APOS: Discovery to Increase Production in Australia and New Zealand

EXCLUSIVE: First Look Media’s streaming platform Topic has acquired North American rights to David White’s New Zealand-set quirky comedy feature This Town. 

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefThe Paramount Plus streaming service will be launched in Australia and New Zealand in August.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefProduction in and around Sydney, Australia has started on “Preppers,” a comedy series about the end of the world.Directed by Steven McGregor (“Black Comedy”), “Preppers” follows a young Aboriginal woman whose world crumbles around her after experiencing a personal, cataclysmic event.

A man who made memorable appearances on the first season of New Zealand’s The Bachelorette as well as Heartbreak Island has passed away.

La Brea, the new NBC series created by writer David Applebaum, is bringing their production to Australia, Universal Studio Group announced today.

Star Observer, “The disability justice network came about because a lot of us disabled people living in Australia were getting our resources around disability justice from America and a lot of organisations based in the USA. There was training, workshops and panels coming out of America, but there didn’t seem to be any centralised movement in Australia.“We realised we were waiting for somebody to create this, so eventually it clicked that this was something we could do ourselves.

coronavirus. The band’s tour finale on Saturday night was billed as the largest concert in the world since the pandemic began.Equally momentous for a band which met while playing rugby at university was getting to play the first concert ever held at the storied Eden Park rugby stadium.

Six60, who recently played one of the world’s largest gigs since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, will tour the UK and Europe this winter.The pop-rock band made international headlines earlier this month after playing a show to 50,000 people without social distancing in Auckland, New Zealand.

TLC’s upcoming reality series “Extreme Sisters” definitely lives up to its title, judging by two sisters who share everything — including a boyfriend.

Prince William is marking Anzac Day with a special message.

Queen Elizabeth II had worshipped several times over the years on their visits to the country.Philip died April 9 at the age of 99 and was mourned at a funeral service Saturday at Windsor Castle. The New Zealand memorial happened to coincide with the queen's 95th birthday.Governor-General Patsy Reddy said Philip had traveled around New Zealand during his visits, meeting people from every culture and region.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefThe arrival of Hollywood superstars and government money for tentpole movies have grabbed headlines in Australia. But independent film productions are also moving ahead in post-COVID Australia.Production will start next month in Perth, Western Australia on “It Only Takes A Night,” a film that is both a romantic comedy and a female empowerment movie.

Christian Bale is putting his brand new look on display!

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefChinese streaming firm iQIYI is making moves to start operating in Australia and New Zealand.

The wheels have been greased on the hotly-anticipated Mad Max spin-off Furiosa, which is set to star Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth.

Amazon’s new Lord Of The Rings television series has so far cost £336million ($465million) to make just one season, according to reports.The show, which has already been renewed for a second season before the first one has aired, is expected to air season one later this year although no release date has yet been confirmed.As reported on Consequence Of Sound, the figures were made public as part of the New Zealand government’s Official Information Act, where the project is currently filming.

Eureka Productions has been on a roll recently, picking up orders for series such as a Magic Mike competition series at HBO Max and an adaptation of 1980s videogame Frogger at Peacock.