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. Werner’s output has been prolific over the years, producing 3 seasons of The Newsreader (ABC, eOne), 2 seasons of the hit tween drama Surviving Summer (Netflix), the Tween Horror-Comedy drama Crazy Fun Park (ABC, ACTF), 2 seasons of the pre-school program Knee High spies (ABC, ACTF), the 3-part premium drama Goolagong (ABC, BBC), and the family telemovie Scales (Stan, BYU, ACTF).
All 3 seasons of The Newsreader proved exceedingly popular with audiences worldwide while garnering critical acclaim, winning the 2021, 2024, 2026 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, Daniel Henshall), along with several other wins and nominations. Peer recognition was also given from the Screen Producers of Australia, with all 3 seasons picking up the award for Drama Series Production of the Year in 2022, 2024 and 2026. In 2022 The Newsreader Season 1 received Logie Awards for Most Outstanding Drama Series and Most Outstanding Actress. 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, and Logie award winning Goolagong.
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.
Goolagong
Winner, Best Miniseries, 2026 Logies
Knee High Spies S1
Winner, Best Children's Series, 2026 Banff Rockies
The Newsreader S3
Winner, Best Drama Series, 2026
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
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
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
Secret City
Winner, Most Outstanding Actress, 2017
Secret City
Winner, Most Outstanding Supporting Actor, 2017
Ready For This
Winner, Most Outstanding Children’s Television Series, 2016
Ready For This
Winner, Best Children’s Television Series, 2015
Dance Academy S2
Winner, Most Outstanding Children’s Program, 2012
Dance Academy S2
Winner, Children’s Television Producer of the Year, 2012
Dance Academy S1
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 Producer and Executive Producer based in Melbourne, Australia. Joanna is the Founder and Company Director of Werner Film Productions, one of Australia’s leading drama production businesses.
Joanna’s work has been defined by consistent acclaim, having received numerous Australian Academy (AACTA) Awards including Best Drama, Best Telefeature/Mini-series and Best Children’s Series. Among other awards, her work has won 6 Australian Television Logies and four International Emmy nominations. Werner Film Productions was named 2024 Australian Production Business of the Year.
Since 2020, Joanna has produced three seasons of THE NEWSREADER for the ABC, two seasons of the Netflix hit teen series SURVIVING SUMMER, teen Comedy Horror drama CRAZY FUN PARK for the ABC and the Global #1 Netflix Original thriller CLICKBAIT. In 2025, Joanna was Producer and Executive Producer on GOOLAGONG for the ABC, Executive Producer on KNEE HIGH SPIES for the ABC, and Executive Producer on the Apple Original LAST SEEN.
Joanna’s previous credits include RIOT, SECRET CITY, tween drama READY FOR THIS, three seasons of the global hit DANCE ACADEMY and its feature film follow up DANCE ACADEMY: THE MOVIE and hit tween mermaid series H2O: JUST ADD WATER, all of which enjoyed multiple award nominations and wins.
Joanna is currently the Producer and Executive Producer on the Stan/ACTF family mermaid movie SCALES and Executive Producer on the second season of KNEE HIGH SPIES.
Joanna served on the Board of Screen Australia for six years and Chaired Screen Australia’s Gender Matters Taskforce for three years.
Tim Phillips
Managing Director & Executive Producer
Tim is the Managing Director and Executive Producer at Werner Film Productions and is a screen industry executive with extensive experience across financing, business affairs and industry policy.
Before WFP, he served as CEO of Fulcrum Media Finance, Australia's leading screen financier. Prior to that, Tim spent 12 years at Screen Australia in senior roles including Head of Business Affairs, Head of Producer Offset and Head of Co-production. He also served as Head of Business Affairs at the Australian Children's Television Foundation for eight years. Tim brings a strong legal background and a deep understanding of both the creative and commercial sides of the screen industry. Tim is the Executive Producer of SCALES and KNEE HIGH SPIES 2.
Rachel Davis
HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT
Rachel is an award winning Creative Producer and Scripted Development Executive who has worked in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. She is currently working on a slate of scripted projects as Head of Development for Werner Film Productions. Her previous roles include Head of Development for CBBC Drama, Script and Development Executive at the ACTF, and Executive Producer for both ABC Children's and Nickelodeon International. She has creatively led dramas and comedies recognised with nominations for the Logie Awards, AACTA Awards, BAFTAs and the Prix Jeunesse.
In 2016, Rachel created and co-produced three seasons of the tween comedy-drama MUSTANGS FC for Matchbox Pictures, which was nominated for an International Emmy Award and won the SPA Award for Best Children's Production in 2019.
Other credits in children's television include Co-Creator and Co-Producer on the Logie and AACTA nominated, Turn Up the Volume and Development Producer on Werner Film Productions preschool hit, Knee High Spies. Rachel is also the Creator and Executive Producer of SCALES.
Jenny Aguilera
Finance Manager
Jenny joined Werner in September 2024 as the Financial Controller. Although new to the film industry, she brings nearly 20 years of expertise across diverse industries and a proven track record of supporting businesses. Her extensive experience provides a solid foundation for navigating the unique financial challenges of the creative sector while excelling in financial planning and analysis, forecasting, budgeting, and maintaining robust internal controls for Werner's group.
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.
Jessica Li
Development and Production Coordinator
Jess is the Development and Production Coordinator at Werner Film Productions and an aspiring producer & writer.
Her writing/directing debut short, Mother Tongue, follows two Chinese-Australian sisters and their Ma as they grapple with intrafamilial language barriers, cultural detachment, and the post-immigration experience. Mother Tongue premiered at the Melbourne Women in Film Festival in 2021, where it won the Best National Next Gen Film Award, the Programmer's Choice: Best Victorian Next Gen Film Award, and the Critic’s Choice Award. The film also received recognition at other festivals, winning Best Drama at Freshflix Festival in Sydney, Best Emerging Filmmaker at the Setting Sun Film Festival, and Best Narrative Live-Action Short at the Multicultural Mental Health Film Festival. It then streamed on SBS On Demand from 2022 to 2023.
Jess has a background in production coordinating, working on projects for clients like ANZ and multiple online education platforms. In addition, Jessica has produced and co-produced a myriad of short-form works and often crews as an assistant director.