Exclusive: The team behind Binge’s newly-crowned biggest original, Strife, are headed back to the writers’ room.
The drama series — from Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers and Anatomy of a Scandal producer Made Up Stories in partnership with Fifth Season — has quickly usurped Colin From Accounts as Binge’s best-performing original for its first day and first week, according to the Foxtel-owned Australian streamer. The writing team, led by Sarah Scheller (The Letdown), are now reteaming to pen scripts for a second season.
The show stars Asher Keddie (Nine Perfect Strangers, Offspring) as imperfect, modern woman and magazine publisher Evelyn Jones, following her journey from lounge room blogger to becoming a force in women’s media. It launched on Binge on December 6.
In an interview with Deadline last year, Alison Hurbert-Burns, Executive Director for Binge and Foxtel Group Content and Commissioning, described the series as “the story of...
The drama series — from Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers and Anatomy of a Scandal producer Made Up Stories in partnership with Fifth Season — has quickly usurped Colin From Accounts as Binge’s best-performing original for its first day and first week, according to the Foxtel-owned Australian streamer. The writing team, led by Sarah Scheller (The Letdown), are now reteaming to pen scripts for a second season.
The show stars Asher Keddie (Nine Perfect Strangers, Offspring) as imperfect, modern woman and magazine publisher Evelyn Jones, following her journey from lounge room blogger to becoming a force in women’s media. It launched on Binge on December 6.
In an interview with Deadline last year, Alison Hurbert-Burns, Executive Director for Binge and Foxtel Group Content and Commissioning, described the series as “the story of...
- 1/12/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Alison Bell with Sarah Scheller at Charlie’s (Photo: Costa Vakas).
Victorian College of the Arts (Vca) film and television alumni will have the opportunity to work in Los Angeles thanks to a new partnership between Australians in Film (AiF) and the University of Melbourne.
The $92,000 three-year partnership is the first of its type between AiF and a university and will allow mid-career film and TV graduates to apply for a hot desk at Charlie’s on the Raleigh Studios lot.
Concurrently, the University also announced today the creation of the Melbourne Screen Fund, which aims to raise $5 million in donations to support current Vca students and alumni.
Explaining the rationale for the fund, Vca head of film and television Sandra Sciberras said: “We are all aware of the difficulty of financing films and the vital need for gap finance to support ambitious work that might not otherwise get produced.
“I...
Victorian College of the Arts (Vca) film and television alumni will have the opportunity to work in Los Angeles thanks to a new partnership between Australians in Film (AiF) and the University of Melbourne.
The $92,000 three-year partnership is the first of its type between AiF and a university and will allow mid-career film and TV graduates to apply for a hot desk at Charlie’s on the Raleigh Studios lot.
Concurrently, the University also announced today the creation of the Melbourne Screen Fund, which aims to raise $5 million in donations to support current Vca students and alumni.
Explaining the rationale for the fund, Vca head of film and television Sandra Sciberras said: “We are all aware of the difficulty of financing films and the vital need for gap finance to support ambitious work that might not otherwise get produced.
“I...
- 3/4/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Leon Ford in ‘The Letdown’ (Photo credit: Tony Mott).
Admirers of Leon Ford who enjoyed his work as Ruben in the ABC’s The Letdown and other shows should savour his performance in Jeremy Sims’ upcoming movie Rams because after that he will be off screen for a while.
The actor-writer moved to Los Angeles last year with his wife Alice Bell and their three young children as Alice serves as the writer/creator and co-showrunner on The Expatriates, a 10-part Amazon series produced by Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films.
Based on Janice Y.K. Lee’s novel, the series centres on a group of close-knit American women and their lives as outsiders in Hong Kong and is yet to go into production.
“I would like to find a happy medium that a lot people have where they can go and back forth and do jobs,” he tells If during a family vacation in Australia.
Admirers of Leon Ford who enjoyed his work as Ruben in the ABC’s The Letdown and other shows should savour his performance in Jeremy Sims’ upcoming movie Rams because after that he will be off screen for a while.
The actor-writer moved to Los Angeles last year with his wife Alice Bell and their three young children as Alice serves as the writer/creator and co-showrunner on The Expatriates, a 10-part Amazon series produced by Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films.
Based on Janice Y.K. Lee’s novel, the series centres on a group of close-knit American women and their lives as outsiders in Hong Kong and is yet to go into production.
“I would like to find a happy medium that a lot people have where they can go and back forth and do jobs,” he tells If during a family vacation in Australia.
- 8/8/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Rick Kalowski.
ABC head of comedy Rick Kalowski has a ready answer when producers complain they can’t get a show funded because they have been unable to land an international financier or co-producer.
“If you can’t co-finance your scripted show internationally it’s not because it’s too local, it’s because it’s not good enough,” he tells If.
“There is so much hunger out there for scripted content that if you can’t finance it, it’s not a conspiracy. Many good Australian producers have had a lot of success selling their shows internationally.”
Most ABC scripted comedies are now co-financed internationally by streaming platforms or cable broadcasters such as Sky TV. “One of the few good things about the budget cuts in the past few years is that they have forced us to think internationally about our financing,” he says.
“Since I started in September 2013, I,...
ABC head of comedy Rick Kalowski has a ready answer when producers complain they can’t get a show funded because they have been unable to land an international financier or co-producer.
“If you can’t co-finance your scripted show internationally it’s not because it’s too local, it’s because it’s not good enough,” he tells If.
“There is so much hunger out there for scripted content that if you can’t finance it, it’s not a conspiracy. Many good Australian producers have had a lot of success selling their shows internationally.”
Most ABC scripted comedies are now co-financed internationally by streaming platforms or cable broadcasters such as Sky TV. “One of the few good things about the budget cuts in the past few years is that they have forced us to think internationally about our financing,” he says.
“Since I started in September 2013, I,...
- 7/23/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Duncan Fellows and Alison Bell.
Fans of ABC TV’s The Letdown who enjoy watching Duncan Fellows as Jeremy, partner and foil of Alison Bell’s oft-stressed Audrey, can look forward to his next series Fam Time.
Fellows is playing John, aka ‘Handy Andy’, second husband of Michala Banas’ Belinda Box, matriarch of a dysfunctional blended family in the Seven Studios’ narrative comedy.
Created by Michael Horrocks and scripted by Erica Harrison and Jack Yabsley, the sitcom features Benson Jack Anthony as Belinda’s son Rylan, Karina Banno as her step-daughter Tahnee, Chloe De Los Santos as her adopted half-Filipino daughter Cherry, Rhonda Burchmore as grandma Viv and Tainui Tukiwaho as handyman Bill.
While everyone else in the family is obsessed with the online world, Handy Andy prefers fixing and inventing things, although he’s not very good at either.
There are some similarities between the two characters. “Neither is...
Fans of ABC TV’s The Letdown who enjoy watching Duncan Fellows as Jeremy, partner and foil of Alison Bell’s oft-stressed Audrey, can look forward to his next series Fam Time.
Fellows is playing John, aka ‘Handy Andy’, second husband of Michala Banas’ Belinda Box, matriarch of a dysfunctional blended family in the Seven Studios’ narrative comedy.
Created by Michael Horrocks and scripted by Erica Harrison and Jack Yabsley, the sitcom features Benson Jack Anthony as Belinda’s son Rylan, Karina Banno as her step-daughter Tahnee, Chloe De Los Santos as her adopted half-Filipino daughter Cherry, Rhonda Burchmore as grandma Viv and Tainui Tukiwaho as handyman Bill.
While everyone else in the family is obsessed with the online world, Handy Andy prefers fixing and inventing things, although he’s not very good at either.
There are some similarities between the two characters. “Neither is...
- 6/16/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
ABC Studios International has teamed up with Endemol Shine to produce an adaptation of Holly Throsby’s novel Goodwood for Australian broadcaster ABC. It marks the first collaboration between the two nascent sibling companies.
The pair are producing the mystery, coming-of-age love story, which is written by Alison Bell and Sarah Scheller, the team behind the ABC comedy, The Letdown. Goodwood is set in a small town which is torn apart when two of its residents go missing.
The series will be produced by Alice Bell and Claudia Karvan with Imogen Banks executive producing under her Endemol Shine Banks banner and Keli Lee exec producing through ABC Studios International.
Throsby said, “One of the central themes of Goodwood is the relationships between people, especially between strong women. It is so fitting, and an absolute dream for me, to have such an incredible group of women in charge of bringing my book to life on screen.
The pair are producing the mystery, coming-of-age love story, which is written by Alison Bell and Sarah Scheller, the team behind the ABC comedy, The Letdown. Goodwood is set in a small town which is torn apart when two of its residents go missing.
The series will be produced by Alice Bell and Claudia Karvan with Imogen Banks executive producing under her Endemol Shine Banks banner and Keli Lee exec producing through ABC Studios International.
Throsby said, “One of the central themes of Goodwood is the relationships between people, especially between strong women. It is so fitting, and an absolute dream for me, to have such an incredible group of women in charge of bringing my book to life on screen.
- 5/24/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Holly Throsby.
The Letdown‘s Alison Bell and Sarah Scheller are adapting Holly Throsby’s debut novel Goodwood into a series for the ABC and Disney’s ABC Studios International.
Goodwood is a part mystery, part coming-of-age love story, set in a small town that is torn apart when two of its residents go missing.
The series will be produced by Alice Bell and Claudia Karvan, with Imogen Banks executive producing under her Endemol Shine Banks banner together with ABC head of drama, comedy and Indigenous Sally Riley and ABC Studios International managing director, international content, platforms and talent, Keli Lee.
Throsby says: “One of the central themes of Goodwood is the relationships between people, especially between strong women. It is so fitting, and an absolute dream for me, to have such an incredible group of women in charge of bringing my book to life on screen.”
Bell says: “Holly...
The Letdown‘s Alison Bell and Sarah Scheller are adapting Holly Throsby’s debut novel Goodwood into a series for the ABC and Disney’s ABC Studios International.
Goodwood is a part mystery, part coming-of-age love story, set in a small town that is torn apart when two of its residents go missing.
The series will be produced by Alice Bell and Claudia Karvan, with Imogen Banks executive producing under her Endemol Shine Banks banner together with ABC head of drama, comedy and Indigenous Sally Riley and ABC Studios International managing director, international content, platforms and talent, Keli Lee.
Throsby says: “One of the central themes of Goodwood is the relationships between people, especially between strong women. It is so fitting, and an absolute dream for me, to have such an incredible group of women in charge of bringing my book to life on screen.”
Bell says: “Holly...
- 5/24/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
‘Diary of an Uber Driver.’
Sally Riley is bemused when people use this line when they are pitching projects to her: “This is definitely an ABC show.”
The ABC’s head of scripted production, Riley usually replies: “What is that? What is an ABC show?”
Interviewed in her Ultimo office for a two-part story, she tells If: “If it’s a great show, we’ll do it. I don’t think it must fit in the parameters of what is supposed to be an ABC show.
“We want to not only hold our audiences but also bring in new and younger audiences and we have a broad slate to try to meet both. We will definitely take a calculated risk when we believe in a show.”
As an example of a program which she thinks most people would not expect to see on the public broadcaster, she points to Les Norton,...
Sally Riley is bemused when people use this line when they are pitching projects to her: “This is definitely an ABC show.”
The ABC’s head of scripted production, Riley usually replies: “What is that? What is an ABC show?”
Interviewed in her Ultimo office for a two-part story, she tells If: “If it’s a great show, we’ll do it. I don’t think it must fit in the parameters of what is supposed to be an ABC show.
“We want to not only hold our audiences but also bring in new and younger audiences and we have a broad slate to try to meet both. We will definitely take a calculated risk when we believe in a show.”
As an example of a program which she thinks most people would not expect to see on the public broadcaster, she points to Les Norton,...
- 5/7/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Clockwise L-r: Luke Davies, Jacob Elordi, Eva Orner and Dion Beebe.
Australians in Film (AiF) is partnering with Amazon Studios to stage industry panels, roundtable conversations and Q&As designed to foster partnerships between Australian and Hollywood creatives and decision makers.
Dop Dion Beebe, filmmakers Eva Orner and Alethea Jones, producer Tracey Robertson and writers Luke Davies, Alice Bell, Sarah Scheller and Alison Bell will be among the speakers at the AiF Hollywood Sessions presented by Amazon Studios.
Among other industry luminaries who will take part in the sessions at Charlie’s on the Raleigh lot in Hollywood are co-executive producer and writer Aaron Ginsburg, actor Jacob Elordi (Euphoria), director Alma Har’el (Honey Boy), Columbia Pictures director of creative development Jiao Chen, Made Up Stories’ Casey Haver and Truant Pictures’ Toby Nalbandian and Greg Schmidt.
The partnership came about through AiF chair Simonne Overend’s business relationship with Amazon Studios,...
Australians in Film (AiF) is partnering with Amazon Studios to stage industry panels, roundtable conversations and Q&As designed to foster partnerships between Australian and Hollywood creatives and decision makers.
Dop Dion Beebe, filmmakers Eva Orner and Alethea Jones, producer Tracey Robertson and writers Luke Davies, Alice Bell, Sarah Scheller and Alison Bell will be among the speakers at the AiF Hollywood Sessions presented by Amazon Studios.
Among other industry luminaries who will take part in the sessions at Charlie’s on the Raleigh lot in Hollywood are co-executive producer and writer Aaron Ginsburg, actor Jacob Elordi (Euphoria), director Alma Har’el (Honey Boy), Columbia Pictures director of creative development Jiao Chen, Made Up Stories’ Casey Haver and Truant Pictures’ Toby Nalbandian and Greg Schmidt.
The partnership came about through AiF chair Simonne Overend’s business relationship with Amazon Studios,...
- 4/17/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
‘Jirga’ won the Aacta for Best Indie Film.
Director Benjamin Gilmour’s Jirga took home the inaugural Aacta Award for Best Indie Film – designed to honour films made under $2 million – at the Aacta Industry Luncheon in Sydney yesterday.
The film, produced by John Maynard, beat out Strange Colours, Brothers’ Nest, West of Sunshine and The Second. Starring Sam Smith as a former Australian soldier who returns to Afghanistan seeking forgiveness, Jirga is also Australia’s submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the upcoming Academy Awards.
Some 35 awards were given away at yesterday’s Aacta event, hosted by actress Kat Stewart and comedian Nazeem Hussain. Other key feature film winners were Sweet Country and Ladies in Black, which each took home three gongs.
David Tranter and Steven McGregor won Best Original Screenplay for Sweet Country, while film’s director and Dop Warwick Thornton was honoured with the award for Best...
Director Benjamin Gilmour’s Jirga took home the inaugural Aacta Award for Best Indie Film – designed to honour films made under $2 million – at the Aacta Industry Luncheon in Sydney yesterday.
The film, produced by John Maynard, beat out Strange Colours, Brothers’ Nest, West of Sunshine and The Second. Starring Sam Smith as a former Australian soldier who returns to Afghanistan seeking forgiveness, Jirga is also Australia’s submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the upcoming Academy Awards.
Some 35 awards were given away at yesterday’s Aacta event, hosted by actress Kat Stewart and comedian Nazeem Hussain. Other key feature film winners were Sweet Country and Ladies in Black, which each took home three gongs.
David Tranter and Steven McGregor won Best Original Screenplay for Sweet Country, while film’s director and Dop Warwick Thornton was honoured with the award for Best...
- 12/3/2018
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
In April, Netflix debuted The Letdown, which is actually an Australian series that originally aired on the country's ABC channel in 2017. The show reveals what it's actually like to be a new mother, with a realistic storyline that has mothers (and non-mothers) nodding in agreement.
The Letdown was created by Sarah Scheller and focuses on Audrey (played by Alison Bell), a mother of a 2-month-old daughter named Stevie. She has to adjust to life as a mom, manage her hot mess of a husband, and deal with friends who have no idea what it's like to be her. The upside? She's a part of a mommy support group that keeps her sanity in check.
Throughout the first season - seven episodes - you get depth, laughs, and realistic takes on motherhood and life in general. It's like watching a funnier version of your own life. Despite being a pretty realistic...
The Letdown was created by Sarah Scheller and focuses on Audrey (played by Alison Bell), a mother of a 2-month-old daughter named Stevie. She has to adjust to life as a mom, manage her hot mess of a husband, and deal with friends who have no idea what it's like to be her. The upside? She's a part of a mommy support group that keeps her sanity in check.
Throughout the first season - seven episodes - you get depth, laughs, and realistic takes on motherhood and life in general. It's like watching a funnier version of your own life. Despite being a pretty realistic...
- 5/16/2018
- by Johnni Macke
- Popsugar.com
'The Letdown'..
The Letdown was one of six pilots aired last year on the ABC via the broadcaster's and Screen Australia.s Comedy Showroom initiative, and the episode went on to pick up an Aacta Award for Best Screenplay in Television.
Now production is underway on a full six-part series for the ABC and Netflix..
Netflix has international distribution rights, but will also make the series available on its Australian platform after it initially airs on Abctv and iview..
A Giant Dwarf production, created and written by Sarah Scheller and Alison Bell, The Letdown follows a mother.s group thrown together through the circumstance of timing..
"We are thrilled to be working with the ABC and Netflix on a full series of The Letdown. We've learned that making a TV show is actually not unlike motherhood... floods of tears, bursts of love and unhinged hormonal meltdowns - all in the name of comedy,...
The Letdown was one of six pilots aired last year on the ABC via the broadcaster's and Screen Australia.s Comedy Showroom initiative, and the episode went on to pick up an Aacta Award for Best Screenplay in Television.
Now production is underway on a full six-part series for the ABC and Netflix..
Netflix has international distribution rights, but will also make the series available on its Australian platform after it initially airs on Abctv and iview..
A Giant Dwarf production, created and written by Sarah Scheller and Alison Bell, The Letdown follows a mother.s group thrown together through the circumstance of timing..
"We are thrilled to be working with the ABC and Netflix on a full series of The Letdown. We've learned that making a TV show is actually not unlike motherhood... floods of tears, bursts of love and unhinged hormonal meltdowns - all in the name of comedy,...
- 6/16/2017
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
Mel Gibson on the set of Hacksaw Ridge.. . Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge cleaned up at the 6th Aacta Awards ceremony last night, taking home five awards, including Best Film and Best Original Screenplay. . Gibson was honoured for Best Direction, while Andrew Garfield won Best Lead Actor and Hugo Weaving nabbed Best Supporting Actor. . .I need to thank Australia for making this film,. said Gibson in his acceptance speech. . He praised the "homegrown" film.s cast and crew, .the calibre of which is as good or better than anywhere in the world.. . .I.m not the only one who wants to make films here all the time, Ridley Scott said the same thing,. Gibson said. .I.m honoured to receive this.. . . The five awards add to the four Hacksaw Ridge already picked up earlier this week at the Aacta Industry Luncheon. The film was nominated in 13 categories overall. . Odessa Young...
- 12/7/2016
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
Mel Gibson on the set of Hacksaw Ridge.. . Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge cleaned up at the 6th Aacta Awards ceremony last night, taking home five awards, including Best Film and Best Original Screenplay. . Gibson was honoured for Best Direction, while Andrew Garfield won Best Lead Actor and Hugo Weaving nabbed Best Supporting Actor. . .I need to thank Australia for making this film,. said Gibson in his acceptance speech. . He praised the "homegrown" film.s cast and crew, .the calibre of which is as good or better than anywhere in the world.. . .I.m not the only one who wants to make films here all the time, Ridley Scott said the same thing,. Gibson said. .I.m honoured to receive this.. . . The five awards add to the four Hacksaw Ridge already picked up earlier this week at the Aacta Industry Luncheon. The film was nominated in 13 categories overall. . Odessa Young...
- 12/7/2016
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
Jessica Marais in 'Love Child'..
Screen Nsw has announced it will invest in 20 new Australian film and television projects..
These will include seven TV dramas to be funded under the $20 million Made in Nsw Fund, announced by the Nsw Government earlier this year..
Among the Made in Nsw fund projects are Monkey, a family action-adventure series based on the Chinese legend 'Journey to The West', to be produced by See-Saw Films; Fighting Season, about Australian soldiers returning from Afghanistan, from the producers of The Sapphires and Cleverman; and Friday on My Mind, the story of legendary Australian rock band The Easybeats from the producers of Love Child and The Code. Love Child has also been funded for a further season.
Nash Edgerton is set to make his TV debut, directing Jungle.s Mr In Between, the story of a charismatic yet volatile hitman. Michelle Bennett will produce.
Screen Nsw has announced it will invest in 20 new Australian film and television projects..
These will include seven TV dramas to be funded under the $20 million Made in Nsw Fund, announced by the Nsw Government earlier this year..
Among the Made in Nsw fund projects are Monkey, a family action-adventure series based on the Chinese legend 'Journey to The West', to be produced by See-Saw Films; Fighting Season, about Australian soldiers returning from Afghanistan, from the producers of The Sapphires and Cleverman; and Friday on My Mind, the story of legendary Australian rock band The Easybeats from the producers of Love Child and The Code. Love Child has also been funded for a further season.
Nash Edgerton is set to make his TV debut, directing Jungle.s Mr In Between, the story of a charismatic yet volatile hitman. Michelle Bennett will produce.
- 11/14/2016
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
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