Second season of comedy
MOCKUMENTARY series
Wellington Paranormal has been renewed for a second season by NZ On Air.
The What We Do in the Shadows spinoff has received $5.09 million to create 13 new 23minute episodes to air in 2019.
‘‘Wellington Paranormal demonstrated that comedy with a very local focus can pull significant mainstream audiences, against strong international content,’’ NZ On Air chief executive Jane Wrightson said. ‘‘It is really pleasing to see people respond positively to content that has such a unique New Zealand flavour.’’
The funding was awarded as part of NZ On Air’s latest scripted series funding round, in which four other series also receive grants.
Comedy series Colonial Combat will use wrestling to take a new look at New Zealand’s colonial history. Cofunded with Te Mangai Paho, 10
10minute episodes will be created for TVNZ On Demand and Maori Television.
Undertow is a series created from four plays performed and filmed at Te Papa in 2017, looking back at major historical moments in New Zealand history. Eight halfhour episodes will be created by Awa Films for Maori Television.
Life is Easy, a series born from TVNZ’s New Blood competition, is a bodyswap comedy/drama following an Asian female and gay male. The millennialfocused series will run for eight 15minute episodes on TVNZ On Demand.
Lastly, family drama Mystic will bring the beloved Pony Club book series to the screen. Based on the works of Kiwi author Stacey Gregg,
Mystic is an international coproduction of 13 halfhour episodes for TVNZ 2 and Hei Hei.