Featuring The Office Australia co-producers Sophia Zachariou and Kylie Washington.

After smash hit runs in the UK and the US, the global juggernaut TV series The Office is coming to Australia in October 2024 as a new adaptation for Prime Video – and, significantly, it will star the series’ first ever female lead!

Join us for an absorbing In Conversation with Sophia and Kylie to unpack the particular challenges (and joys!) of adapting this highly successful scripted format for local audiences - and the learnings they and the creative team gained along the way.

International remakes can give new producers the chance not just to localize but also (dare we say?!) improve upon the originating show. We’ll hear some of the processes the producers went through to not only adapt the format so it would resonate in Australia, but also introduce new creative ideas or elements to ensure the Aussie show would be more than a mere “remake” but a fresh new series in its own right.

How important was it to stay true to the tone, shooting style and characters of the original US and UK versions? What were the considerations when it came to casting locally - not least the decision to put a female actor in the lead role? How did the writers incorporate elements that would resonate with the local Aussie culture - but at the same time try to appeal, potentially, to a whole new audience of international viewers? And, most important of all, what did Ricky Gervais - the original format creator - think of their decision to go with a woman in the “David Brent” role?

Don’t miss this opportunity to join this fascinating conversation with Sophia and Kylie to hear more about the new series and, crucially, learn from their experiences!

Sophia Zachariou's bio:

Sophia helped establish Bunya Entertainment alongside David Jowsey and Greer Simpkin in 2019 and was its co-MD for five years before departing the company in March 2024. Bunya was responsible for comedy web series Nice Shorts and Amazon sketch series The Moth Effect, as well as the upcoming series The Office, also for Amazon, and the ABC’s Ladies in Black.

Previously as Screen NSW Director of Screen Investment, Engagement and Attraction, Sophia led the screen program across NSW and oversaw the commissioning of award-winning productions such as Warwick Thornton’s Sweet Country, Rachel Perkins’ Mystery Road, Nash Edgerton’s Mr Inbetween, Bruce Beresford’s Ladies in Black and Jeffrey Walker’s Riot.

Before joining Screen NSW, Sophia was Deputy Head of Entertainment at ABC TV and commissioned and Executively Produced over 35 award-winning television titles, including Gruen, The Chaser, Kitchen Cabinet, Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell, Elegant Gentleman’s Guide to Knifefighting, The Checkout and Judith Lucy’s Spiritual Journey.

Kylie Washington's bio:

Kylie Washington is BBC Studios ANZ’s General Manager and Creative Director of Production, responsible for exploiting BBC Studios’ extensive format catalogue and driving the creation of new intellectual property in the Australian market. Her local slate includes Mastermind and Celebrity Mastermind for SBS, Weakest Link for Nine, The Great Australian Bake Off for Foxtel, Dancing With The Stars for Ten and Dancing With the Stars: All Stars for Seven.

 Kylie has a wealth of experience adapting international formats for the Australian and Asian markets, as well as developing and overseeing formatted factual entertainment. Her previous roles include Director of Unscripted at Matchbox Pictures where she delivered a slate of titles including Real Housewives of Melbourne and Sydney, Room 101, original format Formal Wars and original entertainment series Everyone’s A Critic, as well as setting up the Matchbox Asia business which delivered content across all of NBCU’s Channels within Asia. Prior to that, Kylie was a series producer and development producer for Active TV, working across a broad range of genres where her credits included Prank Patrol, The Amazing Race Australia and The Amazing Race Asia.

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If you have any questions please email us on takeoff@mediamentors.com.au