News

Netflix Format ‘Flinch’ Heads To Russia

Netflix’s Jackass-style non-scripted format Flinch is to be remade for Russia’s Ctc following a deal struck with Sony Pictures Television. Produced by Sony-backed Stellify Media, the original show, which aired for one series in 2019, is set on a remote farm in the hills of Ireland where brave and foolish contestants gather to test their nerve in three games, abiding by one rule only: “Do not flinch.” If they flinch, there are painful consequences, both for the contestants, and for hosts Desiree Burch, Lloyd Griffiths and Seann Walsh. Sony-backed Russian company Lean-m will produce the adaptation, which is being hosted in a barn by Mikhail Galustyan, Artur Babich and Valya Karnaval under the name Не Дрогни / Ne Drogn (Don’t Flinch!).

‘Man In The High Castle’ And ‘Medici’ Exec Joins Mopar

The Man In The High Castle and Medici exec Sharon Remmer...

Production has begun in Sydney on the television drama “After the Verdict,” with Michelle Lim Davidson and Tess Haubrich joining the cast.

The six-part series follows four people who have just finished jury duty on a high-profile murder trial. As they return to normal life, they begin to question their verdict and take matters into their own hands, investigating the murder themselves.

The show was created, written and executive produced by Subtext Pictures’ Ellie Beaumont and Drew Proffitt. The completed series will premiere on the 9Network in Australia with Entertainment One (eOne) handling international sales. The production also received major investment from federal body Screen Australia in association with region screen agency Screen Nsw.

Lim Davidson (“The Newsreader”) and Haubrich (“Wolf Creek”) join the previously announced Sullivan Stapleton, Magda Szubanski and Lincoln Younes in the show’s main cast. Other roles go to Virginia Gay (“Judy and Punch”), Emma Diaz...

Nine has unveiled dramas Underbelly: Vanishing Act and After the Verdict as part of its 2022 slate, with the network emphasising its “strong investment” in the genre at its upfronts today.

The series join Eq Media Group’s real estate docu-drama Buying Byron, ITV Studios Australia’s prison ob-doc series Australia Behind Bars, Southern Pictures and Orange Entertainment Co’s Missing Persons Investigation, and The Full Box’s Million Dollar Murders as the new titles announced for next year.

The virtual event included the cast announcement of Screentime’s Underbelly: Vanishing Act, which tells the story of Melissa Caddick, the high-roller who allegedly embezzled over $40 million before disappearing.

The series stars Kate Atkinson as Melissa Caddick, alongside Colin Friels, Tai Hara, Maya Stange, Ursula Mills, and Sophie Bloom.

Underbelly: Vanishing Act is produced by Kerrie Mainwaring and Matt Ford, who is also writing alongside Michael Miller, with Geoff Bennett directing.

Subtext...

Maria Angelico, Lydia Rui Huang, Sarinah Masukor.

Screen Australia today announced funding for 15 Enterprise People talent opportunities and one Enterprise Business & Ideas project, with all to share in over $480,000.

The Enterprise Business & Ideas program allows an Australian entity to apply for funding to develop and deliver an innovative screen business proposal, hire a company placement and/or access business-building services, while the Enterprise People strand allows both emerging and experienced creatives to apply for funding for a domestic or international career placement, and/or other professional development opportunities.

Screen Australia head of development Nerida Moore said: “We’re excited to support a wide range of bespoke career development opportunities through Enterprise People, including a number of substantial international opportunities. As the screen industry becomes increasingly global, we were pleased that creatives are exploring ways to make connections in the Australian, European and North American markets, building industry knowledge with the...

Natesha Somasundaram.

Growing up in Parramatta as the daughter of South Asian parents, Natesha Somasundaram never saw people like her on television.

She blames that invisibility for making it tough to develop a sense of her own identity – until she started writing for a living several years ago.

Her Sri Lankan Tamil parents emigrated to Australia in the late 1980s to escape the country’s civil war. “We grew up in a predominantly white area and I was the only person of colour at my school level,” she tells If.

“I had a very difficult time navigating my identity. I decided I never wanted to be associated with Sri Lanka or its culture. I shut that out of my system until the past couple of years as a writer when I reconnected with my culture.”

Intending initially to be an actor, she did a Bachelor of Performing Arts degree at Monash University,...

Sundance TV and its direct-to-consumer Svod service, Sundance Now, revealed highlights of their fall lineups today at the Television Critics Assn. press tour.

Sundance TV Highlights:

Deutschland 86 (Season 2 premiere; 10 episodes)

Thursday, October 25th at 12a Et / 11p C

Created by Anna Winger and Jörg Winger, Deutschland 86 follows Martin Rauch (Jonas Nay), his Aunt Lenora (Maria Schrader) and their colleagues at the East German foreign intelligence agency (Hva). Long banished to Africa for his sins in 1983, Martin Rauch is called back into the field. Dark deals and a dangerous mission lead him to South Africa, Angola, Libya, Paris, West Berlin, and finally back to East Berlin, where he must make a decision.

The first season of the series (Deutschland 83) won an International Emmy, a Peabody Award, an Adolf Grimme Award and a Golden Camera award in Germany. Jonas Nay was honored with the 2016 Golden Nymph for Best Actor at the Festival de Television in Monte Carlo,...

Svod service Sundance Now has picked up Australian drama Dead Lucky starring Six Feet Under and Brothers & Sisters star Rachel Griffiths from distributor Drg.

The AMC Networks-backed streaming service will air the four-part drama in the Us, Canada, the UK, Ireland and German speaking territories in Europe. The series is complex thriller about two feuding detectives hunting a cop killer who is leaving a trail of broken lives across Sydney. Grace and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny star Yoson An and The Bronx Bull’s Mojean Aria star alongside Griffiths.

The series is produced by fledgling Australian producer Subtext Pictures, set up by House Husbands and Water Rats producers Ellie Beaumont and Drew Proffitt. The show, which has been backed by Screen Australia and Create Nsw, will air on Australian public broadcaster Sbs in July. The show was picked up by Aurelie de Troyer, VP of global acquisitions and co-productions,...

Shane Jacobson in 'Kenny', written and directed by brother Clayton. The two will join forces again on 'Sibling Rivalry'.

The brothers behind Kenny,.Shane and Clayton Jacobson, are set to reunite for a new film, black comedy Sibling Rivalry..

The feature is one of four film projects and seven television dramas supported by Screen Australia in its latest $8.8 million funding round..

The pair will co-star in the film, which revolves around two brothers who, with their mother at death.s door, go to extreme lengths to protect their inheritance.

Clayton will direct the film and produce along with Jason Byrne (Sucker, How to Talk Australians). The script has been penned by Jamie Browne (The Mule, Secret Daughter, Please Like Me), with Tait Brady (The BBQ, Little Acorns, Healing) and Julia Adams (Mako Mermaids,The Day My Butt Went Psycho) executive producing..

Among the other projects funded...

Indiana Evans and Justine Clarke have joined the cast of the fourth season of Playmaker Media.s House Husbands, now shooting in Melbourne.

Evans (Secrets & Lies, Janet King) is playing Tash, a single mother new to Melbourne who ignites a tumultuous love triangle. Clarke is Eve, the hot-headed tuckshop lady who competes with the catering business run by Kane (Gyton Grantley).

Also new to the cast are Akos Armont (Winter, Janet King) as the charming and ambitious Dr Saxon, whose presence creates tension within the hospital, and Jane Kennedy as Belinda, the resident Director of Medical Services.

Returning regulars include Lewis (Gary Sweet), Justin (Firass Dirani), Mark (Rhys Muldoon), Gemma (Julia Morris), Abi (Natalie Saleeba), Alex (Darren McMullen) and Miss Looby (Louise Siversen). Mark.s controlling boss Rachel, played by Jane Allsop in season one, makes a fiery comeback . Also returning from season one to cause trouble is Rodney (Nicholas Coghlan...

Sony Pictures Television has bought Playmaker Media, arguably Australia.s hottest indie drama producer with four shows commissioned by free-to-air networks.

Former Fox Television Studios production executives David Maher and David Taylor, who founded Playmaker in 2009, will remain at the helm under a 5-year deal.

Earlier this year it.s believed Playmaker attracted the attention of other multi-nationals including Shine, but no deal eventuated.

Interviewed last week, Taylor told If, .When people kick the tyres we will always have a chat.. Today he said, .We have been talking to Sony for a while. We liked what they had to say and it.s a good opportunity..

One asset is that future Playmaker Media productions will be routed via Spt.s global distribution machine.

Historically the producers have dealt with Dcd Rights, All3 Media International, Zdf Enterprises and ITV Studios Global Entertainment after a first-look deal with Fremantle Media Enterprises elapsed.

James Stewart, Kate Jenkinson, Lincoln Younes and Olivia DeJonge will play a family that.s forced to enter a witness protection program in Hiding, an eight-part drama for the ABC.

Created and written by Matt Ford, the Playmaker Media series starts shooting in Sydney on Monday and will later location on the Gold Coast.

Hiding was developed through Screen Australia.s Scribe showrunner development initiative and is backed by Screen Australia, Screen Nsw and Screen Queensland.

Playmaker Media.s David Taylor told If the Scribe program has been so successful, helping to spawn House Husbands (Drew Proffitt), The Code (Shelly Birse) and Love Child (Sarah Lambert), the company will continue to run Scribe sessions, with another to be held later this year.

While the premise of a family forced to move to a strange city is similar to the Us series The Riches, Taylor said Ford got the idea from...

The Nine Network.s drama House Husbands is being remade in France and Italy.

The French version of the Playmaker Media series co-created by Ellie Beaumont and Drew Proffitt will be produced by Paris-based Made in Pm.

The Italian remake will be produced by Rome-based Publispei. Both companies will adapt the scripts of the first season.

Neither has yet been sold to a broadcaster, although Made in Pm produces drama for the channels TF1 and France2. The format deals were negotiated by Zdf Enterprises.

Playmaker Media.s David Maher said, .'The rise of the stay at home dad is obviously happening everywhere and it's great when a warm, funny and relatable Aussie drama like House Husbands resonates internationally..

Andy Ryan, Nine.s co-head of drama, said, .We are thrilled to be exporting the House Husbands format to such competitive TV markets. Just like Australian viewers, the French and Italian networks...

Channel Nine series House Husbands has begun shooting season two this week in Melbourne. Starring Firass Dirani, Gary Sweet, Gyton Grantley and Rhys Muldoon, the series, created by Ellie Beaumont and Drew Proffitt, follows four stay-at-home dads and their families. Debuting on September 2, 2012, the first episode of House Husbands averaged a record-breaking 1.376 million viewers. It was announced House Husbands was renewed for a second season on 23 September 2012. Returning to the series alongside the men are Julia Morris, Natalie Saleeba, Tim Campbell and Leah de Neise, plus Anna McGahan and Georgia Flood.

There will also be a number of new cast members joining the team, including guests Craig McLachlan (Rescue: Special Ops), Madeline West (Underbelly), Geraldine Turner (Home and Away) and Rick Donald (Underbelly: Razor). Heads of Drama for the Nine Network, Jo Rooney and Andy Ryan, said: .We are thrilled to have House Husbands returning for a second season. .With...

Hollywood-based, Australian writer and executive producer of the NCIS franchise Shane Brennan will return to Australia to continue his involvement in Playmakers’ Scribe Showrunner Initiative.

The announcement:

Australian screenwriter and producer Shane Brennan is back in Australia to continue his involvement in Playmakers’ Scribe Showrunner Initiative for 2012.

Scribe was launched in 2011 with the support of Screen Australia’s Enterprise Program.

Inaugural participants Matt Ford (Panic at Rock Island, Slide) and Shelly Birse (Lockie Leonard, Wildside) are both currently in broadcaster funded development on their own Scribe projects.

Another Scribe success story is the newly announced Nine Network series, House Husbands, co-created by Drew Proffitt and Ellie Beaumont.

House Husbands is a 10 part drama series about four Australian families with one thing in common: the men are in charge of raising the kids.

Filming commenced in Melbourne this week.

In the next few weeks, Shane Brennan will mentor three of the...

Australian production company Playmaker and the Nine Network have announced the cast of new series House Husbands.

The 10 part series about stay-at-home dads is due to begin production at the end of the month.

The series is produced by Slide’s Sue Seeary and Lockie Leonard’s Drew Proffitt and created by Proffitt and Ellie Beaumont and directed by The Great Mint Swindle’s Geoff Bennett and Offspring’s Shirley Barrett.

The cast includes Gary Sweet of Rescue Special Ops, Rhys Muldoon of Lockie Leonard, Gyton Grantley of Underbelly and Firass Dirani of Underbelly: Golden Mile as well as Celebrity Apprentice’s Julia Morris, Underbelly: Razor’s Anna McGahan and Winners and Losers’ Natalie Saleeba.

Executive producers are Nine’s Jo Rooney and Andy Ryan and Playmaker’s David Maher and David Taylor.

House Husband’s received funding from Screen Australia two weeks ago.

Kat Stewart

Shaun Micallef

A new FremantleMedia Australia production is one of four new television dramas receiving support from Screen Australia.

Produced by Andy Walker and Jason Stephens with Stephens executive producing, the 13-part, hour series Mr & Mrs Murder will air on Ten.

A murder mystery series, Mr & Mrs Murder follows Nicole and Charlie, a married couple who run an extreme cleaning business, specialising in crime scenes, solving the crimes before the police.

The synopsis reads “Armed with wit, smarts and the invisibility that cleaning brings, the duo solve the crimes the cops can’t in a murder mystery with a smile.”

Shaun Micallef of Talkin ‘Bout Your Generation and Newstopia co-created the series with Stephens.

Stephens told Encore: “We’ve found a tone that is not absurd at all, its quite grounded and real.”

Stephens said Micallef, who will play Charlie, alongside Kat Stewart of Offspring and Tangled as Nicole,...

Screen Australia has invested $5.6 million across four TV projects, including a comedy series for Nine, an ABC telemovie and two shows for Network Ten.

Nine's House Husbands tells the story of four modern Australian families through the eyes of stay at home dads. The ten-part series is produced by Sue Seeary and Drew Proffitt and will be directed by Geoff Bennett and Shirley Barrett. The show's stable of seven writers includes Griff the Invisible screenwriter Leon Ford.

After being commissioned by the ABC last October, Essential Media & Entertainment's adaptation of Peter Temple's novel The Broken Shore has also received funding. The adaptation is written by Andrew Knight, directed by Jeffrey Walker and produced by Ian Collie. It follows big-city detective Joe Cashin as he discovers that all may not be as it appears in a quiet coastal town.

FremantleMedia is producing Mr & Mrs Murder for Ten. The 13-part series...