WA to partner Singapore in TV series first

• State Government invest $600,000 in Serangoon Road TV series
• Significant opportunities for WA practitioners to work on the project

In a national first, the State Government has invested $600,000 in Serangoon Road, Australia's first official primetime drama co-production with Singapore.

Culture and the Arts Minister John Day said the adult drama series had been made possible through a three-way agreement between ScreenWest, Singapore's Media Development Authority (MDA) and ABC TV.

"Serangoon Road is a detective series set against the exotic backdrop of 1960s Singapore, a port city at a crossroads of violence, politics and crime," Mr Day said.

"It is an important project for the Western Australian screen industry as it comes as a result of ScreenWest's relationship building between ABC TV and Great Western Entertainment, and Singapore, where a WA Trade Office has recently opened.

"This partnership will help other WA producers identify new production opportunities and the flow-on effect for the screen industry as a whole will be substantial."

The series will be fully shot in Singapore with key WA creatives travelling to the city to work on the shoot, with post production to be done in Perth.

"This $600,000 State Government investment will translate into a significant spend in WA as much of the post-production will be done in Perth," the Minister said.

"There are significant opportunities for WA practitioners to work on the large-scale production as the series has the potential to run for several seasons."

The WA-initiated adult television drama series has been commissioned by ABC TV and HBO Asia and is being co-produced by WA-based Great Western Entertainment's Paul Barron and Infinite Frameworks (Singapore).

Mr Day confirmed the Government invested $600,000 into Serangoon Road under the ABC ScreenWest Matched Primetime Television Production Fund.

      Fact File

• Serangoon Road is Australia's first official drama co-operation with Singapore
• Filming started this week in Singapore

Minister's office - 6552 6200