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Pitchee: Tim Greene (writer)

1000 Ropes
A story of a female engineer battling the patriarchy at the birth of the world’s richest diamond mine has never been more resonant than it is today.

The spectacular landscape of the Thousand Ropes has never been seen before, and against this extraordinary backdrop, issues of race, power, gender and culture play out in a raw, anarchic world, where fortunes can be made or lost with the turn of a spade.

Deadwood meets The Piano in pre-colonial Southern Africa, amidst the dust and desperation of the chaotic early diggings of the Big Hole of Kimberley.

The year is 1782 and 50,000 diggers seek their fortune in a labyrinth of small claims hacked out of the rock with pick and shovel. It’s a time of chaos and freedom, and all men are equal in the eyes of lady luck.

But when an intrepid young Englishwoman cannot find anyone to exhume her brother’s body from under a rock fall, she is forced to supervise the perilous job herself. As the work progresses, her extraordinary engineering skills are revealed to the patriarchal mining camp, sparking outrage at her daring to take on a man’s work.

But under the weight of the ropes that haul the rock from the pit, the massive winding platform is in danger of collapse. Thousands of lives and the fate of the world’s richest diamond mine is in the balance. Even as she is vilified, Emma Davenport’s skills are in demand and the camp leaders begrudgingly turn to her to save their mine.

Project Information:
Genre: Period drama
Format: 8x60’
Writer: Tim Greene
Director: Jann Turner
Producers: Brigid Olen, Marlow de Mardt & Andre Loggenberg
Partners: Department of Trade and Industry SA rebate
Development stage: Development
Planned shooting start:2021/22
Shooting location: South Africa
Languages: English and vernacular where relevant
Total budget: US$16m
Budget per episode: US$2m
Financing already in place: US$4.2m or 26%

Looking for from the International Business: Equity, broadcasters and distributors.

Company profile:
Constantly forward-thinking and striving for excellence, DO Productions firmly base their company in relationship-orientated environments offering creative scope for new and polished talent. Owners and founders of DO Productions Marlow de Mardt and Brigid Olen distinguish themselves as passionate and determined indie producers of film and television. By employing a hands-on approach and can-do attitude they skillfully balance the creative and financial to realise the next best script and project.

Marlow and Brigid have achieved international acclaim and awards, not as producers solely but by being key figures in industry-based organisations. Their productions range from art house to commercial but always have a mindset of more quality and less quantity. Marlow and Brigid developed a unique signature as insightful producers delivering projects on schedule and on budget, and capitalising on creativity and conceptual qualities to offer both peace of mind and integrity to each project.

Marlow is currently producing a long-running series in Norway and Brigid is immersed in developing both local and foreign productions. Using their three tiers knowledge, Brigid has an affinity for developing South African stories, establishing coproductions and executing service work. The current SA incentive and rebate of 25% of foreign films capitalises on the already handsome exchange rate and unrivalled screen value.

Contact:
DO Productions Pty Ltd
www.doproductions.com
E: [email protected]
T: +2782 3722502