Craig goes Electric

Former Discovery Networks International (DNI) chief creative officer Phil Craig has resurfaced at one of Australia’s leading factual prodcos.

Craig started this week as head of factual at Andrew Ogilvie’s Perth, Western Australia-based Electric Pictures.

“I’ll be working with Andrew and his team to build the business both in Australia and internationally,” said Craig, who was head of factual at Australian pubcaster ABC before joining DNI in 2014. He departed last year after 10 months in the role.

“I’ve done some of my best work as both producer and commissioner with this company, so it’s a huge pleasure to now help shape its future,” Craig told C21.

“I want us to be the first choice for any UK, American, Canadian, European or other TV mates in need of a production partner down under. I’m going to be in WA and the Eastern states a lot, and am very much looking forward to re-entering the Aussie media scene.

Before the ABC, Craig worked for UK independent producer Nutopia, where he took charge of the Discovery series How We Invented The World.

In March, Electric Pictures advertised for a creative producer to head the factual development team with a remit to develop a range of factual programmes, primarily for the TV market, and to assist CEO Ogilvie and executive producers to pitch projects to buyers.

The prodco’s current and recent slate includes Aussie Gold (8×45’), which examines the high-stakes world of Australia’s gold prospectors, commissioned by Discovery Channel. The War That Changed Us (4×57’) explained how World War I changed the country while Jandamarra’s War told of the Australian Aboriginal who led a three-year rebellion against invading pastoralists in the 1890s, both for ABC.