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Conman. Criminal. Chameleon. Buckle up for a wild ride through 1980s Australia as this true crime drama - from the award-winning producers of The Twelve – lifts the balaclava on the story of notorious bank robber Brenden Abbott.
Show: RUN
Runtime: 6×60’
Producer: Warner Bros Australia
Directors Ben Young and Bonnie Moir explain what makes their adrenaline-fuelled series Run stand out from other true crime dramas.
What do you see as the audience for the show?
Young: Although the premise might initially attract a male audience, our intention was always broader. We approached the story from the inside out, building characters whose lives, relationships and contradictions make the world feel human rather than procedural.
The show still delivers the kinetic energy of a crime thriller, but it’s ultimately about people trying to make sense of their choices. We hope that emotional core invites in viewers who don’t usually gravitate toward true crime.
What is your ambition for the show?
Young: Our ambition has always been to make a crime story that feels intimate as well as propulsive, something that moves with the tension of a manhunt but still pauses to explore the private worlds of the people caught up in it.
We’ve tried to create characters who feel specific to the time and place, yet relatable enough that audiences anywhere can recognise themselves in their struggles. If we’ve done that well, I believe the show can speak to a global audience. And if people connect with these characters as strongly as we have, I’d love the opportunity to continue their story in future seasons.
What makes Run unique?
Moir: Run is a high-voltage, six-part series that tears into the true story of notorious bank robber Brenden Abbott with ferocity and fun, propelled by a relentless pace that never lets up.
The series presents a razor-sharp ensemble cast, faces that feel genuinely fresh on our screens. For myself and fellow director Ben Young, along with producer Hamish Lewis, it was an incredible opportunity to collaborate with a group so fearless. This cast didn’t just show up, they poured themselves into every scene, elevating the story with a level of dedication that can be felt throughout.
Run could have easily fallen into the usual crime retelling tropes but instead, tonally, it’s a gut-punch of adrenaline, fun and full of heart. I hope that this delicate tonal balance will not only move audiences but also have them yelling at their TVs.
What shows out there in the market might it provide a companion or replacement for?
Moir: We wanted Run to be a cinematic television experience. We drew inspiration from much celebrated films like Aussie classic Two Hands or a little further from home films like Hell or High Water and The Place Beyond the Pines – films that were able to carry the balance of tension, humour and heart.
What else is important to mention in terms of the show?
Run was shot in three blocks of two episodes. Given the linear nature of the series, we set out to make each block feel like their own mini arc – and in doing so, threw out the need for consistency in tone, pacing and energy. We played with the colour palette, the music choices and the coverage from block to block in the hope that the audience could feel like they were on a journey that kept moving along in a different space as our characters progressed.
