Winners (Australian TV series)
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Children's television |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Founder | Patricia Edgar |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia; international (82 countries) |
| Products | Television anthology series, educational resources, novels |
Winners is an Australian anthology television series for children, developed and produced by the Australian Children's Television Foundation (ACTF) under the guidance of its founding director, Patricia Edgar. The show debuted on Network 10 in 1985, fulfilling the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal's C classified drama requirement. Comprising eight standalone telemovies, the series was envisioned by Patricia Edgar to establish a national and international standard for excellence in children's programming. The follow-up season, More Winners, aired on ABC in 1990 and featured six additional telemovies.
The series was committed to offering Australian youth programming that mirrored their cultural environment and developmental stages. Storylines delved into themes such as ambition, friendship, rivalry, conflict, jealousy, family dynamics, independence, decision-making, and emotional growth. Fundamentally, Winners portrayed young individuals confronting obstacles, building self-assurance, and evolving into maturity.
Innovative in both broadcast and educational contexts, each telemovie was paired with a novel written by the original scriptwriter alongside educational resources designed to facilitate classroom learning. The program reached audiences in 82 countries and earned accolades that underscored the vitality of Australia's children's television production sector.
Background
During the 1980s, despite increased television consumption among Australian teenagers, this demographic remained largely underserved. Patricia Edgar, then director of the ACTF, collaborated with the Victorian Department of Youth, Sport and Recreation to commission research aimed at creating a serial format specifically appealing to Australian adolescents.
Initial research conducted in 1983 with support from the Institute of Family Studies sought to portray authentic Australian life beyond common stereotypes. Writers engaged extensively with police social workers, youth counselors, government representatives, educators, parents, and young people themselves to ensure accuracy. Don Edgar from the Australian Institute of Family Studies provided expertise on genuine family relationships prevalent during the mid-1980s.
Winners brought together leading Australian writers, producers, directors, and business figure Robert Holmes à Court, who contributed by securing worldwide distribution agreements and investing financially in the project.
The anthology addressed relevant social issues through a variety of genres including comedy, science fiction, historical drama, adventure, fantasy, and social realism. It illuminated challenges faced by young people in making decisions and gaining independence while also engaging parents concerning familial pressures. Each of the eight films explored subjects crucial to children such as family interactions, friendships, authority figures, peer influence, schooling, employment opportunities, leisure activities, and anxieties about nuclear war.
The follow-up series More Winners consisted of six hour-long episodes primarily aimed at viewers aged 9 to 13.
Winners
The initial scriptwriting phase for Winners commenced in 1983, with contributions from writers including Anne Brooksbank, John Duigan, Bob Ellis, Morris Gleitzman, Cliff Green, Tony Morphett, Jan Sardi, and Roger Simpson. Script editing responsibilities were handled by Roger Le Mesurier and Sandra Levy, while Geoff Pollock managed production operations. The scripting process was finalized by October 1983, followed by pre-production activities beginning in May 1984.
This eight-episode anthology comprised six segments produced in Sydney and two created in Melbourne. Filming took place from July 1984 through January 1985, with all episodes completed and delivered by March 31, 1985. The entire series was produced within the allocated budget of $3.82 million and met its delivery deadlines as specified in the distribution contract. To enhance accessibility, captions were added to accommodate viewers with hearing impairments.
More Winners
In March 1985, story ideas for More Winners were commissioned. The writing team featured Morris Gleitzman, Roger Simpson, Steve Spears, Mac Gudgeon, Paul Cox, Michael Cove, Ken Cameron, and Jane Oehr. Sandra Levy acted as script consultant during development. Direction was provided by Esben Storm, Ken Cameron, Mario Andreacchio, and Michael Pattinson. Production kicked off in early 1990 and was inaugurated by then-Prime Minister Bob Hawke. To complement the series, the foundation developed educational study guides and released related novels.
Winners
| Year | Work Nominated | Award Ceremony | Category | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | "The Other Facts of Life" and "Quest Beyond Time" | 11th International Kinderfilm Festival, Frankfurt | Final screening selection | Selected | |
| 1986 | "The Other Facts of Life" and "Top Kid" | Banff World Television Festival, Canada | Children's program category | Finalist | |
| 1985 | "The Other Facts of Life" | AWGIE Awards, Sydney | Children–Original Work | Winner | |
| 1986 | "Top Kid" | Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM) Awards, Melbourne | Narrative general award | Winner | |
| 1986 | "On Loan" | Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM) Awards, Melbourne | Children's award–social issues category | Special commendation | |
| 1986 | "On Loan" | Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM) Awards, Melbourne | General award–social issues category | Winner | |
| 1986 | Quang Chinh Dinh for "On Loan" | St Kilda Film Festival, Melbourne | Acting recognition | Certificate of merit | |
| 1986 | "On Loan" | United Nations Association Media Peace Awards, Sydney | Citation awarded | ||
| 1986 | "Top Kid" | Chicago International Festival of Children's Films, United States | Live action category | First prize winner | |
| 1986 | "The Paper Boy" | Chicago International Festival of Children's Films, United States | Live action category | Honourable mention received | |
| 1986 | "The Other Facts of Life" | Chicago International Festival of Children's Films, United States | Cinematic impact category | Special jury prize awarded | |
| 1986 | "Just Friends" | Chicago International Festival of Children's Films, United States | Most popular video – children's audience vote | First prize recipient | |
| 1986 | Chicago International Festival of Children's Films, United States | Special recognition for ACTF's excellence in producing quality children's films | |||
| 1986 | "Top Kid" | Penguin Awards, Melbourne | Best children's drama category | Winner |
Additional Accolades
| Year | Work Recognized | Award Ceremony | Category | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Cliff Green, scriptwriter of "Boy Soldiers" | AWGIE Awards, Melbourne | Children's Award | Awarded Winner |
| 1990 | "Boy Soldiers" | Chicago International Festival of Children's Films, USA | Liv Ullman Peace Prize | Awarded Winner |
| 1990 | "The Big Wish" | Chicago International Festival of Children's Films, USA | Festival Award for Outstanding Humour | Awarded Winner |
| 1991 | "The Big Wish" | ATOM Awards | Children's Award – Narrative Section | Awarded Winner |
| 1991 | "Boy Soldiers" | ATOM Awards | General Award – Narrative Section | Highly Commended |
| 1991 | "The Big Wish" | Banff World Television Festival, Canada | Selected for Screening in Children's Program Category | Selected |
| 1991 | "The Big Wish" | AFI Awards, Melbourne | Best Children's Television Drama | Nominated |
| 1991 | "Mr Edmund" | AFI Awards, Melbourne | Best Children's Television Drama | Nominated |
| 1991 | Cameron Nugent for "The Big Wish" | AFI Awards, Melbourne | Top Television Actor Award | Nominated |
| 1991 | Steve J. Spears for "The Big Wish" | AFI Awards, Melbourne | Best Screenplay in a Television Drama | Nominated |
| 1991 | Esben Storm for "The Big Wish" | AFI Awards, Melbourne | Cameraquip Award for Best Direction in a Television Drama | Nominated |
| 1991 | "Boy Soldiers" | International Emmy Awards, New York City | Children's and Young People's Section | Finalist |
| 1993 | 'More Winners' series | CableAce Awards, Los Angeles, USA | Best International Children's Series | Nominated |
| 1994 | "Boy Soldiers" | Moscow International Festival of Film and Television for Children and Youth, Russia |
Finalist |
Critical Reception
Both Winners and More Winners garnered widespread praise from numerous media outlets. Perth’s West Australian lauded Winners as "...everything children's television should be." The Wanneroo Times described it as "...among the finest television ever produced in this country," while Melbourne’s Herald TV Extra remarked that it "demonstrates how education and entertainment can successfully coexist." Additional commendations came from Perth’s Weekend News, Sunday Times, Mildura’s Sunraysia Daily, The Canberra Times, the Sydney Morning Herald, and Launceston’s Sunday Examiner.
In a similar vein, More Winners received positive feedback; Adelaide’s The News declared, "If you believe quality Australian children’s programming has vanished—don’t just reconsider, experience More Winners." The Sydney Morning Herald emphasized its role in inspiring children to expand their creative and intellectual abilities. Favorable reviews were also published in Melbourne’s The Sun, Perth’s Daily News, among others.
Notable Screenings
- Melbourne International Film Festival: Featured presentations of "The Big Wish," "His Master's Ghost," and "Boy Soldiers" within the Children's and Youth Section in 1990.
- 9th International Film Festival for Young Australians: Screening of "Second Childhood" held in Adelaide during August 1990.
- Film Fest DC: Showcased "The Big Wish" in Washington, D.C. in May 1991.
- Harbourfront Festival: Presented "The Big Wish" at Toronto in May 1991.
- Beijing TV-International Children's Festival: Exhibited "Boy Soldiers" and "Mr Edmund" in China during May 1991.
- Banff World Media Festival: Selected screening of "The Big Wish" in Canada, June 1991.
- Cinemagic: Included five productions such as "The Big Wish" during an 'Australian Weekend' event in December 1991.
- International Kinderfilmfestival: Featured "The Big Wish" within an Australian children's film retrospective at this German festival in November 1991.
Domestic
In 1985, the rights to Winners were acquired by Network 10. A decade later, in 1996, Disney Channel Australia secured the pay television broadcasting rights for both Winners and its sequel series More Winners.
Global
The international distribution of Winners began in 1986 when it was sold to WonderWorks, with its initial episode broadcast in March 1996. Since then, the program has been licensed to numerous overseas broadcasters such as Japan's NHK, Canada's Knowledge Network, Showtime in the United States, Italy's Telepiù, the Netherlands' Kindernet, Panama's FETV, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, Iran's Farabi Cinema Foundation and Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Mexico's Canal Once, Television Nationale du Burkina Faso, and Israeli Educational Television. Additional territories where the series has aired include France, Argentina, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Ireland, Thailand, Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, the Cook Islands, Bophuthatswana, Singapore, Czechia, and Indonesia.
Books
Screenwriters from the series transformed their scripts into novelizations published by McPhee Gribble based in Melbourne and distributed via Penguin Books. This initiative represented the first instance of books derived from an Australian children’s television show being made available within Australia.
Educational materials and school video kits
To facilitate educational engagement and encourage conversations around episode topics, detailed study guides were created for use by teachers and parents. These materials were supplied to primary and secondary schools across Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and Brisbane in alignment with the series’ broadcast schedule on local networks. Regional broadcasters also received these guides upon purchasing the series.
School video kits comprised a VHS tape of an episode, the corresponding novelization, and a study guide packaged within a specially designed video case. Promotional activities aimed at educators included seminars, direct mail campaigns, advertisements in academic journals for teachers and students, alongside other marketing strategies.
In 1990, CBS/FOX Video issued refreshed school kits that featured a video from More Winners, an associated novelization, and an updated study guide.
See also
External links
- Winners at the Australian Television Information Archive