Press release from ABC TV
ABC TV and the Indigenous Department of Screen Australia announce the development of a major new series REDFERN NOW, the first contemporary TV drama series written, directed and produced by Indigenous Australians.
This series follows on the heels of previous collaboration between ABC TV and Screen Australia who co-funded the highly successful feature films Samson & Delilah and Bran Nue Dae.
Set in inner city Sydney, REDFERN NOW will be developed in collaboration with Jimmy McGovern, the internationally acclaimed creator and writer of The Street, Cracker and The Lakes.
The 6 X 1 hour series will be produced by award-winning Indigenous production company Blackfella Films (First Australians, Lani’s Story,) and will air on ABC1.
REDFERN NOW will centre around and will explore contemporary inner city Indigenous life. The producers are calling for hard-hitting, truthful and emotionally engaging story ideas centring on a diverse group of individuals which explores their strength, flaws and resilience.
Writers will be taken through an intense development process led by McGovern, who will be in Australia in January 2011 for a story workshop. It is envisaged the series will go into production in late 2011.
Sally Riley, Head of ABC TV’s Indigenous Department said, “This is an exciting ground-breaking project for Indigenous filmmakers in this country to expand their skills into TV drama, and is a natural progression for the relationship between Screen Australia and ABC TV’s Indigenous departments.
“We are equally thrilled Jimmy McGovern has agreed to collaborate on REDFERN NOW. He has a long history of mentoring and developing new and emerging writers in the UK and he is one of the world’s most influential TV writers. His stories have a depth rarely seen on television and his experience and generosity of spirit will be an inspiration.”
Erica Glynn, Head of Screen Australia's Indigenous Department said, "Indigenous filmmakers are achieving growing critical and commercial
success across feature film, documentary and short film.”
“REDFERN NOW offers our talented practitioners an opportunity to hone their skills in TV drama and audiences everywhere will intimately identify with the human stories this prime time series will portray."
REDFERN NOW is being developed in consultation with Redfern Community Organisations.
Application details and guidelines are available at www.screenaustralia.gov.au/redfernnow.