Beloved comedy drama series Austin will have a distinctly South Australian flavour for its next chapter, with production on season three having just wrapped in Adelaide.
Produced by Northern Pictures with Lincoln Pictures and South Australia’s Hardy White Pictures, the six-part series sees Austin preparing for his wedding to Hayley at her parents’ farm in rural South Australia, with filming in locations throughout the picturesque Adelaide Hills and at the South Australian Film Corporation’s (SAFC) Adelaide Studios.
Michael Theo – breakout star of Love on the Spectrum – returns as the straight-talking and big-hearted Austin, joined again by UK performers Ben Miller (Bridgerton, Death in Paradise), Sally Phillips (Veep, Bridget Jones’s Diary) and Ellie McKay (Hijack, Miss Austen), and Australian actors Gia Carides (My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Big Little Lies), Roy Billing (Jack Irish, Underbelly) and Natalie Abbott (Aftertaste, Return to Paradise).
Co-produced by Michelle Hardy, with episodes directed by Erin White, the series is the latest production to be supported through the ABC SAFC Content Pipeline Fund – the agency’s ongoing screen production partnership with Australia’s national broadcaster. It follows Closer Productions’ critically acclaimed factual series Eat the Invaders, period drama Ladies in Black, children’s series Beep & Mort S2 and Teenage Boss, and comedy Gold Diggers, as well as the forthcoming serialisation of Chris Hammer’s Treasure & Dirt from Easy Tiger Productions.
Austin S3 will showcase South Australian screen industry capability alongside the state’s stunning locations, with the series employing a majority South Australian crew led by 13 South Australian Heads of Department including Production Designer Gareth Wilkes, Costume Designer Renate Henschke, Hair/Make-Up Designer Fiona Rees-Jones, Sound Recordist Nick Steele, 1st Assistant Director Travis Kalendra, Location Manager Maria Humphreys, Gaffer Mathew Schmidt, Key Grip Matan Tatarko, Catering Dept Rachel Marcus, Extras Casting Angie Christophel, Script Supervisor William Hadinata, Unit Manager Cameron McQueen and Safety Supervisor Paul Lightfoot.
Michelle Hardy and Erin White of Hardy White Pictures said:
“As fans of the first two series of Austin, we are delighted to join Northern Pictures and the ABC to bring this hilarious, uplifting, and important series to South Australia. With so many wonderful locations and talent on offer here in South Australia we are proud to work alongside our outstanding local crew, in our home state.”
Darren Ashton, Co-creator said:
“Austin has been a joy to create from day one, and we’re thrilled to return for season three, filming in South Australia. This season takes Austin into new, heartfelt territory, and we’re delighted to bring it back to the ABC and share it with local and global audiences once again.”
Learn more about the benefits of filming in South Australia at safilm.com.au/incentives.
