A collaboration between leading Australian factual producer Stranger Than Fiction Films and Arrow Media, the recommission of Australia in Colour follows the huge success of series one. In the top three of SBS’s most-watched factual programmes, the series had a combined audience of over 1.8 million viewers in Australia, with a raft of international sales.
Season 2 will continue to breathe new life into the visual history of the nation using its unique colourisation process, to help viewers see the past in a whole new light. The new series will explore how family dynamics changed midway through the 20th Century; how its unique conditions helped to turn Australia into a sports-mad country; how crime has always been a part of the country's DNA and how developments in work and industry helped to transform Australia, its workforce and its identity.
Jo-anne McGowan, Producer, Stranger Than Fiction, adds: “We are delighted by the popularity of series one and can’t wait to uncover more hidden gems from Australia’s amazing audio visual archives and bring them alive through colourisation once more.”
Australia in Colour is the third iteration of the high-performing In Colour brand. Arrow Media has produced three series of America in Color for Smithsonian Channel, as well as Britain in Colour also broadcast by Smithsonian. The brand has seen international success through global sales and has been licensed by broadcasters around the world. Distributed globally by Off the Fence, sales of In Colour total over 50 international licences including: UR Sweden, DR Denmark, NRK Norway and RTV Slovenia, for Britain in Colour; France Television, Foxtel, NHK Japan, and A&E Latin America for America in Color; and UR Sweden, Canal+ Poland and YLE Finland for Australia in Colour.
Tom Brisley, Creative Director, Arrow Media, says: “In Colour is now one of the most successful colourisation series across the world. Our ability to uncover rare archive footage from little-known and private collections has resulted in a series which consistently delivers both for broadcasters and the audience.”
Australia in Colour 2 is produced by Jo-anne McGowan for Stranger Than Fiction in association with Arrow Media. It was commissioned by Joseph Maxwell and John Godfrey at SBS. It is distributed internationally by Off the Fence.
Joseph Maxwell, Head of Documentaries, SBS, says: “SBS were thrilled by the ratings and reception of Australia In Colour. Series 2 promises to once again surprise and delight audiences by revealing Australia’s rich and diverse history and we look forward to this next iteration.”