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Jungle appoints Courtney Gibson to MD of film and TV as it launches creative hub with Van Vuuren brothers

Production company Jungle has appointed Courtney Gibson to managing director of film and TV, as its moves into TV drama and adds a creative hub to its offering, with the creators of the Bondi Hipsters amongst the hub’s new talent.

Gibson, who will work alongside CEO Jason Burrows, head of production Chloe Rickard, writer Phil Lloyd and director Trent O’Donnell, joins the agency after a year at Screen NSW as chief executive officer.

Courtney Gibson joins Jungle

Prior to Screen NSW, Gibson worked at the Nine Network as a programming production executive.

She has also led content creation and was head of arts, entertainment and comedy at the ABC, where she helped develop and commission shows including Spicks and Specks, Summer Heights High and We Can Be Heroes.

Commenting on Gibson’s appointment, Burrows said she had “fantastic instincts” for creating great television.

Gibson added: “I have a huge amount of respect for the team at Jungle; they’re such a class act of creative talent and I’m delighted to be joining the company as it moves into an exciting new phase.”

The news comes as Jungle announces the formation of The Jungle Collective – a creative hub for Jungle production partners and an incubator for next generation showrunners and feature film-makers led by Rickard – which Bondi Hipsters’ Christiaan and Connor Van Vuuren have joined.

Christian and Connor Van Vuuren

The Van Vuuren brothers are the writers and directors behind The Bondi Hipsters and the ABC/NC Universal’s series Soul Mates, and the duo, who have already represented by Jungle for commercials, will now direct the first Jungle feature, with development funding from Screen Queensland.

Also joining Jungle Collective is Australian writer, director and actor Claudia Pickering. Jungle will produce her next scripted project which follows on from her first feature film Frisky which is launching nationally next month.

Rickard, who will head up Jungle Collective, said the hub will work with writers and creators who will take a leadership role on each of their respective projects and collaborate.

“I’ve been working with the Van Vuurens for over five years and we love Claudia’s breakout film, so they’re both a natural fit. We look forward to partnering with more outstanding talent working across a variety of screen genres,” she said.

Jungle is also set to begin creating TV drama, with its first long-form drama series going into production in August.

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