Michelle Hardy and Erin White

 

MICHELLE HARDY

Creator / Producer / Writer

Michelle has produced award-winning screen content across multiple formats and genres for over two decades.
 
After graduating with a high distinction from Theatre Nepean, Michelle rose through the ranks quickly, starting her career in TV as a Production Assistant at prolific TVC production company Bunton Films and then moving to the Seven Network as a Production Coordinator on Auction Squad followed by a Writer/Researcher for All Music Video. At the same time, she cut her teeth as a producer on eleven short films, ran a film festival and worked with Metro Screen.
 
Michelle spent seven years in London where she produced high end branded content for clients including the Bank of England, Transport for London, Eurostar and the Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic Games. She was also the line producer of the feature documentary We Are the People We’ve Been Waiting For, executive produced by BAFTA and Oscar-winning Lord David Puttnam.
 
On returning to Sydney in 2010, Michelle worked across numerous lifestyle programs for the Seven Network including The Great Outdoors, New Idea TV and Better Homes and Gardens as well as producing branded content campaigns for agencies, networks and production companies.
 
Michelle made the move into scripted in 2013 and went on to produce four shows for the ABC, including the International Emmy® Award-winning multi-platform comedy series #7DaysLater. She was the Series Producer of Back Seat Drivers, an 11 x 30-minute comedy entertainment series and Timothy, a half-hour narrative comedy broadcast pilot that was made as part of ‘Mental As’, ABC’s Mental Health Week. Michelle then produced Wham Bam Thank You Ma’am, a half-hour pilot which was selected to go to series as part of the ABC and Screen Australia Fresh Blood initiative. The 6 x 30-minute series of Wham Bam was commissioned by ABC and NBCU (Seeso) with the support of Screen Australia and Screen NSW, and was broadcast in 2016.
 
From 2017 to 2020, Michelle was the VP of Scripted Development at EQ Media Group (formerly Essential Media). In this role, Michelle successfully developed projects with commissioners, funding agencies and international distributors including the New Zealand Film Commission, Screen QLD, Sky NZ, Acorn TV, TVNZ, Federation Entertainment and Lagardere Studios. Michelle was responsible for developing the 6 x 1-hour rom-com drama series, Under The Vines, created by Hardy White co-founder Erin White. The series was commissioned by AMC’s Acorn TV and TVNZ. It was produced by Libertine Pictures and EQ Media in association with Hardy White and the first series went to air in December 2021. The second series completed production in New Zealand in late 2022. 
 
Michelle recently worked with Screen Producers Australia managing a series of Industry Programs, including the Global SPA Connect Market as part of the annual industry event, Screen Forever. She also works as a guest tutor for the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS).
 
Michelle has created two female-skewed series including a chilling 4-part mystery drama set in England and Auckland, currently in the final stages of financing with EQ Media and an 8-part elevated crime procedural in late stage development.

ERIN WHITE

Creator / Writer / Director

Erin is a multi-award-winning writer and director whose work is characterised by nuanced and emotionally truthful performances, arresting visuals and seamless storytelling. In 2022 she was the set-up director on the upcoming series for Netflix, Wellmania starring Celeste Barber.

Erin is the creator of AcornTV and TVNZ’s Under The Vines starring Rebecca Gibney and UK’s Charles Edwards. Erin directed 3 episodes in the first series and is an episode writer on both series 1 and 2.

Erin is also in advanced development on another self-created crime drama series with Federation Entertainment in France, titled Aftermath.

She has many Australian television series directing credits including Doctor Doctor S4 & S5 (Easy Tiger / Nine Network), PMs Daughter (Fremantle Australia / ABCTV) Squinters S2 (Jungle Entertainment / ABCTV); It’s A Date (Princess Pictures / ABCTV), At Home With Julia (Quail TV / ABCTV), Timothy (Quail TV / ABCTV); a one-off drama adaptation of the Lally Katz’s stage play, Stories I Want To Tell You In Person (Matchbox Pictures / ABCTV); and police thriller Rush (Southern Star / Network Ten).

She has guest directed sketches for Skit Box’s Wham Bam Thank You Ma’am (Skitbox / ABCTV); and was the sketch director for Wednesday Night Fever (Quail TV / ABCTV).

In 2019, Erin was nominated for an Australian Directors’ Guild Award for her work on Sando Ep6 and in 2017 she directed web series Other People’s Problems (ABC iView / Seymour Films), which garnered her an Australian Directors’ Guild Award nomination for Best Direction of an Online Drama Project and was selected for the Berlin Film Festival.

Her short film fOUR had local and international success, being nominated for AFI awards for both writing and directing; and winning an IF Award and the Flickerfest Audience Award. It screened at the G’day USA RADAR Showcase in LA and the Palm Springs Short Film Festival.

Another short Dugong screened in competition at Sundance and Aspen and was the winner of the Flickerfest and St Kilda Film Festival best screenplay awards. Dugong was nominated for two AFI Awards for Best Short Film and Best Screenplay, and an Australian Directors’ Guild Award. 62 Sleeps won the Dendy Award for Best Drama at the Sydney Film Festival, and the Young Talent Award at the Munich International Festival of Film Schools. Erin is a nominee of the IF Award Rising Talent.

http://www.erinwhite.com.au