Melbourne based Werner Film Productions (WFP) is an award-winning film and television Production Company specialising in the creative development and production of high-quality live action drama.
Who We Are
Werner Film Productions is an award-winning independent television Production Company specialising in the development and production of high-quality original drama. In March 2024 Werner’s was acquired by BBC Studios Productions Australia, providing greater access to global distribution for the company’s expanding drama slate.
March 2024 also saw Werner Film Productions scoop the Screen Producers of Australia Awards, winning Production Business Of The Year, Drama Series Of The Year for The Newsreader Season 2 and Children’s Production Of The Year for Crazy Fun Park.
Werner’s output has been prolific over the past three years, producing 3 seasons of The Newsreader (ABC, eOne), 2 seasons of the hit tween drama Surviving Summer (Netflix) and the Tween Horror-Comedy drama Crazy Fun Park (ABC, ACTF).
Seasons 1 & 2 of The Newsreader proved exceedingly popular with audiences worldwide while also garnering critical acclaim, winning the 2021 and 2024 AACTA awards for Best Drama Series, Best Direction in Drama or Comedy (Emma Freeman), Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Anna Torv), Best Supporting Actor (William McInnes, Hunter Page-Lochard), along with several other wins and nominations. Peer recognition was also given from the Screen Producers of Australia, with both seasons picking up the award for Drama Series Production of the Year in 2022 and 2024. In 2022 The Newsreader Season 1 received Logie Awards for Most Outstanding Drama Series and Most Outstanding Actress and Season 2 has recently received Logie Award Nominations for Best Drama Series, Most Outstanding Lead Actor (Sam Ried), Actress (Anna Torv) and Supporting Actress (Michelle Lim Davidson). The series has also been a huge hit on BBC2 in the UK and has sold extensively around the world.
Werner’s also made an international splash with the Netflix teen series Surviving Summer. Season 1 premiered worldwide on Netflix in 2022 and was an instant hit, climbing into Netflix’s Top Ten in over 42 countries. Season 2 launched in September of 2023, gathering a cult teenage following across the world to reach Netflix’s Top Ten in 49 Countries and hit the Global Top Ten, with 31.8 million hours viewed in the first month. In 2023, Surviving Summer 1 received Logies nominations for Most Outstanding Children’s Program and Best New Talent.
The tween Horror-Comedy Drama Crazy Fun Park premiered on the ABC in January 2023, receiving high praise and taking punters by surprise as it leapfrogged ‘Bluey’ to take home the 2023 Logie Award for Most Outstanding Children’s Drama Series. Creator, Writer & Director Nick Verso received the ADG Award for Best Direction in a Children’s TV series and the show also took out the International Youth Jury Prize at Prix Jeunesse International 2024 in Munich. The series has sold well internationally including to CBBC and Hulu.
These recent achievements follow on the back of the three hugely successful seasons of the International Emmy nominated and Logie award winning tween drama series Dance Academy and its follow up feature film, Dance Academy The Movie, the AACTA award winning Telemovie Riot, six part Logie winning political thriller Secret City produced in association with Matchbox Pictures and the International Emmy nominated, Logie and AACTA Award winning tween drama Ready For This, a co-venture with Blackfella Films.
Werner Film Productions has an active and diverse development slate, working alongside some of Australia’s most talented writing and directing creatives. The company looks forward to creating more ground-breaking, high quality drama programs for audiences to enjoy.
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What We’ve Won
When you make good work, awards are a nice side effect. Here are a few we’re especially proud of.
Crazy Fun Park
Winner, Prix Jeunesse, Prize of the International Youth Jury Award 2024
Werner Film Productions
Winner, Screen Producers of Australia, Production Business of the Year
The Newsreader S2
Winner, Screen Producers of Australia, Drama Series Production of the Year
Crazy Fun Park
Winner, Screen Producers of Australia Children’s Production of the Year
The Newsreader S2
Winner, Best Drama Series
The Newsreader S2
Winner, Best Direction in Drama or Comedy
The Newsreader S2
Winner, Best Lead Actress in a Drama - Anna Torv
The Newsreader S2
Winner, Best Supporting Actor in a Drama - Hunter Page-Lochard
The Newsreader S2
Winner, Best Costume Design in Television
Crazy Fun Park
Winner, Most Outstanding Children's Program
Surviving Summer
Nominated, Most Outstanding Children's Program
Suriviving Summer
Nominated, Most Popular New Talent - Lilliana Bowrey
The Newsreader
Winner, Most Outstanding Drama Series
The Newsreader
Winner, Most Outstanding Actress
The Newsreader
Winner, Drama Series Production of the year
The Newsreader
Winner, Best Drama Series
The Newsreader
Winner, Best Direction in Drama or Comedy
The Newsreader
Winner, Best Lead Actress in a Drama
The Newsreader
Winner, Best Supporting Actor in a Drama
The Newsreader
Winner, Best Production Design in Television
The Newsreader
Nomination, Best Editing in Television
The Newsreader
Nomination, Best Costume Design in Television
The Newsreader
Nomination, Best Sound in Television
The Newsreader
Nomination, Best Cinematography in Television
Riot
Winner, Best Telefeature or Mini Series
Riot
Winner, Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama
Riot
Winner, Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama
Riot
Winner, Best Casting
Riot
Nomination, Most Outstanding Actor, 2018
Riot
Nomination, Most Outstanding Actress, 2018
Secret City
Winner, Most Outstanding Actress, 2017
Secret City
Winner, Most Outstanding Supporting Actor, 2017
Ready For This
Nomination, Children and Young People, 2017
Ready For This
Winner, Most Outstanding Children’s Television Series, 2016
Ready For This
Winner, Best Children’s Television Series, 2015
Dance Academy Season 2
Winner, Most Outstanding Children’s Program, 2012
Dance Academy Season 2
Winner, Children’s Television Producer of the Year, 2012
Dance Academy Season 2
Nomination, Children and Young People, 2011
Dance Academy Season 1
Nomination, Children and Young People, 2010
Dance Academy Season 1
Winner, Most Outstanding Children’s Program, 2010
Our Team
Our team is small but mighty. Collectively, we have decades of experience and passion.
Joanna Werner
COMPANY DIRECTOR, EXECUTIVE & CREATIVE PRODUCER
Joanna Werner is a passionate Creative and Executive Producer.
As the Founder and Company Director of Werner Film Productions Joanna’s creative instincts have enabled the company to become one of Australia’s leading drama production businesses.
Joanna’s work has been defined by consistent acclaim, receiving numerous AACTA, Logie and Screen Producers of Australia Awards and Nominations, along with three International Emmy nominations.
Since 2020 Joanna has Produced three seasons of The Newsreader (ABC and Lionsgate), two seasons of the Netflix hit teen series Surviving Summer, the tween Comedy Horror drama Crazy Fun Park (ABC & ACTF) and the Netflix Original, Clickbait.
Joanna’s previous credits include Riot (ABC), Secret City (Foxtel), tween drama Ready for This (ABC, ACTF) along with three seasons of Dance Academy and its feature film follow up Dance Academy: The Movie, all of which enjoyed multiple award nominations and wins.
In 2024/25 Joanna will Executive Produce the Apple Original Series "The Dispatcher" along with Jamie Laurensen and Hakan Kousetta of 60Forty Films.
Joanna served on the Board of Screen Australia for six years and also Chaired Screen Australia’s Gender Matters Taskforce from 2020 to 2023.
Stuart Menzies
MANAGING DIRECTOR / EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Stuart is a television executive with extensive experience in content creation, executive producing, commissioning, channel management, programming and financing. Most recently Stuart has executive produced for Werner Film Productions the acclaimed ABCTV The Newsreader seasons 1 & 2, Surviving Summer for Netflix and the upcoming Crazy Fun Park for ABCTV. In 2018 Stuart was the Australian Producer on the Synchronicity Films production of The Cry.
Previously, Stuart was the Head of Content and Creative Development at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABCTV) and oversaw all commissioned production. In 2010, Stuart was appointed the inaugural Controller of ABC2, the network’s younger skewing digital channel.
Rachel Davis
HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT
Rachel Davis is an experienced creative producer and development executive, starting her career in the UK, before moving to New Zealand and then to Australia in 2010.
Her past roles include Head of Development for CBBC Drama, Script and Development Executive for the ACTF and as an Executive Producer for the ABC and for Viacom. She has collaborated on projects with some of Australia’s most highly regarded production companies and has creatively helmed dramas and comedies that have been recognised with nominations for Logies, AACTAs, BAFTAs and the Prix Jeunesse. In 2019, Mustangs FC, a show that she co-created and co-produced for Matchbox Pictures and that champions women both in front of and behind the camera, was nominated for an International Emmy.
In 2022, she co-produced and co-created a new drama for the ABC, Turn Up the Volume, which will air in 2023.
Annie Flynn
HEAD OF PRODUCTION
Annie Flynn has 20-years experience in the production of all formats, including feature film, television drama, comedy, documentary and live stage shows.
Annie was part of the producing team on the internationally recognised, multiple award winning Australian feature film, ‘The Wedding Party’.
She has Line Produced a number of AACTA and Logie award winning television shows, including Love Me, Crazy Fun Park and the Emmy nominated series Please Like Me. Other credits include Twentysomething, Australian Epic, Safe Home, Human Error, Fake and Season 3 of Fisk.
In a documentary series for the ABC that was reviewed as a “remarkable tale that should be compulsory viewing”, Annie served as Executive Producer, Producer and Director in a quest to raise hope and awareness for eating disorder recovery.
Additionally, Annie has produced a huge number of TVCs, music clips, concerts, live stage shows, as well as written a weekly column in the Woman’s Day.
Sarah Irvine
PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE
A graduate of The University of Adelaide, Sarah has extensive experience across production and development in TV, Film & Online content in both Australia and the U.S. Her credits include 13 Reasons Why, Transformers: Bumblebee, Always be my Maybe, Wine Country along with local shows Clickbait and Aunty Donna 1999. In addition to her scripted work, Sarah has produced over 20 TVC's and delivered viral marketing campaigns for the Asia pacific region.
Sarah joined the Werner team in late 2020, and has since worked across The Newsreader seasons 1 & 2 (ABC), Surviving Summer seasons 1 & 2 (Netflix) and Crazy Fun Park (ABCMe). Sarah is involved in the entire WFP slate, from development through to production and post production.
Sarah's passion lies in creating harmonious, safe and enjoyable workplace environments in which to tell authentic and compelling stories.
Katia Nizic
PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE
Katia Nizic originally hails from the publishing world and graduated from the AFTRS in 2012, producing a number of short films including the acclaimed “Violent Florence” (SXSW 2014).
In 2016 she formed independent production company Generator Pictures with writer & producer, Emma Dockery, with a mission to produce screen stories that celebrate diversity, with a particular emphasis on delivering meaningful roles in front of and behind the camera.
Her recent productions under the Generator Pictures banner include HOMECOMING QUEENS (2018), the award-winning digital series that was the first online commission for SBS On-demand and the documentary PAPER TRAILS (2017) for the ABC about activist, broadcaster, and feminist writer Anne Deveson’s experience with Alzheimer’s.
Most recently in her role at Carver Films, she produced the feature documentary FIRE FRONT (2022) working with director Eddie Martin, about the 2019/2020 Black Summer Bushfires, which premiered at MIFF 2022. She was also Associate Producer on the feature drama RUN RABBIT RUN starring Sarah Snook and directed by Daina Reid, which premiered at Sundance 2023 and was bought prior to the festival by Netflix.
Michelle Wong
Legal and Business Affairs
Michelle is our Legal and Business Affairs Executive.
Michelle has worked as the in-house lawyer for media company Southern Cross Austereo and on projects including ABC's WHITE FEVER. Additionally, Michelle serves on the board of Footscray Community Arts and is involved with Screen Presence, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to promoting Asian Australian voices in the screen industry.
Tracy Callan
EA/OFFICE MANAGER
Tracy joins Werner Film Productions, as Executive Assistant to Joanna Werner and Office Manager with a wealth of experience in Music and Film & TV.
Tracy spent 8 years with industry leaders in Music Supervision, Level Two Music, before leaving to pursue roles in live music and events. During her time in touring and events, Tracy worked for Ground Control, Tennis Australia and the Australian Open. Since 2021, Tracy has worked on Film & TV productions including Apple Cider Vinegar, High Country, Ricky Stanicky, Break Point, La Brea S1 & S2, FOE and Woody Woodpecker 2.