The incorrigible Bondi Hipsters, from ABC show Soul Mates, are due to take their “w-neck” t-shirts, Ayahuasca trips and judgement free yoga to the big screen.
Brothers Christiaan and Connor Van Vuuren have received a grant from Screen Australia’s Enterprise Industry program to fund development of a movie long version of the characters.
Christiaan told Guardian Australia the film will be “Pineapple Express meets Enemy of the State” and will expand on the show’s fascination with the Illuminati and conspiracy theories.
Bondi Hipsters had its genesis three years ago as a popular YouTube series. Written and directed by the brothers, and played by Christiaan and Nick Boshier, the same trio went onto create a multi-character television series called Soul Mates, which aired on ABC in 2014.
In contrast to previous YouTube-to-television success stories, the Van Vuurens have continued to put social media and digital content at the centre of their creative life, be it a savvy Facebook presence or road-testing new projects online. “Part of our philosophy is get it out there, use the internet to gain a following, and then take it to the next level – whether it’s film, television or stage,” said Van Vuuren.
The show creator also said there’s a “real disparity” between industry and audience expectations, with industry only viewing the internet as a platform for additional content (such as behind-the-scenes or show extras). “For an audience member they’re all screens – there’s no difference watching content online, on a mobile or on television. The gap between formats is becoming smaller and smaller.”
On Thursday, Screen Australia announced it was awarding $3.2m in grants to 10 production companies. Along with the Van Vuuren brothers, recipients included Robert Connolly’s production company Arenamedia (Paper Planes), Jamie Hilton’s See Pictures (Little Death) and Every Cloud Productions (Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries).
Connolly has also been rewarded for his innovative take on cinema. The writer-director will use the grant to further develop his boutique distribution model CinemaPlus, which seeks to enhance the cinema going experience with live Q&As and take home DVDs of film extras. CinemaPlus distributed Connolly’s own film The Turning and was designed to support Australian films given short run times at theatres.
In a Screen Australia media release Connolly said: “Times are changing; it is all about knowing the audience – how to find them and create a unique theatrical experience for them. I am convinced inspiring Australian stories will continue to have a place in cinemas, on television and online with the continuing support of the Australian government.”
Screen Australia’s chief operating officer Fiona Cameron called the funding “a boon for emerging and experienced creatives”. The grant money has been shared among approximately 100 Australian writers, producers and script editors, she said. “This is filling a serious employment gap in the industry and serves to regenerate our screen industry.”
