Magpie Pictures bolsters team following SWIFT STREET triumph
Summary
Screen Australia funding helps Magpie Pictures grow after the success of Swift Street at Canneseries.Magpie Pictures has announced a series of key appointments following its inclusion in the latest round of Screen Australia Enterprise funding.Among the new additions, Matthew Kelly joins as a consulting business executive and executive producer, while Claire Lindsay and Ree Evans will share the role of development producer.Additionally, the company has promoted development and production executive Meredith Hussey to the position of general manager.The changes come as Lois Randall, founder of Magpie Pictures in 2014, looks to build on the momentum of the companys recent success. The production houses drama series, Swift Street, premiered in competition at Canneseries 2024 and was later broadcast on SBS.Magpie Pictures is committed to producing bold, thought-provoking scripted television. We focus on female-driven, diverse, and regional narratives, aiming to immerse audiences in perspectives that challenge their views of the world. Our reputation for supporting creators in crafting fresh, authentic voices is well-established, and were eager to move forward with our upcoming slate, which includes a mix of original concepts from emerging and experienced writers, along with adaptations of novels by Australian women authors set in distinctive settings.Matthew Kelly, who brings extensive experience in business and legal affairs, joins Magpie Pictures after serving nearly three years as principal legal counsel at Foxtel and another three years as senior lawyer at Screen Australia.Meanwhile, the incoming development producers bring a wealth of experience. Evans has also completed professional development programs with Pixar and UCLA Extension.With these appointments, Randall is confident Magpie Pictures is well-positioned to take advantage of new opportunities in the competitive global television landscape.Were aware of the challenges posed by an increasingly competitive market, but we believe Magpie Pictures has something original to offer, Im grateful for Screen Australias support and am delighted to welcome the new team members to the company.Randall added that the expanded team is focused on leveraging creative and market partnerships to produce game-changing scripted series.