News

The Coral Doc Set For September Theatrical Bow In UK

Exclusive: Dreaming of You: The Making of The Coral will begin a run at select theaters in the UK on September 12. The doc, about the journey of the British rock band, is going out through Sony Music Vision and J6 Films, with previews beginning on September 5. The film premiered at the Sheffield Doc/Fest last month. Directed by James Slater and narrated by members of the Merseyside band, the film includes reconstruction, archive footage and animation to capture the The Coral’s rise in the early 2000s, when they were teenagers at the start of a journey building their own escapist universe. The band came up in the post-Britpop era with a brand of psychedelic rock ‘n’ roll, scoring hits such as ‘Dreaming of You’, ‘Pass it On’ and ‘In the Morning’. “If you’re going to tell the story of The Coral,...

Australia’s Ludo Studio is expanding its live-action slate with “Allen,” now shooting in Queensland for Netflix as the company’s first locally-produced feature film.

The Emmy and BAFTA-winning Brisbane-based studio behind global phenomenon “Bluey” has begun principal photography on the family film, adding to its growing live-action portfolio. While best known for its animated content, the studio has been strategically diversifying its output in recent years.

“Allen” reunites creator Jeffrey Walker with Netflix after his recent limited series “Apple Cider Vinegar.” Pearson, who previously worked on horror hit “Talk to Me” and animated series “The Strange Chores,” is co-directing with Daley Pearson (“The Artful Dodger”). The duo is working from a script by Pearson and Sophie Miller, who collaborated on Ludo’s recent crime drama “Thou Shalt Not Steal.”

Set against Queensland’s coastal backdrop, the film explores themes of childhood friendship and nostalgia — territory that should feel familiar...

Voice Growing Louder

“I Can See Your Voice,” the mystery music show which has been a hit format for South Korea’s Cj Enm, will strike a new chord with its 30th local adaptation set for Singapore.

The show in which guests have to identify whether the contestants are genuinely talented singers or bad singers based solely on lip-syncing and body language, is set to be adapted by public broadcaster Mediacorp. The aim is to eliminate the poor singers while identifying the talented ones to emerge as the winner.

It has previously been given local editions in countries including the U.S., the U.K, Germany, France, Thailand and the Philippines.

“[The adapted show is] set to bring our audiences weeks of family-friendly, dynamic entertainment. Beyond the excitement and suspense that comes with game shows, fans can also look forward to the unique showcase of raw performing talent beyond conventional singing abilities,” said Mediacorp’s chief content officer,...

Exclusive: LA-based management firm Grandview has promoted Delaney Morris to manager.

Morris joined Grandview in 2018 as an assistant, and prior to that was an assistant at Verve. Her roster of clients includes Zenzele Price (Apple’s WeCrashed), Krystle Drew (Apple’s Home Before Dark), Mk Malone (Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why), Ariana Quiñónez (CW’s Roswell, New Mexico) and Sophie Miller (Love The One You’re With at QCode).

Morris said: “I’m incredibly excited and proud to have the opportunity to keep building a talented and varied roster of voices with something special to say. Grandview has fostered my growth from day one and I’m eager to continue working alongside so many passionate colleagues and creators.”

The Grandview Partners commented: “Delaney has been such a valued member of Grandview since the day she joined us, and we have watched her grow from strength to strength. We look forward to continuing to grow together,...

Meg O’Connell.

Thanks to Screen Queensland’s Enterprise Funding, Meg O’Connell is adding two execs at her banner Unless Pictures to help drive her slate and grow the business.

One new hire is her frequent collaborator, producer Jackson Lapsley Scott. The other, yet to be chosen, will be a development producer.

The producer/creator/writer is teaming up again with writer Anna Barnes on vertical murder mystery series Apollo under the Snapchat and Screen Australia joint initiative.

O’Connell and Barnes were among the creatives behind the Ludo Studio/ABC iview comedy Content and the ABC’s Retrograde.

Set at an exclusive boarding school for children of the elite, Apollo will be a co-production between Unless Pictures and Kurt Royan and Dan Lake’s Orange Entertainment.

The plot revolves around the murder of the class president, which leads to a spate of killings. A student turned private detective investigates...

Pallavi Sharda, Ilai Swindells and Maria Angelico.

The ABC has ordered a six-part narrative comedy from Unless Pictures and Orange Entertainment centred on Covid-19 isolation, due to start filming – remotely – this month before airing in July.

Titled Retrograde, the series follows the lives of a group of 30-something friends, as they drown their sorrows at a ‘virtual bar’ during the pandemic. It will star Pallavi Sharda, Ilai Swindells, Maria Angelico, Esther Hannaford and Nick Boshier, with guest star Ronny Chieng.

The cast will film from their respective locations, activated by remote technical operators and working with an overarching technical director, as they record a group video chat that forms the central storyline. In addition to the main eps, there will be extended digital content to deepen audience engagement.

The full synopsis: “Gemma is about to embark on an exciting career in Korea when Covid-19 crashes her farewell party. Faster than...

The Family Law.

Sbs has announced today that a second season of The Family Law is in production. Filming will begin in Queensland later this year, and the series will air in 2017. Written and created by Benjamin Law, and based on his memoir of the same name, The Family Law is a coming-of-age story told through the eyes of teenager Benjamin as he navigates growing up amidst the chaos of his hilarious, heart-warming and dysfunctional family. In season two, Benjamin and the Laws are excited to explore fresh careers, fresh ambitions, even fresh romances. Series creator Law said that one of the most satisfying things about season one was seeing how many audience members — Asian and non-Asian Australian alike — felt their own families were finally reflected back at them. .We.re excited to be putting a 90 per cent Asian-Australian cast on TV again, and picking right up from where we left the Laws.

Kung fu, karaoke and comedy are just some of the ingredients that make up Maximum Choppage, a new 6 x 30 min comedy series from Matchbox Pictures. Starring Lawrence Leung, Jason Chong and Stephanie Son, Maximum Choppage sees Simon Chan (Leung) return to his hometown of Cabramatta after studying at a legendary martial arts school in Beijing. At least, that.s what his mother thinks, and has been telling everybody who will listen. In reality Simon has been studying Marshall.s Art School, in Melbourne . which becomes a bit of a problem when he finds out the entire town expects him to fight the gangs that have been ruling the Cabramatta streets. Producer Sophie Miller tells If that it was a mixture of kung fu, comedy and the Cabramatta setting that drew her to project originally. .I was working in development at Matchbox at the time and was in the initial pitch meeting,...

Screen Australia announced today it will invest nearly $10.7 million in 11 television and film projects which will trigger production worth almost $59 million.

In one of the most hotly contested funding rounds, six features succeeded. They include Wayne Blair.s romantic comedy Ali.s Wedding; Joe Cinque.s Consolation, a thriller about a troubled law student who tries to kill her boyfriend, from director Sotiris Dounoukos, whose A Single Body won best short at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Cameron and Colin Cairnes. horror movie Scare Campaign.

The other three are Taboo, the narrative feature debut of documentary filmmakers Bentley Dean and Martin Butler; Rachel Perkins. murder mystery Jasper Jones, based on the novel and play by Craig Silvey, adapted by Shaun Grant;. and Greg Mclean.s true-life thriller Jungle.

The TV projects are Shine Australia.s Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door for the Seven Network; a Jack...

Sbs has commissioned a 6-part series based on Benjamin Law's novel about growing up as a Chinese Australian in a small town on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Sbs MD Michael Ebeid announced the project, Family Law, at today.s Screen Forever conference while assuring producers he did not expect the looming government budget cuts would force the broadcaster to reduce spending on content. Ebeid said Screen Australia agreed to fund the series at Sunday.s board meeting and that 90% of the cast would be Asian. Matchbox Pictures. Tony Ayres and Debbie Lee will serve as executive producers and Sophie Miller and Julie Eckersley will produce the 6 x 30 series based on Law.s novel The Family Law;. casting is about to start. According to media reports, the ABC and Sbs both facing funding cuts of $200 million- $300 million. Ebeid knows exactly how much the Sbs will lose but can.t pre-empt the announcement by Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Tickets are selling fast for the 46th Annual Awgie Awards, to be held in Melbourne on October 4.

To be hosted by writer, comedian and singer Sammy J, the ceremony will honour the achievements made by Australian writers for performance. The Awgie Awards are the only Australian awards judged solely by writers on the basis of the script . the writer's intention . rather than the finished production.

"The Awgies are the highlight of the year for us and a unique chance to celebrate the oft-unsung but stellar work created by Australian writers of the script," says Awg.s President and Academy Award nominee Jan Sardi..

.It.s a night that really just celebrates the importance of story and storytelling. And that.s what sets us apart from other animals in the end, the ability to tell stories..

Sardi says the slate of nominated work is once again a strong one.

.It.s...

Screen Australia has added another funding round for its Short Film Completion Fund.

Film-makers can apply for up to $40,000 in post-production costs in order to complete their short film.

The additional round may cheer the film-making community following December’s news that the national screen agency’s feature fund had dried up for the financial year.

On the importance of short films, Martha Coleman, Screen Australia’s head of development said: “Short films are hugely important in raising filmmakers’ profiles in the industry and provide an essential stepping-stone in a professional career path. Our completion fund recognises the passion, talent and ambition of new Australian talent who are getting out there by whatever means they have to tell their stories.”

Writer-director Neil Triffett with producer Lee Matthews has received $40,000 to complete their short, Emo (The Musical), a musical comedy which tells the story of an unlikely high school romance between...

The Melbourne International Film Festival (Miff) Award for best Australian short was awarded to Sophie Miller.s Spine at Melbourne.s Greater Union Cinema.

Spine deals with Nick, a young quadriplegic who witnesses a violent crime. The award came with a handsome cash prize of $7000 contributed by Film Victoria with Miller and producer Sheila Jayadev on hand to accept the award.

Judges included local filmmaker Genevieve Bailey, renowned Radio National film critic Julie Rigg and musician and record producer Mick Harvey, who presented the Film Victoria Erwin Rado Award for Best Australian Short Film.

Miff, which is regarded as one of the premier short-film competitions in the southern hemisphere, gives filmmakers from home and abroad the opportunity to win seven prizes valued at $42,000 in total.

Another Aussie to win an award was Melbourne-based filmmaker Rudolf Fitzgerald-Leondard, who won the Swinburne Award for Emerging Australian Filmmaker for his film Kin, which...

Through its Short Film Completion Fund, Screen Australia has announced $133,000 in support for four short film productions.

Writer/director Alexandra Schepisi (One Night), also star of The Eye of the Storm and daughter to its director Fred Schepisi, will receive funding for her short Lois, produced by Rachel Higgins. The film stars Jacki Weaver.

Writer/director Sophie Miller (Half Windsor) has received finance for film Spine, starring Snowtown’s Lucas Pittaway, produced by Sheila Jayadex and executive produced by Prue Williams. Spine is the story of a paraplegic.

Also receiving financing is Strange Face, written and directed by Lynne Vincent McCarthy and produced by Samantha Jennings, exploring the world of a socially awkward girl who’s looking for a friend.

Writer/Director Scott Pickett’s The One who Broke Your Heart, also written by Luke Tierney, and produced by Bruce Dawson and Lawrence Lim examines a person revisiting a past relationship.