Ten
AU/NZ Distributor Universal 
International Sales Guesswork Distribution Pty Ltd
Synopsis Greg & Em Butler have been married thirteen years and they’ve both got used to things just the way they are.  So how will they cope with a new job, an unexpected house guest, a redundancy and an experimental sex move?

ORANGE IS THE NEW BROWN
6 x 24mins
Screentime Pty Ltd
Genre
Comedy
Producer Jack Kain
Executive Producer Johnny Lowry
Director Hayden Guppy
Writers Nazeem Hussain, Joel Slack Smith, Sophie Braham, Richard Thorp, Penny Greenhalgh, Heidi Regan
Broadcaster Seven Network
International Sales Screentime Commercial
Synopsis Orange is the New Brown is a groundbreaking new series that turns the sketch comedy genre on its head. Featuring rising stars of local comedy as well as some special guests, the show will reflect contemporary Australian life using one-off sketches, original and recurring characters and TV parodies.

THE ROPES
4 x 51mins
Lingo Pictures Pty Ltd
Genre
Drama
Producers Helen Bowden, Courtney Wise
Executive Producer Jason Stephens
Director Shannon Murphy
Writers Tamara Asmar, Adam Todd, Ian Meadows
Broadcaster SBS
International Sales DCD Rights
Synopsis A young Iraqi-Australian woman tears apart her family and defies her community to chase her dream of becoming an elite women’s boxing trainer in The Ropes, a drama set in Sydney's western suburbs.

August 2017

DOCTOR DOCTOR SERIES 2 
10 x 46mins
Essential Media & Entertainment
Genre Comedy, Drama
Producers Ian Collie, Claudia Karvan, Tony McNamara 
Directors Ian Watson, Tori Garrett, Kriv Stenders, Lucy Gaffy, Ben Chessell 
Writers Tony McNamara, Angela McDonald, Liz Doran, Tamara Asmar 
Broadcaster Nine Network 
International Sales Fremantle International 
Synopsis As the sand slowly runs out on Hugh’s probation, the Knight family must decide whether their struggles will bring them closer together or tear them apart.

LAMBS OF GOD
2 x 120mins
Lingo Pictures Pty Ltd
Genre
Drama, Thriller, Mystery
Producers Jason Stephens, Sarah Lambert, Elisa Argenzio
Executive Producers Helen Bowden, Penny Win, Mark Fennessy, Carl Fennessy
Director Jeffrey Walker
Writer Sarah Lambert
Broadcaster Foxtel
International Sales Sky Vision
Synopsis Three eccentric, secluded nuns live on a remote island, forgotten by time and the Church - until a priest unwittingly happens upon them. Based on the book by Marele Day.

AUSTRALIAN GANGSTER
2 x 90mins
Roadshow Rough Diamond Pty Ltd

Genre Drama
Producers John Edwards, Dan Edwards
Directors Gregor Jordan, Fadia Abboud 
Writer Gregor Jordan 
Broadcaster Seven Network
International Sales Red Arrow International 
Synopsis Drug dealer, gangster, gym-junky, Lamborghini driver, husband, father, dickhead. Australian Gangster is a four hour TV mini series about the life and death of a new breed of Sydney criminal.
Production funding for this title was revoked in January 2018.

BACK IN VERY SMALL BUSINESS
8 x 27mins
Gristmill Pty Ltd
Genre
Comedy
Producers Wayne Hope, Robyn Butler
Executive Producers Wayne Hope, Robyn Butler, Greg Sitch, Rick Kalowski (ABC)
Director Robyn Butler
Writers Wayne Hope, Robyn Butler, Gary McCaffrie
Cast Wayne Hope, Kim Gyngell
Broadcaster ABC
International Sales Super Java Distribution
Synopsis An emotionally lost man seeks validation through his small business kingdom, but finds unexpected solace from his odd squad of employees.

BITE CLUB
8 x 44mins
Playmaker Media Pty Ltd
Genre
Drama, Thriller, Crime
Producer Sue Seeary
Executive Producers Sarah Smith, David Maher, David Taylor
Directors Jennifer Leacey, Wayne Blair, Geoff Bennett, Peter Andrikidis
Writers Sarah Smith, John Ridley
Broadcaster Nine Network
International Sales  Sony Pictures Television
Synopsis Two victims of the ultimate predator join forces to hunt killers and solve homicide mysteries on the land.

THE FAMILY LAW SERIES 3
6 x 26mins
Family Law Productions Pty Ltd, Matchbox Pictures Pty Ltd
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Producers Julie Eckersley, Sophie Miller
Directors Ben Chessell, Sophie Miller
Writers Kirsty Fisher, Benjamin Law
Broadcaster SBS
International Sales NBCUniversal
Synopsis In Series 3 of The Family Law, the Laws confront new realities about growing up – navigating the world of adult romance; defining what it means to become a man – with hilarity and horror in equal measure.

SANDO
6 x 27mins
Jungle
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Producer Chloe Rickard
Executive Producer Jason Burrows
Directors Van Vuuren Bros, Erin White 
Writers Phil Lloyd, Charlie Gerber, Helen Dallimore, Gary Eck, Tiffany Zahnal
Broadcaster ABC
International Sales Acorn Media Enterprises
Synopsis Charismatic retail mogul and serial bad mum ‘Sando’ moves back in with her estranged family in an effort to recapture their glory days in this tale of the prodigal parent. Created by Phil Lloyd and Charlie Garber. 

STREET SMART
8 x 30mins
CJZ
Genre
Comedy
Producer TBC
Executive Producers Damien Davis, Nick Murray, Paul Leadon
Director Damien Davis
Writers Mark O’Toole, Tahir Bilgic
Broadcaster Network Ten
Synopsis Street Smart are the most inept suburban crime gang in history, but despite spectacularly failing every time, they approach every heist with blind optimism.

Top

Children's TV Drama

JUNE 2018

COMPLETION FUNDING

SPONGO, FUZZ & JALAPENA
26 x 11mins 
Cheeky Little Media Pty Ltd
Genre 
Children’s, Animation
Producers Patrick Egerton, Isla Curtis 
Executive Producers Patrick Egerton, David Webster
Director David Webster 
Writers Bruce Griffiths, Tim Bain, Charlotte Rose-Hamlyn, Joel Slack-Smith, Bruce Griffiths, Cleon Prineas, Dan Mansour, Simon Dodd, Zoe Harrington, David Breen, Thomas Duncan-Watt
Broadcaster ABC
International Sales DHX International
Synopsis Three best buds, a town full of crazy contests and a friendship that breaks all the rules!

APRIL 2018

THE UNLISTED
15 x 26mins
Aquarius Films Pty Ltd
Genre 
Action adventure, Thriller, Drama
Producers Polly Staniford, Angie Fielder
Executive Producer / Creator Justine Flynn (Buster Productions)
Directors Rhys Graham, Corrie Chen
Writers Mithila Gupta, Timothy Lee, Tristram Baumber, Jane Allen, Greg Waters, Natesha Somasundaram, Chris Kunz, Nicholas Brown, Rhys Graham
Broadcaster ABC 
International Sales Sinking Ship
Synopsis Twelve-year-old identical twins Dru and Kal discover that the government is secretly tracking and manipulating Australia’s youth via electronic tracking devices. Together with a group of underground vigilante kids – The Unlisted – they must stop the evil authorities from creating an army of young soldiers who can be manipulated to serve the wealthiest citizens.

MARCH 2018

LITTLE J & BIG CUZ SERIES TWO
13 x 12mins
Ned Lander Media Pty Ltd
Genre 
Family
Producers Ned Lander, Co-producers Colin South, Alicia Rackett
Director Tony Thorne
Writers Dot West, Beck Cole, Jane Harrison, Nathan Maynard, Erica Glynn, Samuel Nuggin-Paynter, Ursula Yovich
Broadcasters NITV, ABC
International Sales Australian Children’s Television Foundation
Distributor (Educational) Australian Council for Educational Research 
Synopsis Little kids, big adventures - 5 year old Little J and his 9 year old cousin Big Cuz are a couple of lively Indigenous kids who live with their Nanna and their Old Dog.

HARDBALL
13 x 24mins
Northern Pictures Pty Ltd
Genre 
Comedy, Drama 
Series Producer Joe Weatherstone
Executive Producer Catherine Nebauer
Directors Darren Ashton, Kacie Anning, Fadia Abboud 
Writers Guy Edmonds, Matt Zeremes 
Broadcasters ABC
International Sales Australian Children’s Television Foundation
Synopsis Hardball is a live action comedy series that follows fish-out-of-water Mikey and his two misfit mates, Salwa and Jerry. Their goal? Make Mikey the sweetest-bestest-acest handball champ Western Sydney’s ever seen. He’s got the most powerful strike in the world, if only he could make the ball land in the right suburb!

100% WOLF
26 x 22mins
Flying Bark Productions
Genre 
Comedy, Drama
Producers Michael Bourchier, Barbara Stephen
Executive Producers Michael Bourchier, Barbara Stephen
Director Sergio Delfino, Jacquie Trowell
Writer Fin Edquist
Broadcasters ABC and Super RTL (Germany)
International Sales Studio 100 International
Synopsis Freddy Lupin is sent to Howlington Academy where he must prove he has the heart of a werewolf to earn a place in the prestigious Night Patrol... There’s just one problem. He’s a poodle. A pink one.

DECEMBER 2017

The InBESTigators (formally THE SCHOOGLE DETECTIVE AGENCY) 
20 x 30mins
Gristmill Pty Ltd
Genre 
Comedy, Mystery, Family
Producers Wayne Hope, Robyn Butler
Executive Producers Wayne Hope, Robyn Butler, Greg Sitch, Bernadette O’Mahony
Directors Wayne Hope, Robyn Butler
Writers Wayne Hope, Robyn Butler
Broadcasters ABC, Netflix
International Sales Australian Children’s Television Foundation
Synopsis Some eleven year olds wash dishes for pocket money, others solve crimes. Based on an original concept created by Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope.

MUSTANGS FC
13 x 24 mins
Matchbox Productions Pty Ltd
Genre 
Family, Comedy, Kids
Producers Amanda Higgs, Rachel Davis
Executive Producers Debbie Lee (Matchbox Pictures) and Jan Stradling (ABC)
Directors Corrie Chen, Roger Hodgman, Jess Harris, Ana Kokkinos
Writers Kirsty Fisher, Magda Wozniack, Shanti Gudgeon, Rae Earl, Alix Beane, Jonathan Gavin
Broadcaster ABC
International Sales NBCUniversal Distribution
Synopsis After getting to the finals last year but missing out on actually raising the trophy, the Mustangs are pumped and ready to get back in the game. Problem is – there’s a Ruby shaped hole in the team since she defected to the Wildcats, and it’s wobbling everyone. The girls don’t even know if they can win a single match without her, never mind the league cup.

August 2017

NOWHERE BOYS SERIES 4
13 x 26mins
Matchbox Productions Pty Ltd
Genre
Action-adventure, Children, Family
Producer Beth Frey
Executive Producers Tony Ayres, Michael McMahon
Directors Nicholas Verso (Eps 1-4), TBC (Eps 5 – 13)
Writers David Hannam, Marieke Hardy, Jessica Brookman, Beth King
Broadcaster ABC
International Sales NBCUniversal
Synopsis The Nowhere Boys have defeated the Mega-Demon, but now discover a more powerful force of chaos has been unleashed, and the Gang's unity is challenged as the future of the entire multiverse hangs in the balance.

SPONGO, FUZZ & JALAPEÑA
26 x 12mins
Cheeky Little Media Pty Ltd
Genre Comedy, Family
Producers Patrick Egerton, Isla Curtis
Executive Producers Patrick Egerton, David Webster
Director David Webster
Broadcaster ABC
Synopsis Three best buds, a town full of crazy contests and a friendship that breaks all the rules!

Disclaimer:  Screen Australia has undertaken all reasonable measures to ensure the accuracy of this information at time of publication. If you have any updates please email Drama Production.