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Essential Media opens Brisbane office

Producers behind Rake & Jack Irish expand to Queensland.

imageIndependent production company Essential Media and Entertainment has opened a Brisbane office at QUT, Kelvin Grove.

Writer Roger Monk has been appointed the company’s Queensland based scripted Development Producer with Emily Avila as Development Assistant.

Essential has produced such shows as Jack Irish, Rake, The Principal and the film Saving Mr. Banks.

Essential Media’s Head of Scripted, Ian Collie said, “Roger is a huge asset to our Queensland operation going forward and brings a solid knowledge of scripted entertainment writing and development to the local industry.”

Monk’s extensive experience covers drama, comedy, action and romantic comedy genres in both feature and television, with writing credits including the teenage live action drama series Nowhere Boys, adult crime drama The Doctor Blake Mysteries, and drama comedy East Of Everything. He won the AFI and FCCA ‘Best Script’ Awards for his 2002 screenplay, Walking on Water.

Monk will be flanked by Development Assistant Emily Avila, who has previously worked at See-Saw Films and is an Audience Engagement Officer at Ipswich Art Gallery. The duo will manage Essential Media’s Brisbane office, located in the QUT Precinct in Kelvin Grove.

In close collaboration with Essential Media’s Ian Collie (Rake, Saving Mr Banks, Jack Irish) and Carmel Travers (Bubble Bath Bay, The Magic Pudding), Monk’s role is to source Queensland originated stories and storytellers (across film, TV, theatre, print), to develop and foster existing relationships with Queensland practitioners as well as offer a conduit to emerging talent within the Queensland production sector. Essential Media Queensland will assist with the ongoing development of Queensland writers by offering mentorships with leading scripted development and production talent and support a yearly internship program. Details of the internship program will be announced in March.

Already, Essential Media is co-developing a teen comedy drama series set in Queensland called Camp Crazy with Carbon Media. The 26 x 24’ live action series follows the adventures of six misfit teens as unlikely heroes, thrown together in a remote destination to solve the ultimate mystery. It’s a journey of discovery that blurs reality, mythology and time.

Essential Media’s Head of Children’s Entertainment, Carmel Travers said, “Essential Queensland will foster existing relationships with Queensland practitioners and establish a permanent channel to emerging talent within the Queensland production sector. We thank Screen Queensland for this first-of-its-kind scheme.”

“Our Enterprise Queensland Program is a new initiative designed to support the expansion of Queensland companies and build a strong base of producers developing local stories,” said Screen Queensland CEO Tracey Vieira.

“Essential Media’s new team and Queensland office will help unearth and develop local talent and with their track record and existing relationships with broadcasters, this is a way to help invigorate local production and stories.

“The program is designed to stimulate a strong screen community that prioritises strong returns on investment, build commercial and entrepreneurial capacity and help screen businesses achieve sustainable long-term.”

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