Pitchees:
Claudia Cooney, 
Rachael Turk, 
Miriam Stein, 
Shannon Wilson McClinton.
Foreign Affairs
In a swanky bar in Nairobi, the smart and ambitious Sarah (30s) meets her partner, who she believes is about to propose. Idealistic about their future, she has spent the last three years writing his papers, drafting his speeches to support his career.
On the eve of their move to her posting as First Secretary at the British High Commission, Canberra, Australia, not only did he not propose, but he is NOT coming. No sooner does Sarah arrive, she is thrown into a diplomatic incident of international proportion. Under the eagle eye of her tough middle age-boss Amanda and flanked by her conniving over confident competitor Rasheed and compulsive liar assistant IRIS, she discovers the best way to uncover secrets in a city where everyone has one is through the local dating scene with its dashing suits and awkward diplomats.
It doesn’t hurt that here, Sarah is considered an ‘8’ in the looks department, whereas she was more of a ‘6’ back in London. When Sarah first hatches her plan, it is driven by revenge and disappointment. She is power hungry and determined not to fall in love again. But could a ruggedly handsome Australian unravel these plans?
With time, she must work out whether deception and manipulation is really her end game, or whether she can find strength in vulnerability. Ultimately, the series explores how one’s greatest power comes from trusting oneself. Extremely challenging for a person with major trust issues, in a world where no one trusts anyone anyone.
Sarah must work out a way to navigate trust and power accordingly; which is the dramatic question at the heart of the show to which Sarah finds herself returning. And each season finds a new geopolitical quandary against which to pit this.
Project Information:
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Format: 8 x 30 mins returnable series
Writer: Claudia Cooney and Rachael Turk
Director: No director attached as yet
Producer: Miriam Stein and Shannon Wilson-McClinton
Partners: Executive Producer Anthony Kimble with Arrested Industries handling International Sales.
Development stage: The team has completed a pitch deck and pilot script. The project has received multiple rounds of development funding from Screen Canberra and the ACT Government. The most recent Screen Canberra funding is to finance a writers’ room to flesh out series episodes and do another pass on the pilot script, complete budget, schedule, and finance plan to be completed by July 2022. We will then start attaching cast and direct and be ready to complete the financing of the series. We are keen to attach a UK co-production partner and broadcaster input to complete this round of work.
Planned shooting start:August 2023
Shooting location: Canberra, Australia
Languages: English
Total budget: AUD 8 million
Budget per episode: AUD 1 million
Financing already in place: The Producer Offset is a financial incentive, administered by Screen Australia, offered to producers of Australian television projects. The Producer Offset offers a 30 per cent tax rebate for television series. This is approx. AUD 1.89 million dollars (24%).
Looking for from the International Business: We are seeking a co-production partner and marketplace/broadcast partners to further develop and finance the series.
Company profile:
Superlative Pictures and Tama Films have joined to produce Foreign Affairs. Superlative Pictures is an award winning, full service production company based in Canberra and headed by creative producer Shannon Wilson-McClinton. Recent credits include the indie feature film 6 Festivals due for release on Paramount+ in mid 2022. Shannon was co-producer on the feature film Hearts and Bones, which had its world premiere at 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. Superlative Pictures produced the interstitial series AUSTRALIAN BY DEGREE, for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, was filmed on three continents and broadcast internationally. Tama Films is a Sydney based film and television production company headed by creative producer Miriam Stein. Credits include award winning feature films; Hey Hey It’s Esther Blueburger that premiered in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival (released by Miramax in Australia and selling globally) and Monkey Puzzle that premiered internationally at the Shanghai International Film Festival, winning the Best Environment Film Award. For television, Miriam co-created and executive produced the scripted comedy, The Very Trevor Ashley Show for SBS TV.
Contact:
Shannon Wilson-McClinton – Superlative Pictures
Tel: +61-412 058 033
Email: [email protected]
www.superlativepictures.com.au
Miriam Stein - Tama Films
Tel:+61-414262726
Email: [email protected]
www.tamafilms.com
