Exciting development news for Wedge-Tail impact documentaries
- Aug 5
- 2 min read
We're passionate about telling stories that spark conversation and inspire action and have recently been out in the field – with more shoots planned over the coming months – as we continue developing two new impact documentaries exploring some of Australia's biggest environmental and social challenges. Here's a glimpse of what we've been working on.
BIG WATER
We’re delighted to have received development funding from Screen NSW to head out with climate researcher and former farm kid Lee Constable to capture early development material and explore stories for BIG WATER — a new documentary single and digital short-form series exploring the future of freshwater in Australia. What can Australia teach the world about this most important resource?
Lee delves into the story of fresh water in Australia to ask how we can produce food for a growing planet without trashing our natural ecosystems. As the idea of ‘water bankruptcy’ takes hold globally, we meet the people and places of the Murray Darling Basin in this energetic, investigative short doco series. Equal parts shocking and funny, we ask what Australians and the world have learned from this country’s unique but hard-won lessons on water.
BIG WATER (or ‘Murrumbidgee’ in Wiradjuri) is an impact-first documentary series designed for direct-to-audience distribution through partnerships with NGOs, advocacy groups and government stakeholders. If that is you we would LOVE to hear from you.
As part of our broader work in the freshwater space, we've also partnered with Environment Victoria to help shoot and produce Water Belongs to Country, featuring Tati Tati and Wadi Wadi man Brendan Kennedy. The film highlights the importance of healthy rivers and First Nations water justice, and we're proud to have contributed to the campaign.
If you'd like to support BIG WATER, you can make a tax-deductible donation through Documentary Australia.
HUNTER
We've also recently been in the Hunter Valley with Scott Franks and cinematographer Ryan Andrew Lee, capturing development material that brings the story and landscape of feature documentary HUNTER: A Wonnarua Story to life.
HUNTER deals with change and transition in Australia’s Hunter Valley, an urgent, global-facing story told through the eyes of a Wonnarua man who has spent his life working in the shadow of the international coal giants that have transformed this region.
Wedge-Tail Pictures is supporting sister company Kawal Pictures, a Supply Nation-registered company founded by Scott Franks, the Wonnarua man who features in and writes the story with Bill Code, the film’s director. HUNTER is produced by Bill and James Saunders, fresh off his time working on YURLU|Country, rounding out the team of key creatives to date.
The film tracks the growth of an energy transition centred around a regional Renewable Energy Zone, following Scott Franks’ legal battles with mining companies over heritage sites, and a push to preserve his nation’s fragmented culture along the way.
At a time when global energy systems are under strain, the story of HUNTER is more timely than ever. It’s a reminder of how quickly global events can shape everyday life, and why the conversation around energy transition matters right now.
HUNTER has a trickle of development funding we can announce soon, but in the meantime you can make a tax-free donation here. We would LOVE your help on this critical project.
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