William McInnes
An unconventional relationship in a world on the cusp of change; a star newsreader and an ambitious reporter join forces in a ruthless 1986 newsroom, as events unfold that will change their lives.
Ten years after Black Saturday, the traumatised survivors reveal how they found the strength to recover from the worst bushfire disaster in Australian history.
On the far west of the Australian continent, with the limitless Indian Ocean beyond, there is a set of islands whose animals defy all laws of nature. The three islands lie side by side, but each is ruled by a different animal. One by a unique marsupial, the second by a penguin and the third by one of the world’s most venomous snakes, as though evolution has divided the real estate equitably. And on the islands each animal has become stranger than ever – with a set of features so unique they are bizarre. One of the worlds ‘happiest’, yet most vulnerable marsupials, the Quokka thrives only on Rottnest Island. In almost plague proportions over ten thousand of the strange relic wallabies live here. How do they survive here in such inhospitable conditions and nowhere else? For the first time in the world we film the life-cycle of the mysterious Quokka, the Little Penguin and the Tiger Snake, using the latest filming equipment and techniques.
Detectives Tori Lustigman and Nick Manning are assigned a brutal murder case in Bondi, where they begin to uncover mounting evidence to suggest the killing is connected to a spate of unexplained deaths, "suicides" and disappearances throughout the 80s and 90s. Haunted by the disappearance of her teenage brother, Tori's fascination with the case soon turns to fixation. When more ritualistic murders occur with the same bizarre signature, Tori and Nick will need to put their relationships, their careers and their lives on the line to finally reveal the truth.
In Hello Birdy the inimitable Australian actor William McInnes gets up close and personal with some of Australia's diverse birdlife like never before. Have you ever seen a birdwatcher in a malleefowl suit or a giant yellow codpiece? Or someone using the mythical rubber red-bellied black snake to scare off a brush turkey? Have you ever wondered what to say to a horny male emu while brandishing an artificial cloaca (bird's reproductive organ)? No, well, William doesn't have much idea either, and the results are hilarious!
The Time of Our Lives follows the lives of the extended Tivolli family as they navigate their way around relationships, raising kids, love, careers, divorce, disability and finding happiness. Elder brother Matt is a high-flying sports agent struggling with his obsessive wife Caroline. Younger brother Luce runs a much more relaxed household with long-time partner Bernadette, despite a chaotic schedule and financial pressures. Chai Li, the youngest, was adopted from Vietnam as a baby and is a successful and happy thirty-something until her world is shattered by a humiliating turn of events. Herb has known the family since childhood.
The ABC telemovie event Dangerous Remedy tells the fascinating story of Dr Bertram Wainer. Living and working in Melbourne in the 1960s, Dr Wainer put his life at risk to expose police corruption in an effort to change the law on abortion and put an end to the illegal operations that were killing young women. It’s a truly inspiring story. Dr Wainer’s determination, even when his own life and that of his family’s was threatened, never faltered. He was living proof that one person can make a difference and change the status quo. With the support of Dr Wainer’s family, the filmmakers have endeavoured to capture the essence of his struggle to expose police corruption and change the law.
The Slap is an Australian television drama series. It was first broadcast on ABC1 from 6 October to 24 November 2011. The series is based on The Slap, a 2008 multi-award winning novel by Australian author Christos Tsiolkas, which explores what happens when a man slaps a child, who is not related to him, at a suburban barbecue. Filmed in Melbourne, Victoria, the series was produced by Matchbox Pictures' Tony Ayres, Helen Bowden and Michael McMahon, with Penny Chapman serving as executive producer. The directors; Jessica Hobbs, Matthew Saville, Tony Ayres and Robert Connolly, directed two episodes each. The writing team included Emily Ballou, Alice Bell, Brendan Cowell, Kris Mrksa and Cate Shortland.
William McInnes (Look Both Ways, Sea Change) is the can-do barbecue dad of the title in Brendan Donovan’s affectionate comedy-drama. He plays a Howick cleaning contractor, whose hopes and dreams include success in local body politics. But his real passion is kart-racing and he’s grooming his teenage sons, 17-year-old Marc and 14-year-old Ed (real-life brothers Josh and William McKenzie), as future motorsport heroes. He’s borrowed so much money to make it all happen that it stretches the love of his wife Gail (Robyn Malcolm of Outrageous Fortune fame) to breaking point. When the boys collide on the track, Gazza’s world is turned upside down, causing a crisis that tears at them all — forcing him to fight to keep his dreams afloat, and his family together.
McInnes plays a suburban dad who works as a police informant for a federal investigative agency. The character’s background is shrouded in mystery, with intelligence officers seeking to uncover the truth about his past by working with him.
The Douglas Mawson Antarctic Expedition of 1912 is considered one of the most amazing feats of endurance of all time. Although his two companions perished, Douglas Mawson survived, but how? In a bold historical experiment, scientist and adventurer Tim Jarvis is retracing the gruelling experience, with the same meagre rations, primitive clothing and equipment to uncover what happened to Mawson physically-and mentally-as a man hanging on the precipice of life and death.
This film tells the story of Australia's most neglected bestselling author, Arthur Upfield. Shot on location in the Outback, London and Paris and using rare archival footage, it explores how Upfield came to create the unique and highly controversial fictional hero, Aboriginal detective Napoleon Bonaparte.
Zane Malik and the Major Crime Squad investigate crime and murder in all quarters of multicultural Sydney.
A wife and mother is consumed by the thought that her husband's co-worker is trying to win him away from her and their family.
This is the story of a typical contemporary Australian family. Skye is getting married to Lachlan. They have to tell her mother, stepfather, father, step mother, his father, his new wife, his mother and her girlfriend. Not counting grandparents, aunt and friends. They live with Skye's stepfathers son and best mate who is in love with Skye.
During one unusually hot weekend, four friends struggle after hearing some life-changing news.
Marshall Law is a cheeky view of two sisters juggling the personal with the professional as they make their mark in the fascinating and often humourous world of a city Magistrate's Court.
Set in 1960's Sydney, this is the story of an Australian gangster whose booming business, buoyed by the influx of U.S. soldiers in town for R&R during their tours in Vietnam, attracts the attention of first the Chicago mafia, and then their East Coast competitors.
Two-part UK drama set in London and Sydney spanning seven years. When Sam and Nicky's six year old son is diagnosed with leukaemia and a perfect blood match is all that can save him, Sam decides now is the right time to trace his real father - back to Sydney where she picked up a violent criminal while backpacking
Adam looks back, with affection, to his childhood in a small suburban house, with his mum, his crippled and alcoholic dad, their bird Jeanette, and his older brother, who wears an eye patch, has asthma, and gets blamed for things even when he's not around. The boys are boon companions, swiping money from their napping dad and heading for Ruby's store to buy lollies. They draw, collect cans, and watch the brother's pet lizard eat flies (occasionally giving it a snail). Adam's brother has a collection of cigarette butts, and he has a dream: to be an acrobat like their father was before his accident. Can dreams come true?
SeaChange is a popular Australian television show that ran for 39 episodes from 1998 to 2000 on the ABC. It was created by Andrew Knight and Deborah Cox and starred Sigrid Thornton, David Wenham, William McInnes, John Howard, Tom Long and Kerry Armstrong. The director was Michael Carson. Filming was based at Barwon Heads, Victoria and St Leonards, Victoria, both locations being on the Bellarine Peninsula. A number of streets in the St Leonards Sea Change Estate have since been named to acknowledge some of the characters of the series. Many scenes were also filmed in Williamstown, including the exterior of the Williamstown Life Saving Club, which became the court house of Pearl Bay.
Adam tells us the story of an older cousin, who had cerebral palsy. Adam would go over to play, and they'd dress as superheroes, jump off the shed, and run about the the street with an old shopping trolley. Adam explains his cousin's wayward left arm, his strong right one, his aunt's understanding of her son's rages ("bake a cake," she'd tell him), and the boy's love of swimming. On Adam's eighth birthday, the cousins are separated by tragedy; it's left to Adam to wonder about his cousin, and if he still smells of licorice.
Ocean Girl is an Australian science fiction TV series aimed for family audiences and starring Marzena Godecki as the lead character. The show is set in the near future, and focuses on an unusual girl named Neri who lives alone on an island, and the friendships she develops with the inhabitants of an underwater research facility called ORCA. The show is an example of deep ecology science fiction.
Blue Heelers is an Australian police drama series which depicted the lives of police officers stationed at the fictional Mount Thomas police station in a small town in Victoria.
Christina (Claudia Karvan) is a school teacher from a wealthy Greek-Australian background, engaged to a lawyer and content with the traditional course of her life. She begins teaching at an inner-city working-class school and she finds her ideas challenged by the students. Involving herself in a campaign by a group of non-anglo students to form a soccer club in a school where the racist PE teacher only supports Australian Rules Football, Christina starts falling in love with aspiring soccer player, 17 year old Nick (Alex Dimitriades). The ensuing affair forces Christina to challenge herself, her family and the culture she lives in. Managing to effectively combine comedy with a refreshing examination of contemporary ethnic relationships in Australia, beautifully acted by a young cast, and insightfully scripted.
Ann (Kerry Walker) cleans for a living. She confronts problems like a vacuum cleaner sucks up dirt from the carpet. She shares everything she has with her two moody children (Noah Taylor, Sarah Hooper) and her equally erratic neighbours. She also shares everything her rich and constantly out-of-town employers have. While Ann vacuums her clients’ penthouses, her friends enjoy the million dollar views, luxury appointments, home gyms, cocktails by the pool - the things they have always wanted, but could never in their wildest dreams afford.
