PRODUCTION COMPANY SPOTLIGHT: Prospero Productions
The Western Australian production company is in production on a new documentary series for Channel 7 and Discovery, Outback Farm, which is set to continue the adventures of the water drilling Haigh family from Outback Truckers.
Western Australian production company Prospero Productions is in production on a brand new documentary series for Channel 7 and Discovery, Outback Farm, which is set to continue the adventures of the water drilling Haigh family from Outback Truckers.
Outback Farm follows Danyelle and Anthony and their two kids, Theo and Heath, who are about to embark on their greatest Outback adventure yet. In the harsh desert wilderness of the Northern Territory (NT), the Haigh family is risking it all. They’ve moved thousands of kilometres from their support network of friends and family in Queensland, to buy a $7 million farm in the dead heart of Australia, 200km from Alice Springs.
Prospero Productions is one of Australia’s most prolific and innovative factual production companies, having produced a vast number of multi award-winning documentaries and documentary series seen around the world, including nine seasons of Outback Truckers and six seasons of Outback Opal Hunters.
Most recently, the company produced 180-degree immersive documentary Star Dreaming, which was nominated for a 2022 Premier’s Science Award, and heartwarming Channel 9 series Children’s Hospital.
We chatted to Prospero’s Managing Director and Outback Farm EP Julia Redwood about returnable formats, the international appeal of the Australian outback and what makes a compelling documentary character.
Prospero has an incredible track record of producing returnable series. You’re currently in production on a new one, Outback Farm – what do you look for in a new concept and how do you identify a successful returnable series?
What is important from the get-go is getting a sense of whether the characters and what they do will sustain week-in-week-out, and potentially over many years and over many seasons. I ask myself questions such as: What are the stakes? The higher the better. Is there natural jeopardy in what they are doing? The more there is the easier it will be to make a successful, long running series. Why would an audience (domestic and international) care about them and what they do? I’m looking for universal stories and relatable characters. And of course, are they willing to go on this journey with us, potentially for years? Access and co-operation are everything.
Outback Farm features some familiar faces, following the story of Outback Truckies Danyelle and Anthony as they move to the centre of Australia to start a new chapter. Can you share what you’ve learnt about casting over the years and why you’re drawn to particular real-life character journeys?
Casting is as key in factual as it is in drama. The best characters are those that are able, and willing, to communicate their inner thoughts and feelings; to wear their hearts on their sleeves, if you like. The more open they are to the process, the better the show will be. They don’t necessarily have to be big characters, while that is always a boon, it’s what’s at stake that really matters. That’s what drives the narrative and if they can express their inner thoughts and feelings, then you’re cooking with gas! The more authentic a character, the better.
Prospero’s ‘Outback’ series have done extremely well overseas, with Outback Truckers and Outback Opal Hunters airing in countries around the world. Why are regional-set Australian factual series resonating with international audiences in such a big way?
The Outback is one of those landscapes, or concepts, that is distinctly Australian – it can’t be found anywhere else in the world. It evokes themes of adventure, danger, freedom, remoteness and toughness; all high concepts that lend themselves to dramatic storytelling. Internationally, it is one of the few locations that people recognise and understand as Australian, hence its popularity both here and overseas.
Children’s Hospital’s recent UK broadcast resulted in healthcare professionals getting in touch to express interest in coming to work in Perth. How does that speak to the powerful nature of documentary?
It’s very exciting when you get a reaction, and action, as a consequence of a documentary you have made. Doctors and nurses getting in touch with the hospitals to enquire about coming to work here because they’ve seen the series in the UK, speaks volumes about not only the hospitals, but moreover the storytelling that engaged those doctors and nurses in the first place. Documentary, when told well, can be the some of the most moving, the most inspiring and the most memorable screen content there is.
What would you like to see next for the documentary sector in Western Australia?
Well, it always sounds crass to say ‘money’….but ‘money’! Screenwest is limited in what it can fund because their coffers keep drying up. There are more projects than they have money for. We have such a strong nationally and internationally recognised factual section in WA that it is such a shame that it’s not reaching its full potential due to these limited funds. This also goes for drama in this state. And with more production comes more opportunities for hands-on training and jobs. It’s a pretty simple equation and our industry gives a lot of bang for the tax payer’s buck – that’s for sure!
All eight episodes of Children’s Hospital are now available to stream on 9Now. Outback Farm will premiere in 2023.
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