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Current affairs surge at Seven
It was the week that current affairs and finance dominated. Ray Martin lamented the state of commercial news and current affairs at the same time as a former sports presenter won his first week behind a public affairs desk, a CEO lashed out at his rival networks but shot off about the starting date of his new current affairs project, while the network signed a former Sunday journo, TEN reported a 25% slump in earnings, a Telstra boss said Foxtel subscriptions were slowing, another Murdoch stitched up a production deal with …
Writer’s opportunity on CSI
Having already offered a Victorian writer the chance to work alongside the writing team of NCIS, Film Victoria is now offering an opportunity on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
The International Fellowship is a 12 week opportunity for a writer to shadow key CSI writing staff. The lucky recipient will be granted confidential access to breaking stories in the CSI writer’s room, reading outlines/drafts and then following a writer through the production and post-production process.
The stint is from January to March, 2009 in Los Angeles, with up to $25,000 …
NRL wins it but Seven takes glory
It was the week that TEN was in breach of subliminal ads (a ruling first leaked by TV Tonight), ACMA instructed Nine to sell part of its Darwin operation, two former premiers will now defend Pay TV v Free to Air battles, while two television gardeners faced off over the environment, a Footy Show comedian defended a school principal under fire, a musical about the media in Beaconsfield was branded as tasteless, a former Idol died in tragic circumstances, Perth’s Telethon broke its own record, SBS lost a top Drama …
ABC beats TEN as Seven wins
It was the week that American critics began to knife Kath & Kim (officially), ABC told staff it would cut up to 35 production jobs, Nine denied having a contract with the wife of a convicted crim, an actor lambasted his former soap, Today Tonight announced its next host would be a sports presenter and said its film crew helped -not hounded- an interviewee, Seven ’streamlined’ its Lotto results, buyers eyed a key production company, the Imparja / Nine Darwin deal fell apart, a TV critic died, and suddenly so did …
Australian Directors Awards: winners
TV directors Tony Tilse and Peter Andrikidis won the major awards at the Australian Directors Conference on the weekend.
Tilse won for best direction of a TV drama series (periodical) for Underbelly and Andrikidis won the TV mini-series award for East West 101, respectively.
Stuart McDonald won the best direction in a TV comedy series award for Summer Heights High and Ian Gilmour won for his direction of an ongoing TV drama series, All Saints.
The documentary category winners included Natasha Gadd (documentary under 60 minutes) for Anatomy - Muscle; and Brian McKenzie (documentary series directing …
New, local content wins Seven week
It was the week the “Prince of Darkness” descended upon Nine, the Imparja takeover of NTD9 inched closer, Seven lost an appeal relating to a children’s court case and lost a packet in the financial freefall, TEN signalled the return of boxing only to have its promoter caught up in a drug arrest, two networks fight over the contracts of one presenter, ACMA cancelled a community broadcasting license while a leak led to a Federal Police raid, the Government introduced a bill to firm the switch to digital, TEN turned off …
Bored rigid by lack of competition, it’s Seven.
It was the week that Seven and Nine argued over Karl Stefanovic, Grant Hackett signed with Channel Nine, ASTRA again attacked the anti-siphoning rule –prompting an hilarious “bored rigid” response from Seven, Nine denied a takeover of its Darwin affiliate by Imparja, Grant Denyer landed in hospital, a former Idol was assaulted, WIN trimmed its Queensland newsrooms, SBS said sponsors wouldn’t affect its editorial on Top Gear Australia and networks and advertisers all held their breath as the US financial market went into meltdown.
And unsurprisingly it was another win by Seven …
Australian Directors’ Guild Awards nominees
Nominations for the Australian Directors’ Guild awards have been announced with the shortlist comprising recognition for Underbelly, East West 101, All Saints, Summer Heights High, Chandon Pictures and Stupid Stupid Man.
The winners will be announced on September 27 as part of the Australian Directors Guild Conference at Leighton Hall, University of New South Wales. The awards will be hosted by Leah Purcell and Paul McDermott.
Television nominees this year include:
2008 Best Direction in a TV Drama Series - Periodical:
Peter Andrikidis -East West 101 - Episode 1: The Enemy
Tony Tilse - …
The Rush identity
Television crews are always at the mercy of the elements. 90km winds and torrential rain were bearing down on the cast and crew from Rush yesterday. It was the last thing director Andrew Prowse needed when all he wanted to capture was a crucial scene of a gunman taking potshots at his lead characters. But Prowse was pragmatic, and with over two decades of television under his belt it wasn’t hard to see why.
As a director who has worked on Wildside, Heartbreak High, All Saints, McLeod’s Daughters, Farscape and even Wonder …
Seven wins as TEN is taken out
It was the week that Ernie Dingo and Kyle Sandilands had a spat on radio, the ABC renewed its push for a kids’ channel, Access 31 was put on the market, TEN picked up women’s netball from FOX Sports, GTV9 won a Heritage listing, Nine axed its Euro correspondent, Underbelly won the right to start screening in Victoria (sort of), TEN and Seven fought over AFL sponsors and a 17yo reality contestant took a stand on her show’s conduct.
And it was another big win for Seven with 29.9% in Week 37 …
Actors remember Mark Priestley
Friends and colleagues of Mark Priestley gathered at NIDA yesterday to remember the actor who tragically died less than two weeks ago.
The memorial ceremony for Priestley’s east coast friends followed his family funeral in Perth on Thursday.
Home and Away stars Jessica Tovey and Josh Quongtart, All Saints’ Judith McGrath, Underbelly actor Gyton Grantley, Saskia Burmeister of Sea Patrol and husband Jamie Croft of Farscape were all in attendance.
“It’s beautiful, just beautiful in there. Everyone is telling great stories about him, speaking so beautifully of him,” a NIDA friend said.
“It’s a sad …
Seven packed with hits
It was the week ASTRA and Seven got into a stoush over AFL, gardening gurus came out fighting, SBS took its funding campaign to the people, Today Tonight apologised to a dating a dating agency and Lateline apologised to the Corbys, WIN TV sacked a news chief, David Koch stumbled over the marvels of “fasttracking v downloading,” we lost a veteran actor with a huge list of credits, and our first gardening celebrity, while actor Mark Priestley was laid to rest.
And it was another win for Seven, with 29.4% in Week …