Production has begun in Sydney on Cleverman, a six-part high concept genre drama, with a ensemble cast including Scottish actor Iain Glen (pictured – Game Of Thrones), Golden Globe nominee Frances O’Connor (The Missing), Deborah Mailman (The Sapphires), Hunter Page–Lochard (The Sapphires), Rob Collins (The Lion King) and Stef Dawson (The Hunger Games).
Cleverman sees a group of non-humans battling for survival in a world where humans feel increasingly inferior to them and want to silence, exploit and kill them. Central to the drama is the story of two estranged indigenous brothers who are forced together to fight for their own survival. Cleverman is an original concept commissioned by the ABC TV indigenous department and produced in association with Screen Australia, Screen NSW and Red Arrow International.
The series is also an official Australian/New Zealand co-production between Goalpost Pictures Australia and Pukeko Pictures. Pukeko Pictures is associated with world-renowned Weta Workshop (Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit trilogy, King Kong, Avatar, The Amazing Spider-Man 3, Godzilla). Weta Workshop together with Jacob Nash (Bangarra Dance Company) will be providing the creature design.
Park Road Post Production will provide picture, visual effects for the series. Recent shows completed at Park Road include The Hobbit films, New Zealand hits The Dark Horse, and What We Do In The Shadows.
Cleverman will screen on ABC TV in Australia, with Red Arrow International distributing the drama worldwide, and eOne Australia attached for domestic sales.
Wayne Blair, director of the Australian box office hit The Sapphires, also produced by Goalpost Pictures, and the upcoming film Septembers of Shiraz with Adrien Brody and Salma Hayek, is lead director, with acclaimed director/writer/actress/performer Leah Purcell also directing.
Source: ABC TV