Saw creator in Film Vic’s latest funding round
Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson’s The Mule is one of 18 productions to receive funding from Film Victoria.
Whannell and Sampson are co-writing and co-producing the black comedy with Paul Clarke and Tony Mahony directing.
Whannell is one of the creators of the Saw horror film series. Sampson was cast in the recent telemovie Beaconsfield as well as Insidious and is currently on Andrew Denton’s Randling.
The Synopsis: “Ray Jenkins, an unlikely drug mule from Sunshine, Victoria, takes on all the authority figures in his life using the only option within his control – holding on!”
Accompanying The Mule, Film Victoria has announced investment of $3m across documentaries, drama series, children’s television and feature films.
Jenni Tosi, CEO of Film Victoria said: “Funding from this round is also supporting the move of both early and mid-career talents into producing and directing on major productions which consolidates the ongoing benefit and impact of investing in production activity in Victoria.”
Funding is reported to generate approximately $50m in production expenditure.
As well as Mule, two feature films have been funded; Galore by writer director Rhys Graham and The Turning, an adaptation of Tim Winton’s novel of the same name by producer Robert Connolly and directors Justin Kurzel, Cate Blanchett, David Wenham, Tony Ayres.
All three feature films have received previous support from Screen Australia.
Children’s shows Get Ace for Channel Ten and The Lost Boys for ABC 3, adult dramas Mr & Mrs Murder for Ten, comedy Upper Middle Bogan for ABC, House Husbands for Nine and Time of our Lives for the ABC.
All documentaries funded are destined for the ABC, including a fourth series of Anatomy, Fallout by Rough Trade Productions, George Rrurrambu for Night Sky Films, Grey Man for Abracadabra Films, Licence to Kill for DD&B productions and Possum Wars for 360 Degree Films.
Three productions coming to Australia for post-production services off the back of Film Victoria’s Production Investment Attraction Fund will spend an estimated $7.5m locally. The productions include James Cameron’s Deep Sea Challenge for Nat Geo and iMax 3D, sic-fi film After Earth starring Will Smith and Emperor.
