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Casting to begin on Wentworth

Foxtel's Prisoner "reimagining", quietly bumped to 2013, begins casting this month with shooting to take place later this year.

2012 has been a quiet year for Drama production in the Pay TV arena.

After the success of 2011 with Cloudstreet, Tangle, Small Time Gangster and Killing Time (ok that was filmed a year earlier) we’ve really only had Conspiracy 365, Dripping in Chocolate and not much else. Presumably this is because of uncertainty this year with so many changes in the Foxtel / Austar merger.

Wentworth, the Prisoner-inspired “reimagining” was originally set for 2012, but a few weeks ago when SoHo was announced, Foxtel had quietly adjusted the launch to 2013.

Today Penny Win, Channel Manager of SoHo confirms, “Wentworth is our contemporary re-imagining of Prisoner, focusing on the central character of Bea Smith. The series is in pre-production with FremantleMedia’s Head of Drama Jo Porter helming the development along with Amanda Crittenden as series producer and co-creator Lara Radulovich as script producer.

“The casting process is underway this month and the shoot will commence in Melbourne later this year for launch in 2013.”

I’m still very excited by the prospect of Wentworth -but also very nervous about what it’s trying to achieve.  Good luck to all who sail in her!

6 Responses

  1. Foxtel used to commission stuff that won awards that would never have seen the light of day on FTA.

    How did they become so conservative?

    Nothing against Prisoner – there’s just a lot of fresh ideas out there.

  2. In the last month I have been series recording “Prisoner” on the old IQ. I have to say – I have become a bit hooked. 30 years on..it still works as a narrative. OK the language used like “you bitch” and some of the acting is a bit laughable but the mix of characters and story lines is still watchable.

    The recreation has to be more real – More Violent, Worse Language, as the viewer will not have the “30 years ago” as an excuse.

    Ten should get involved in this one too as seems drama rates ok on Ten – Unlike everything else besides Masterchef

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