Essential, Dynamic go Troppo

Australia’s Essential Media and LA-based Dynamic Television have hired the co-director of Netflix horror movie Cargo to write a drama series based on Australian author Candice Fox’s novel Crimson Lake.

Yolanda Ramke

Yolanda Ramke is scripting eight-parter Troppo, which follows an ex-cop falsely accused of a disturbing crime who teams up with a female private investigator who served time for murder.

The duo set out to investigate the strange death of an author in the steamy, croc-infested wetlands of Crimson Lake. While the partnership seems doomed to fail, both wayward souls are offered the chance for redemption.

Screen Queensland is supporting the development, with the show set to be shot in the state’s far north. The title of the series refers to the Australian slang for losing one’s mind the tropical heat.

With Ramke on board as writer, it is unclear whether she will also direct the follow-up to 2017 Netflix film Cargo, which she co-directed with Ben Howling.

The executive producers of Troppo are Essential Media CEO Chris Hilton and VP of scripted television for the US Simonne Overend, alongside Dynamic managing partner Daniel March and senior VP of original content Holly Hines.

Hines said: “Crime drama is a genre we know very well. Yolanda Ramke is an incredibly prolific writer and Essential Media is uniquely suited for this exciting series. With these terrific partners on board, I’m confident Troppo will be a fantastic addition to our line-up of distinct and original programming.”

Hilton added: “Supporting home-grown creative talent like Yolanda Ramke is a real focus for us and our collaboration on Troppo with Dynamic creates an exciting opportunity to bring original, and authentic Australian stories to international audiences.”

Now owned by Kew Media Group, Essential recently re-activated its drama arm with the mandate to produce premium international TV dramas and theatrical features via Essential Scripted.

Dynamic’s credits include Trapped, an Icelandic crime drama from Baltasar Kormakur now in its second season; the third season of Van Helsing for Syfy; Madiba, a six-part drama for BET Network; and the fifth season of zombie comedy Z Nation for Syfy.