Funny Business from NZ On Air

28 June 2007

Media Release

Funny Business

NZ On Air’s June funding allocations have given a boost to locally produced television comedy with four series coming to a screen near you.

“We had some great comedy proposals this month,” said NZ On Air Chief Executive Jane Wrightson.

“Two of the proposals are for returning series, and there are two for new projects.

The new projects include a sketch comedy series called A Thousand Apologies, which addresses the diversity of the Asian experience in New Zealand.

“It’s a ground breaking series from local Asian talent to have fun with the experiences of Kiwi Asians,” Ms Wrightson said. “Naughty, but very funny.

“We’ve also given the green light to The Jaquie Brown Diaries – a hybrid comedy/factual satire series that follows the trials and tribulations of an almost famous TV presenter and her search for self discovery.

“It’ll feature real television and media personalities, playing distorted versions of their own personas - blurring the lines between fantasy and reality,” she said.

Both of these series were funded from NZ On Air’s Innovation fund.

A second series of the satirical political comedy The Pretender has also been supported, and Moon TV Network will see the Moon TV comedy team back in action.

“These are both great television shows that have found a ready and dedicated audience,” Ms Wrightson said. “It’ll be good to see them back on screen.

“The standard of the proposals we’ve been looking at, and the range of ideas that are coming through, have convinced us that local comedy is certainly alive and well.”

Funding Details

The Pretender 2 $1,600,295
8 x ½ hour
Broadcaster: TV One
Producer: Philip Smith, Rachel Gardner, Great Southern Television

Moon TV Network $293,208
10 x ½ hour
Broadcaster: TV2
Producer: Leigh Hart, Moon Enterprises Ltd

Jaquie Brown Diaries $645,068
6 x ½ hour
Broadcaster: TV3
Producer: Hayley Cunningham, Young, Gifted and Brown

A Thousand Apologies $696,063
6 x ½ hour
Broadcaster: TV3
Producer: Philip Smith, Sarina Pearson, Shuchi Kothari, Great Southern Television

ENDS

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