Penelope K, by the way
CBeebies ANNOUNCE WINNING COMMISSION
BLINK FILMS SERIES, PENELOPE K, BY THE WAY
BBC Worldwide Channels Australasia, in association with CBeebies UK, is thrilled to announce the successful commission for its inaugural CBeebies Production Initiative, Penelope K, by the way from Blink Films.
Selected from over 100 submissions, Blink Films entry Penelope K, by the way was pitched to CBeebies by award-winning producer Michael Bourchier whose children’s production credits include Out There which won an AFI in 2003 and a Logie in 2005 and The Upside Down Show, featuring the comedy duo The Umbilical Brothers, which won the Logie for Most Outstanding Children’s Program 2007 as a Daytime Emmy for best title design. He was also named independent Producer of the Year by the Screen Producers Association of Australia in 2007.
Blink Films submission was given the green light by Brendan Dahill, Director of Television, BBC Worldwide Channels Australasia and Michael Carrington, Controller, CBeebies UK.
“Penelope K, by the way is an incredibly creative concept with extraordinary depth and vision. Michael’s understanding of the inquisitive minds of our pre-school aged audience shone through both on the page and in the face to face pitch session,” said Michael Carrington.
“I’m so pleased that CBeebies’ first local production is now officially underway, and look forward to working with the prodigiously talented producer Michael Bourchier. I love his ideas and how he aims to execute them, and eagerly anticipate introducing Australian and international audiences to Penelope K,” continued Brendan Dahill.
Penelope K runs the “Information Station”, the place you go to when you want to know about anything at all. Like rainbows. Or pharaohs. Or kangaroo pouches.
While Penelope K has all the enthusiasm in the world, the answer to the question invariably slips away from her like a dream when she tries to recall it. She must rely on her more-or-less reliable friends including a shadow rabbit, a troupe of floating instruments , two know-it-all fish called Ning and Nong and Squirm, a List Worm, who helps her collate information.
“The basic theme of the show is “Being wrong is just the first step to being right”. Penelope K gives our audience the tools to love the process of learning and find answers through asking questions, even if the pathways to the answer may seem ridiculous,” said Michael Bourchier.
“It is an honour to be working with Michael and Brendan on Penelope K, by the way for CBeebies’ inaugural production for the channel in Australia. It is great to be working with a broadcaster with the courage to tread new ground. The idea I pitched to them was pretty left-field but they saw that as a positive rather than as a problem, thankfully!
Blink Films will produce the series which will be 25 x 12 minutes in association with production partner Freehand with a budget of $250,000 per programming hour from BBC Worldwide Channels Australasia.
Penelope K, by the way will premiere on CBeebies in Australia in 2010, followed by CBeebies in the UK and around the world.
Costa Joins SBS TV
Freehand is pleased to announce its groundbreaking new gardening series for SBS, Costa’s Garden Odyssey, will premiere on 27th August 2009.
Welcome to Costa’s Garden Odyssey!
Host, Landscape Architect and man of the people, Costa Georgiadis takes us down the organic, holistic, water-wise, garden path to a slower, simpler, happier, richer reality.
Costa’s passion for water harvesting, organic food production and self-sustainability is reflected in his hands-on and up front working relationship with his landscape clients as well as his extensive involvement in his community – all of which is captured in this inspiring series. His infectious character and passion for his subject puts people at ease and makes them shine.
Costa’s Garden Odyssey is a groundbreaking series that allows this unique Greek Garden Guru an opportunity to do what he does best - spread his eco wisdom while communicating with people and celebrating cultures and community in a way never seen before on Australian television.
Costa’s Garden Odyssey has a simple three-word ethos – engage, inform, entertain.
In the words of Executive Producer Rick Spence, ‘In a world in which ‘stars’ born of reality TV shine fleetingly before fading, it is a privilege to uncover and develop a program around someone as unique as Costa Georgiadis… As a program maker, Costa’s Garden Odyssey has been a watershed of great stories, fascinating characters and engaging information. The framework for the program has led us to truly inspiring gardens and gardeners that you won’t see anywhere else.’
So sit back and relax, because the odyssey has only just begun…
Costa’s Garden Odyssey premieres 8pm on Thursday August 27th 2009 on SBS TV.
Executive Producer & Co creator – Rick Spence
Series Producer – Margee Brown
Associate Producer & Co Creator – Sean Kennedy
The NEST Series 2
Freehand Productions proudly uncover the brand new series of The Nest 2, where yet again another 3 Australian families battle it out with life, work and wanting to have it all with some time to spare.
Over five one-hour episodes premiering Saturday, September 19, at 7.30pm.
The Nest 2 follows in the footsteps of the inaugural Nest series which won critical acclaim as a new format that, in a restrained, but revealing way, shone a light on a new trend in Australian society, examining a complex issue through the daily lives of everyday Australian families.
Using the same candid style that brought widespread praise for the Nest 1 (about adult children who won’t leave home), Nest 2 bring you three families, who reveal the challenges and chaos of their hectic daily lives as they struggle to cope with demanding jobs, young children, financial pressures and family relationships.
Under the guidance of business and sports performance expert Andrew May, the families are encouraged to do things differently.
“This is must-see TV for families.” Sunday Times
“The Nest’s themes and the candour of the families make it riveting viewing.” Sydney Morning Herald.
“The Nest reveals one of the ways reality tv has moved past exploiting people through torture, embarrassment and temptation to presenting them in the process of changing themselves.” The Weekend Australian.
The Nest 2 continues that tradition, posing the question: Can we keep working as hard and as long as we do, without harming the very people we are working for.
Executive Producer – Peter Abbott
Series Producer – Paul Rudd
DANCING IN ITS NINTH SEASON
10th July 2009
Dancing With The Stars is back on Australian screens in its ninth season on the Seven Network – and this year, with a world first.
With professions as varied as their dance styles, this year's line-up boasts a world first with blind adventurer and Paralympian Gerrard Gosens among those vying for the series championship. There's also a country music star, world champion surfer, comedian and international cover girl.
Daniel MacPherson and Sonia Kruger team up again to host the series, and for the first time 11, not 10, celebrities will battle it out for ‘Dancing With The Stars’ glory. On the 2009 dance-card is:
Layne Beachley – World Champion surfer Dancing with Dannial Gosper
Emily Scott – International Cover Girl Dancing with Michael Miziner
Kylie Gilles – The Morning Show Host Dancing with Carmelo Pizzino
Jess McNamee – Packed to the Rafters actress Dancing with Stefano Oliveri
Fiona O’Loughlin – Comedian Dancing with Craig Monley
Peter ‘Spida’ Everitt – Footy Legend Dancing with Linda de Nicola
Rob Mills – Singer and Actor Dancing with Sriani Argaet
Matt White – Today Tonight Host Dancing with Ash-Leigh Hunter
Gerrard Gosens – Paralympian & adventurer Dancing with Jessica Raffa
Lincoln Lewis – Home and Away actor Dancing with Luda Kroitor
Adam Brand – Country Music Star Dancing with Jade Hatcher
Visit the official Dancing With The Stars website: http://au.tv.yahoo.com/dancing-with-the-stars/
Dancing With the Stars is the smash-hit BBC format that has been seen in more than 30 countries around the world. It is a Freehand production for Channel 7 and BBC Worldwide. Series 9 screens on Channel 7 Sunday 6:30pm from July 5th 2009.
ONE SMALL STEP FOR BBC
July 1, 2009
Freehand is proud to announce its new, exclusive documentary production for BBC Knowledge, One Small Step: The Australian Story.
The giant leap that put man on the moon and Australia on the map is lovingly captured in One Small Step: The Australian Story, a documentary made exclusively for the BBC Knowledge channel, proudly produced by Freehand Productions.
Hosted by journalist Peter FitzSimons, this program takes a look at the significant role our country played in the historic Apollo 11 space mission that put man on the moon for the first time, on July 20th, 1969.
In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of this event, this gripping story is told through the very personal stories of the some of the people who were most affected by this momentous event, including technicians from the Tidbinbilla and Honeysuckle Creek tracking stations as well as journalists Derryn Hinch and Ian Ross who covered the moon landing for Australian audiences at the time.
For the program’s Producer/Director, Glenn Krawczyk, the experience was an enormous pleasure: ‘Not only is the story of Australia's involvement in the historic Apollo 11 mission truly fascinating, it's also a genuinely inspiring reminder of what humanity can achieve when it works together for a common cause – and proof that individuals from any place on the planet can find themselves playing a key role when such an event happens… The passion of the Australians who worked on the mission is a living testimony to why we should never stop dreaming of achieving the "impossible"’.
One Small Step: The Australian Story will premiere Monday, July 20th 2009 at 7:30pm on BBC Knowledge and BBC HD, on the Foxtel Network.
Freeehand and Blink Films
April 3rd, 2009
Freehand and Blink Films have joined forces to expand their range of production and to develop and produce drama and drama children’s programming.
Having collaborated on the hit kids series, Escape from Scorpion Island, for the ABC in 2008, it became apparent that there was much to be gained from using their unique blend of synergies to increase production and to become a breeding ground for great ideas.
Over the last five years, Freehand has developed into one of Australia’s powerhouses of production of factual and reality programming. Blink Films, with its background in television and film production for kids and adults, brings with it a range of programs ready for production and in development.
John Gregory CEO of Freehand said “Freehand recognizes the establishment of a range of strategic collaborative relationships as being part of the company’s raison d’être. Our association with Michael Bourchier, a renowned producer of successful television programs and feature films, will permit Blink and Freehand to team their expertise, skills and resources to identify and bring to life new content opportunities.”
“This is the next natural stage in the evolution of the company and it is very exciting” said Blink Films principal, Michael Bourchier. “The relationship with Freehand gives us the ability to embark on a greater range of programming that recognise the realities of today’s media environment. With the changes to the Australian financing environment coupled with the need to look abroad for co-productions, forming alliances between compatible companies makes good sense as well as giving us the ability for greater production capacity.”
Escape From Scorpion Island
ABC KIDS Commissions Escape From Scorpion Island
Tim Brooke-Hunt, ABC TV’s Executive Head of Children’s today announced an exciting new initiative for ABC Kids Television. In Escape from Scorpion Island 16 British and Australian kids aged between 11 and 14 are marooned on an exotic island and compete in teams to be the first to conquer the island and learn how to escape from it. The challenges and stunts the kids must tackle are devised by world experts and are like nothing else on children’s television.
Brooke-Hunt said, “This is a great opportunity to bring a unique and dynamic children’s adventure series to Australian audiences, and clearly the kids are excited too. Since the Australian call for contestants went out a week and a half ago, there has been over 21,000 web views and over 10,000 entry-form downloads.”
The first series of Escape from Scorpion Island, filmed in Brazil, was produced by UK based media group RDF for the BBC, and was screened daily to British audiences in 2007. ABC TV is thrilled that the next two series will be filmed back-to-back in Australia, giving Australian kids the chance to participate in the fun and games over 60 half hour episodes.
Escape from Scorpion Island is an RDF Media/Freehand production for BBC and ABC TV. Chris O’Mara, Commercial Director of Freehand Productions said, “Escape from Scorpion Island is perhaps the most exciting, adventurous and fun kids show on British television, and we are thrilled to be part of the production moving to Australia.
The ABC and BBC synergy is perfect, and we look forward to delivering what will be one of the best kid’s shows on Australian television.” While Nigel Pickard, RDF Media’s Family Entertainment Director said: “We’re delighted that ABC TV has joined the BBC as a co-producer on this hit series. It will bring an exciting new dimension to the show and we can’t wait for our children to take on hair-raising challenges in Australia next month.” Escape from Scorpion Island will be shooting in Australia from July 26 to August 16 and series two will premiere will premiere on ABC TV later this year, while series three, is set to go out in 2009.
Outback Wildlife Rescue for BBCWW
BBC Worldwide Press Releases
BBC Worldwide takes Freehand's Outback Wildlife Rescue around the world
Date : 08.04.2008
BBC Worldwide has concluded significant international sales for Australian indie Freehand's dazzling new factual series, Outback Wildlife Rescue.
The 13 x 30' series launched to international markets in February.
Following strong interest, it has been licensed to UKTV (UK & Eire), free-to-air Channel 9 in Thailand, TVB in Hong Kong and Greek network Eidiseis.
The series was commissioned by Australia's Seven Network and has also been sold to TVNZ in New Zealand.
The series is filmed in the spectacular Northern Territory, home to a vast array of wildlife and a unique facility called Wildlife Rescue Darwin.
This non-profit organisation cares for thousands of sick, injured and orphaned animals every year. The ultimate aim: to rehabilitate the animals and to release them back into the wild.
"These sales are a testament to the huge potential of our investment in Freehand," Julie Dowding, BBC Worldwide Australasia's Head of Sales said today.
"We know this will be a very successful global property for us, and we look forward to closing more deals soon."
"We are delighted with the response Outback Wildlife Rescue has had in the market place to-date. We feel confident further sales will follow as a result of the activities at MIP and look forward to production on the second series later in 2008," added Chris O’Mara, Freehand's Commercial Director.
"Our international production partnerships are core to our future growth plans for our television businesses. This is a prime example of how local production expertise combined with our global sales network can foster productions with both domestic and international appeal," said Colin Jarvis, BBC Worldwide's Director of International Format Production.
BBC Worldwide took a 25% stake in Freehand in 2007, as a step in its strategy to become a leading international content producer in Australia.
BBCWW to take stake in Freehand
BBC Worldwide, the main commercial arm of the BBC, has agreed to take a 25% equity investment in Australian independent production company the Freehand Group. The move marks a significant step in BBC Worldwide’s Content & Production strategy to become a leading international content producer.
Under the terms of the deal, Freehand will have a first view option on all BBC and independent formats to which BBC Worldwide has rights, to see them produced in Australia and New Zealand. Freehand will also have all its formats distributed through BBC Worldwide's vast global distribution network.
The two companies will build on their recent successes in the market, and will explore new format production initiatives across a diverse range of genres including entertainment and factual entertainment. Freehand will work closely with BBC Worldwide’s UK-based Content & Production division and BBC Worldwide’s Sydney office to ensure that all opportunities are exploited.
BBC Worldwide will now distribute all new titles for which Freehand gains rights.
In 2006, BBC Worldwide announced its intention to expand into the international production sector on a global level, and has carried out extensive research into available opportunities within the Australian industry.
Colin Jarvis, Director of Formats, BBC Worldwide says: “The Australian and New Zealand market is a key territory for us with great relationships with all broadcasters. This alliance with Freehand expands our role from simple distribution to full production. Freehand offers the synergy we’re seeking of strong, creative output and allows BBC Worldwide to expand its global presence.”
John Gregory, CEO Freehand Group Pty Ltd, added “This is a great vote of confidence by BBC Worldwide in the Australian independent production sector. This will mean greater depth of production and access to the international marketplace for Freehand productions and formats.”
BBC Worldwide and Freehand collaborated successfully on the lifestyle show Honey We’re Killing the Kids for Australia’s Ten Network in 2006, and are currently producing Pett Productions’ animal entertainment format Celebrity Dog School, also for Ten.
BBC Worldwide is renowned for bringing innovative BBC formats to Australia and New Zealand, including Strictly Come Dancing (Dancing with the Stars) Just The Two of Us (It Takes Two) and The Weakest Link.
Freehand Productions successes also include The Great BBQ Challenge, the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, Missing Persons’ Unit and The Nest.
