Category: Productions

In an exciting, first-time collaboration, Australian production companies Radio Karate (Hamish & Andy’s Gap Year) and Princess Pictures (It’s a Date) have joined forces with UK company Objective Fiction (Peep Show, Toast of London) to produce a brand new comedy Blap for Channel 4.

Written and created by Ryan Shelton (Rove, The Wrong Girl, Hamish & Andy’s Gap Year), HOW TO LIFE is a 3-part short form web comedy series that follows Ryan as he turns his unusual, everyday life experiences into even unusualer life lessons (How to Lie, How to French Kiss and How to Escape Boring Conversations). It’s a series that explores what might happen if one egotistical know-it-all turned his bizarre, everyday life-experiences into a series of spontaneous and idiotic How To lessons.

Playing a heightened version of himself, comedian Ryan Shelton stars as the host and protagonist in How to Life; a fast-moving hybrid of narrative, sketch and surrealism, featuring regular appearances from a number of familiar faces (including Gina Riley, Hamish Blake, Pia Miranda) in fun, unfamiliar roles.

It is directed by Tim Bartley, produced by Laura Waters, Andrea Denholm, Tim Bartley and Ryan Shelton, and from Objective Fiction, executive produced by Ben Farrell and produced by Kelly McGolpin.

In a one hour special, John Safran explores the religious underbelly of the 2016 federal election. We all saw the violent anti-Islam protests play out on our TV screens over the last year, but as the anti-Islam and pro-Islam movement is shifting its focus from the streets to the ballot box, John discovers these movements are far more bizarre than it first seems, upending the common perception of Australian multiculturalism.

As Sikhs, Hindus, Jews and Sri-Lankan priests join forces with alleged neo-Nazi parties, John finds himself tackling the election campaign from a unique and underreported angle – religion.  Minor parties like Rise Up Australia and the Australian Liberty Alliance are contesting this election John explores what impact will they have on mainstream Australian politics if they haven’t already. And why do these micro-parties have the ear, and the support, of Australia’s new migrants?

John discovers that our uniquely secular nation has a blind spot when it comes to religion and the more he digs, the more he discovers that religion is a growing force that filters into our politics in a surprising number of ways.  And as we head towards a neck-and-neck election, anyone of these micro parties supported by Australia’s religious minorities could potentially end up with a balance of power.

This may well be the most religious election ever; Australia just doesn’t know it.

CREATED BY KATE MCLENNAN AND KATE MCCARTNEY (THE KATERING SHOW) 

Half hour pilot episode screening on ABC1 May 2016.  Self-obsessed screw-up Anna O’Brien (Kate McLennan) loses her terrible boyfriend, her septic tank of a house and her dead-end job all in one day. With no friends, no money and nowhere to go, she crawls back to the warm embrace of her well-to-do family, only to be given a drink and then shown the door. Cast out onto the street, with both her life and her mental resolve disintegrating like old jocks, Anna stumbles upon an Open for Inspection at a nearby townhouse. And it’s here, surrounded by empty cupboards and hire furniture, that the unhinged Anna O’Brien seeks to reinvent herself, and her luck. 

 Also stars: Shane Bourne, Jean Kittson, Brooke Satchwell, Toby Truslove, Sammy J and Kate McCartney. 

An original, contemporary, comedic opera, The Divorce stars a stellar line-up of Australian performers from stage and screen including; Lisa McCune, Marina Prior, Hugh Sheridan, Kate Miller-Heidke, Melissa Madden Gray, Matthew McFarlane and John O’May, and features a libretto by multi-award winning playwright Joanna Murray-Smith and internationally acclaimed composer Elena Kats-Chernin.

After a long and satisfying marriage, glamorous and wealthy couple Iris (Marina Prior) and Jed (John O’May) are happily getting divorced and are throwing an extravagant party at their country estate to celebrate.  It’s a sign that Iris and Jed proudly do things their own way – even falling out of love.  But secrets are revealed over the course of the evening and, by the end of the night, Iris and Jed’s divorce has triggered a renegotiation of all certainties amongst those closest to them and all of the characters are set on an unanticipated course.

Written specifically for the screen and fusing cinematic language with operatic conventions, this lavish musical extravaganza playfully explores the universal themes of love, passion, regret, greed and longing – a “soap opera” with the flavour of a modern Mozart.

Creating a comedy ‘hot pot’, Open Slather combines the talents of comedy legends who have made us laugh for years (Glenn Robbins, Magda Szubanski, Shane Jacobson, Marg Downey, Gina Riley, Stephen Curry, Michael Veitch and Jane Turner), with a new wave of comedy performers (Ben Gerrard, Ben Lomas, Dave Eastgate, Demi Lardner, Emily Taheny, George H. Xanthis, Hannah Bath, Holly Austin, Ilai Swindles, Jay K Cagatay, Laura Hughes and Miles O’Neil) in a one-hour prime time show.

At the arse-end of the world, in the middle of nowhere, is Alice Springs – home to 8MMM Aboriginal Radio, the proud voice of the Blackfellas living here. It runs on the smell of an oily rag and the enthusiasm of its motley Indigenous crew. With meager funding, the 8MMM team airs the day-to-day preoccupations of Alice Springs and its surrounds: housing, education, culture, money, alcohol and reconciliation.

But like most indigenous organisations, it’s run by Whitefellas and when non-Indigenous people come to work in Aboriginal organisations, they easily fall into one of three categories – missionaries, mercenaries or misfits – the 3Ms. For the 3Ms working at 8MMM, saving Aboriginal people from themselves is hard work! For the Aboriginal people, being saved all the time is even harder.

At the helm of the station is local firebrand, Jessie (Shari Sebbens). Determined and hard working, her goal is to one day be General Manager, until then she relies on current GM and missionary Jake (Ian Meadows) for guidance.

Resident DJ, Jampajinpa (Zac James) is so proud of being black, he’s permanently dressed like an Aboriginal flag in red, black and yellow. Volunteer Koala (Laura Hughes) thrusts herself into every Aboriginal activity whether she’s welcome or not (often she’s not!) Receptionist Milly (Elaine Crombie) is more interested in manicures and makeup than actually working. Then there’s the newly arrived Training Manager and mercenary Dave Cross (Geoff Morrell), a redneck racist from the city who isn’t going anywhere until his CV is puffed up with enough ‘community outreach’ to look good to Sydney recruiters.

But luckily 8MMM has Lola (Trisha Morton-Thomas), Traditional Owner and unpaid tea-lady who watches over the running of the station and the running of everyone’s lives.

2013 Big Brother contestants, Tim Dormer and Ben Zabel, star in a new online series The Graceland Happiness Project, created by comedy producers Princess Pictures through a crowd-funding campaign. The project was born when Tim won Big Brother, promising to take his friend to the home of his childhood idol – Elvis Presley’s Graceland.

Late last year Ben’s ongoing struggle with depression was made public after an attempted suicide. What began as a holiday turned into a rescue mission to help Ben find a new lease on life. Will this trip turn Ben’s life around? Is finding happiness that simple?

The ten part series follows Tim and Ben’s journey to Memphis in the search for happiness, exploring everything from celebrity to civil rights, religion, music history and most importantly the power of friendship. Tim challenges Ben in the hope that he discovers something worth living for. From senior citizen bingo to becoming rock stars (recording a single in the studio where Elvis was made famous) the pair even made American news after meeting Presley’s high profile daughter, Lisa Marie.

The Graceland Happiness Project explores the complexity of not only having depression but also being the friend of someone who is suffering from mental illness. This discussion couldn’t be more relevant as suicide is now the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15-44.

As they tick off Ben’s bucket list the stakes are high – will they find what they are looking for? With an extreme contrast in personalities, Tim and Ben have their own ideas on how to solve this problem. Their authentic raw chemistry provides genuinely heart-warming moments of friendship – equal amounts of tears and laughs.

Off the back of a tremendous reception to the first series, It’s A Date returns for a second!

An incredible blend of some of television’s most respected performers (including Rhys Darby, Shaun Micallef, Kat Stewart, and Roy Billing) and the cream of Australia’s ’emerging comedy talent crop’ present an eight-part narrative comedy series that explores the tension, expectation and complication of finding true love. Featuring two thematically linked dates, each episode poses a question that explores a timeless dilemma, including: What’s the worst thing that could happen on a date? Is it OK to date a friend’s ex? And, should you date on impulse?

Series creator and lead writer, Peter Helliar, has added to the rich quality of writers from Series 1 with Luke McGreggor, Justin Hamilton, Roz Hammond and Magda Szubanski all involved with the writing team for the second series.

Featuring an extraordinary mix of Australia’s most respected performers including Kate Ritchie, Sybilla Budd, Shane Jacobson and Nadine Garner alongside emerging comedy talent, It’s a Date, is an eight-part narrative comedy series that explores the tension, expectation and complication of finding true love. Each episode thematically links two self-contained dates as they bravely head toward desire or disaster.

Series creator and lead writer, Peter Helliar, has assembled some of Australia’s leading comedy writers – Phil Lloyd, Jess Harris, Ryan Shelton, Justin Hamilton,  Tony Moclair, Lawrence Mooney, Steven Gates and Kate Langbroek – to share the journey.

Television comedy powerhouse, Princess Pictures and noisy newcomer SBS2 are proud to present “Stand Up @ Bella Union”, showcasing new voices in Australian comedy.

A celebration of diversity, featuring 30 comedians over 5 nights, this live comedy stand-up event shines the spotlight on the best emerging talent and exciting newcomers from the new generation of Australian comedians.

Each night is a celebration of all things funny, and the multicultural nature of the comedy circuit here in Australia. Located in the iconic Trades Hall, Bella Union has been home to comics large and small, making it the perfect home for this side-splitting new comedy showcase.

Sometimes confronting, often political, and always funny, ‘Stand Up @ Bella Union’ will feature different comedians each night, including:

Nazeem Hussain – Star of SBS1’s Legally Brown

Aamer Rahman – Star of Fear of a Brown Planet

Khaled Khalafalla – 2013 Winner of Best of the Comedy Fest

Demi Lardner – 2013 Winner of “ So You Think You’re Funny” Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Joel Creasey – 2013 Sydney & Perth Comedy Festival Best Show Nominee

Dan Ilic – Creator of Beaconsfield The Musical

Xavier Michelides – 2011 Golden Gibbo Nominee MICF

Kevin Kropinyeri – Winner Deadly Funny