Fremantle has today announced three appointments to their creative development teams in Sydney and Melbourne. The new members will be bolstering and supporting Fremantle’s 2021 slate, that includes Heartbreak High (Netflix), Taylor’s Island and Lie With Me (ViacomCBS), PM’s Daughter (ABC TV), Neighbours (Channel 5 and Network 10), Wentworth (Foxtel), Australian Idol, Farmers Wants A Wife and Australia’s Got Talent (Seven Network), Grand Designs (Foxtel) and Restoration Australia (ABC TV) with more shows to announce shortly.
Warren Clarke (pictured left) steps into the role of head of development – scripted. Clarke joins Fremantle from Matchbox Pictures. Whilst at Matchbox, Clarke helped develop projects including Foxtel’s award-winning political drama Secret City, Rebecca Gibney’s on-the-run series Wanted, and Channel Nine’s Hyde and Seek. He went on to co-create ACTAA nominated and critically acclaimed ABC series The Heights on which he served as showrunner for two seasons. Clarke is also an AWGIE nominated screenwriter. He was the script producer for Oddlands, the ABC and Adelaide Festival collaboration with Back-to-Back Theatre, and wrote for the teen football series Mustangs FC. Clarke will report to Chris Oliver-Taylor, CEO Asia Pacific.
Clarke said: “Fremantle has long been a creative powerhouse both domestically and internationally and I’m delighted to be joining their highly talented scripted team. I’m looking forward to collaborating with the industry’s leading writers and emerging creative talent and utilising Fremantle’s vast international network to take brilliantly crafted Australian stories to the global television landscape.”
Monique Keller (Pictured right) takes up the role of development executive – unscripted. Keller joins the company from Audible (Sydney) where she commissioned factual, entertainment and scripted content including award-winning podcast Nut Jobs by Marc Fennell, Australia’s Funniest Stand-up and Winding Road. She has worked with leading production and distribution entities in the USA including Amazon Studios and Double Feature Films on award-winning titles including The Dressmaker, Manchester by the Sea, Late Night, Cold War, Gleason and City of Ghosts. Keller will report to Jonathon Summerhayes, director of unscripted.
Keller said: “I’m thrilled to have joined the Fremantle family. Having worked with the team in my previous role at Audible, I’m excited to be able to work alongside some of the best creative and production brains in the business. It’s an exciting time for content in Australia and New Zealand and my focus will be on developing a slate of bold and ambitious documentary, factual and entertainment stories for the streaming market.”
Nikki Tran
Nikki Tran joins in a newly created position as development assistant – scripted based in Melbourne. A writer and producer, Tran is passionate champion of diversity in Australian storytelling. Her credits include the ABC’s Can You Hear Me?, comedy Girl, Interpreted and comedy-drama webseries Fresh! that had screenings at the prestigious LA Film Festival and New York City Web Festival. Last year Tran was part of the inaugural Film Victoria Screen Development Internship. Tran will report to Warren Clarke.
Tran said: “I’m excited to be supporting new voices and stories as part of an impressive creative team with a wealth of experience.”