The Production
Produced with major investment from Screen Australia in association with Screen NSW, PULSE is a Clandestine Beyond production for ABC, with international sales being handled by ABC Commercial.
PULSE stars Claire van der Boom (Sisters of War), Andrea Demetriades (Janet King), Owen Teale (Game of Thrones), Liam McIntyre (Spartacus: War of the Damned), Arka Das (Top of The Lake), Pallavi Sharda (Lion), Blessing Mokgohloa (Hunters), Susie Porter (Seven Types of Ambiguity), Dalip Sondhi, Penny Cook (A Country Practice) and Renee Lim (Please Like Me).
Inspired by a true story of a transplant patient who became a doctor, PULSE, created by Kris Wyld, Michael Miller and Mel Hill, is a high stakes drama set in and around the transplant unit of a busy western suburbs teaching hospital. When successful high-flier Frankie Bell (Claire van der Boom) is brought crashing to earth by chronic kidney failure she targets an alternate future. Eight years on she is in her second year as a practising doctor starting her first day in a Renal rotation. Driven to use her second chance to save others, Frankie must confront an ailing health system, and face her toughest challenge – learning to let go.
Produced by Clandestine Beyond, PULSE was produced by Kris Wyld and Antony I Ginnane with Beyond Entertainment’s David Ogilvy and Ron Saunders and the ABC’s Sally Riley and Kym Goldsworthy as executive producers. Written by Kris Wyld, Michael Miller, Kristen Dunphy and Mandy McCarthy, PULSE was directed by Peter Andrikidis, Jennifer Leacey and Ana Kokkinos.
The Story
A high-flying financial analyst had it all… before failing kidneys landed her at death’s door, and a transplant offered her a second chance.
Inspired by the man who saved her life, Frankie (Claire van der Boom) alters course to become a doctor herself, working and learning in the high stakes, high pressure world of the cardio-thoracic and renal wards of a major teaching hospital.
Along with her colleagues, Lou (Andrea Demetriades) and Tabb (Arka Das), Frankie must face the political, personal and professional realities of working at the coalface of an ailing medical system.
But for Frankie especially, a hospital can be a dangerous world. Though uniquely qualified to understand her patients, as a transplant recipient she is also vulnerable to infection, and her compassion for others may just endanger her own life.
Frankie’s determination to succeed takes her on a rollercoaster ride from terror to triumph, from heartbreak to happiness, from fragility to strength. She’s driven to use her second chance to save others, but learns that’s not always possible, and when you can’t save the very person who saved you, sometimes the real gift is in letting go.
The Creative Team
Producers
Kris Wyld
Kris Wyld has been involved in the creation, scripting, show running and producing of a number of Australia’s landmark television scripted drama series.
She has enjoyed a long and fruitful association with both the ABC and SBS networks, and was part of the Roadshow Coote and Carroll writing team that, under Sue Masters, created the award-winning series GP (1989-1996) which ran on the ABC prime time for nine years.
Kris joined forces with Steve Knapman and Mike Jenkins to work on the creation of the landmark ABC crime drama series Wildside, which won many awards – including the AFI Best Drama for both seasons, Best Mini Series, and a Logie award for Most Outstanding Drama. As part of Knapman Wyld Television, Kris has produced many hours award winning TV. Together Knapman and Wyld have created, written, and produced a number of successful drama series, including White Collar Blue, The Strip, and East West 101 (SBS 2007-2011). Season One of East West 101 won an AFI for Best Mini-Series, Season Two won Best Series, and Season Three won the first AACTA Award for Best Drama Series. Season Two also won a Logie for Most Outstanding Drama and several international awards.
Kris started working with fellow producer, Tony Ginnane, on a gangster feature film which soon blossomed into the creation and development of television projects. They formed Clandestine TV and joined forces with David Ogilvy and Beyond Entertainment to create and produce PULSE for ABC.
Antony I. Ginnane
Antony has been a successful and creatively lauded independent feature film producer for over 45 years – having produced 65 films. Highlights include Patrick (1978), High Tide (1987), The Lighthorsemen (1988), Screamers (1996) and Patrick (2013).
In addition to his producing career, Antony has worked in international and Australian distribution joint ventures; film financing and consulting in Australia, the USA, Canada, New Zealand, UK and Eastern Europe.
He maintains long term and close relationships with most of the key international sales agents and distributors. His UK and Canadian connections encompass television as well as film.
He is one of a handful of Australian producers who has maintained a profitable and sustainable production business over almost half a century.
Antony began his film career working with a series of first time film directors like Richard Franklin, Simon Wincer and Rod Hardy, who went on to forge successful careers in Australia and overseas, and has continued to nurture first time feature film directors like Mark Hartley, Sandra Scriberras, David Pulbrook and others.
Over the past year, Kris Wyld and Tony Ginnane have worked on the development of a joint venture company – Wyld FGA (trading as Clandestine Television) – to capitalize on the business experience, intellectual and creative strengths they both bring to the table.
Created by
Mel Hill
Melanie Hill is a doctor at one of Sydney’s largest hospitals. She initially graduated from the University of Sydney with the university medal and first class honours in economics. Following this she worked in finance in New York City and then, after obtaining her MBA from Stanford University, in strategic consulting with McKinsey & Co.
After receiving a kidney transplant in 2007 from an anonymous donor she quit her corporate job and returned to medical school, determined to make a difference in the lives of patients the way her doctors had made a difference in her life. Since graduating from the University of Sydney with her medical degree, and a Masters in Public Health, she has worked as an intern, resident and now medical registrar at one of Australia’s largest and busiest hospitals dealing with patients requiring intensely complex medical care. She is also actively engaged in research and has published numerous papers in the area of kidney disease and transplantation.
Michael Miller
Michael Miller has written and script edited many highly acclaimed television series for both adult drama and children’s television since his debut on the highly regarded GP for ABC TV. He recently wrote half of the episodes for upcoming ABC TV medical drama Pulse, and four episodes of Mustangs FC for the same broadcaster. He previously wrote and script produced Cleverman which premiered on ABC Television and The Sundance Channel, for which he received an AWG nomination for Best Mini-series – Original and won the John Hinde Award for Science Fiction. He won the AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in a Telemovie or Miniseries for the Seven Network’s hit Peter Allen – Not the Boy Next Door, and has written for shows including The Doctor Blake Mysteries (ABC), House Husbands (Nine Network) and The Time Of Our Lives (ABC) amongst many others. Michael won an AWGIE award for best episode in a television series for his first ever television script and now has three in total, in addition to many nominations. He also has several AFI and Logie nominations in the best series category for episodes he wrote. He has been shortlisted twice for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and also for the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards.
Directors
Ana Kokkinos
Acclaimed writer/director Ana Kokkinos’ career spans film and TV.
Her films, which include BLESSED, THE BOOK OF REVELATION and HEAD ON, have won over 30 international and national awards and premiered at numerous festivals including Director’s Fortnight in Cannes, Toronto, Melbourne, Venice and San Sebastian.
In 2010, Ana was honoured at the Seattle International Film Festival as an Emerging Master filmmaker and honoured with a retrospective of her work. She has directed numerous episodes of TV including THE SECRET LIFE OF US, MASSACRE AT MYALL CREEK and SEVEN TYPES OF AMBIGUITY for Matchbox Pictures.
Ana served on the Board of Film Victoria for 9 years.
Kokkinos has also taught extensively at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School and RMIT. She conducts ongoing masterclasses for professional actors and Lectures in the School of Culture and Communication at Melbourne University.
Peter Andrikidis
Peter Andrikidis graduated from AFTRS (Film Direction) in 1981 as one of the youngest graduate students. He was immediately recruited to Crawford Productions where he went on to direct numerous dramas productions culminating in producing a series of ‘Flying Doctors’ (RFDS). Peter believes his real ‘coming of age’ was on the ABC drama ‘G.P.’ which he also became Producer. “I developed a deep understanding of story and script, shaping screenplays with the talented writers on ‘G.P.’. Operating at the ABC was a wonderful creative process which was encouraged by Drama Heads Penny Chapman and Sue Masters.”
‘Wildside’, the groundbreaking drama series, is Peter’s greatest directing achievement, he thinks. “I was finally directing a drama where understated improvised performances (which I tried to attain my entire career) were finally achieved. A long relationship with actors Tony Martin and Rachel Blake was also establish for me on this series.” Two episodes, which Peter directed, won a total of eight AFI’s including Best Direction. He then went on to direct the entire ABC series ‘Grass Roots’ written by Geoffrey Atherden. This series went on to win seven AFI’s over two seasons including Best Direction. It also won a New York Festival Award.
In 2001 he directed the telemovie ‘My Husband, My Killer’ with Colin Friels and David Field, which also won numerous awards and his third AFI for Best Direction. “I loved working with Colin and David and would cast them in a flash”. This film was the first for Screentime and would form the foundation for a great creative relationship with writer Greg Haddrick and Executive Producer Des Monaghan.
In 2002/3 ‘Heroes’ Mountain’ (drama telemovie about the Thredbo Rescue) and ‘Jessica’ (mini-series with Sam Neill) each won a Silver Hugo for Best Direction and a Gold/Silver Plaque for Best Drama at the Chicago International Television Awards. Sam Neill also won a Silver Logie along with the ‘Jessica’ production for Best mini-series. This formed another great working relationship with long-time Producer Tony Buckley (‘Heroes’ Mountain’ and ‘Jessica’).
Peter was awarded with a Centenary Medal for ‘Outstanding services to Australian Society and Film Production’ in 2003. He has a reputation for getting excellent performances from actors (an actor’s director) and bringing exciting visual flair to each production he undertakes.
In 2004/5 Peter directed five telemovies of ‘BlackJack’ for the Ten, which again won numerous awards including best direction twice in Chicago.
2006 saw Peter direct the $15 million dollar co-production with the Granada – ITV, Screentime and Power-TV ‘The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant’ with Romola Garai, Alex O’Loughlin Jack Davenport and Sam Neill. This screened to eight million viewers in the UK. It won an AFI, a Logie, and a New York Festival Award for Best TV Mini-series and a Silver Plaque for Best Direction at the Chicago Awards. In April 2006 he was voted one of the Top Ten Directors in Encore Magazine ‘Celebration of the Industry’s Finest’. The list included Baz Luhrmann, Gillian Armstrong, Phillip Noyce and Rolf De Heer.
In 2007 he directed the SBS mini-series ‘East West 101’. A drama about what it means to be Muslim in Australia after September 11, 2001. The cast includes Don Hany, William McInnes and Susie Porter. In that year he also directed the groundbreaking mini-series ‘Underbelly’ that not only received critical acclaim and seven AFI Awards (Best Direction-Peter Andrikidis) it also blitzed the ratings for the Nine Network in Australia.
In 2008 Peter directed the telemovie ‘The Informant’ with William McInnes and Colin Friels for Ten and Screentime and directed and produced the UK-TV, Power-TV and Screentime mini-series ‘False Witness’. The cast includes Dougray Scott, Claire Florlani, Rachael Blake and Richard Roxburgh. ‘False Witness’ won the AFI for best mini-series.
In 2009 Peter directed another season of ‘East West 101’ which won three AFI’s including best direction. He directed a feature film for cinema release ‘Kings of Mykonos’ for Paramount, which was the third highest-grossing film in Australia and the number one highest-grossing film in Greece.
In 2010 he directed a mini-series ‘Killing Time’ with David Wenham, Colin Friels and Diana Glenn for Fremantle International. Also the final season of ‘East West 101’ which won rave reviews. The following year he directed the telemovie ‘Blood Brothers’ with Lisa McCune, Tony Martin and Michael Dorman and the ABC series ‘The Straits’ with New York based actor Brian Cox (Bourne Supremacy).
In 2012 Peter finished directing all episodes of the 6 part series ‘Brothers in Arms’ that was about the psychology behind the eruption of violence between two Sydney bikie gangs. Actors included Matt Nable, Cal Mulvey, Susie Porter, Tony Hayes and Maeve Dermody. Also in 2012 Peter is directed ‘Serangoon Road’ for HBO with Joan Chen, Don Hany and Maeve Dermody filmed entirely in Singapore and Indonesia. He also directed ‘Janet King’ for the ABC and Fat Tony and Co’ which was shot in Athens Greece in 2013. In 2014 he directed the mini-series ‘Catching Milat’ for Shine Australia. ‘Alex and Eve’ a comedy feature film about a Greek Orthodox boy falling for a Lebanese Muslim girl and their families disagree with their union is in current cinema release and screening at Cannes and US Film Festivals.
Peter is currently set-up director on the new action drama series ‘Hyde and Seek’ for Matchbox and Nine Network. And will be set-up director on the next ‘Janet King’ and the new medical drama for ABC ‘Pulse’.
Peter’s direction has won many awards for his actors, and many have moved to the US screens such as Simon Baker, Alex O’Loughlin, Abbie Cornish, Martin Csokas, Frances O’Connor and Ben Mendelsohn.
He has also directed many seasoned actors such as Brian Cox, Sam Neil, Dougray Scott, Owen Teale, Claire Forlani, Romola Garai, Jack Davenport, Joan Chen, Richard Roxburgh, Colin Friels, Robert Taylor and David Wenham.
“I love directing with a passion and I thank God that I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to fulfil my dream and make a successful career of it.”
Jennifer Leacey
Jennifer graduated from AFTRS in 2010 and was the recipient of the FOXTEL Scholarship in her year. Her graduating film Connection went on to screen at international film festivals including Palm Springs, Bristol and New York and her debut project Dodge was shortlisted at Tropfest in 2008.
Following graduation Jennifer directed and produced a web series in support of the W Channel / Southern Star produced series Spirited (season two). Previously she worked on series such as Lockie Leonard (Goalpost Pictures) and My Place (Matchbox Pictures) as first assistant director.
Jennifer has also had an extensive career in assistant directing spanning an array of feature films. In the more specific roles of director of splinter and satellite units Jennifer was on board the Baz Luhrmann features The Great Gatsby and Australia.
Recent television work includes multiple episodes of Wonderland (Series one and two), the ADG nominated telemovie Mary: The Making of A Princess and episodes of Wanted starring Rebecca Gibney. In 2016 Jen worked on Playmaker’s series The Wrong Girl for Network Ten and Newton’s Law for the ABC. Her 2017 egagements include the next season of The Wrong Girl and Pulse for the ABC and producers Kris Wyld and Tony Ginnane.
http://www.jenniferleacey.com/
Writers
Kristen Dunphy
Mandy McCarthy
Whilst originally focused on research, story consulting and script editing, Mandy has more recently become an award winning writer in her own right. In 2010 she won an Australian Writers’ Guild Award for her
first ever short screenplay. In 2015 her debut feature film script won the ‘Table Read My Screenplay Austin’ competition – in the drama category. She is currently one of just eight writers in the world selected for the highly prestigious éQuinoxetbc Screenwriters’ Workshop 2015 and is working with acclaimed international writers, producers and directors to produce a second draft of this award winning feature film script.
Kris Wyld
Kris Wyld has been involved in the creating, scripting, show running and producing a number of Australian landmark television and award winning scripted television series including G.P and the mini-series PAPER MAN 1991, HEARTBREAK HIGH, 60 hours of WILDSIDE, including Ep 59 which won Best Drama, 44 hours of WHITE COLLAR BLUE, 13 hours of THE STRIP, 20 hours and 3 seasons of EAST WEST 101. EAST WEST 101 won an AFI for Best Mini-Series, Best Series and the first AACTA Award for Best Drama Series. Season 2 also won Most Outstanding Drama in the Logies, the AWGIE for best mini series, and also several international Awards.
Kris then wrote DANGEROUS REMEDY, a 100 minute telemovie for ABC TV. DANGEROUS REMEDY was based on a true crime story, in which a doctor takes on a corrupt establishment, in cahoots with a powerful and corrupt police force, his actions ultimately bringing down king pin figures of the elite Homicide Squad. She also worked with Blackfella Films on DEEPWATER, a 4 part thriller for SBS, inspired by the 1990 killings of gay men at Bondi. DEEPWATER has been nominated for an AWGIE, She has just finished writing and developing PULSE, an 8 part medical series for the ABC with Clandestine TV and Beyond.
Executive Producers
Ron Saunders
Sally Riley
Kym Goldsworthy
David Ogilvy
With over 25 years in the industry, David is one of Australia’s leading executive producers of television drama.
In 1988 David traded a career in theatre to complete a postgraduate Diploma in Film and Television at Swinburne University receiving the Graduate of the Year award for excellence. His first screenplay The Contract was nominated for three AFI Awards, with David winning Best Director.
Invited to work with Film Australia in 1989, David expanded his interest in writing for children’s and adult drama. His writing and script editing credits include Escape from Jupiter, High Flyers, Pigs Breakfast, Outriders, Head Start, New Macdonald’s Farm, Raggs, Blue Water High, Lockie Leonard (Series 1 & 2), Stormworld, Double Trouble and Dance Academy as well as White Collar Blue, Young Lions, The Strip, Rescue Special Ops, East West 101 (Seasons 1 & 2), and The Straits.
In 2011 David was appointed Commissioning Editor of Fiction for ABC TV. During his tenure, he was the executive producer of fifteen dramas including Mabo, Janet King (Seasons 1 & 2), An Accidental Soldier, The Code (Seasons 1 & 2), Dangerous Remedy, Hiding, Paper Giants: Magazine Wars, Anzac Girls, and Seasons Two, Three and Four of Rake.
David joined Beyond Entertainment as Head of Fiction in October, 2015.
Line Producer
Carol Hughes
Carol Hughes is one of Australia’s leading production executives. With a career spanning over 30 years, Carol has produced, line produced or executive produced hundreds of hours of outstanding entertainment.
As line producer, Carol’s most recent television credits include seasons two, three and four of the celebrated Rake, the critically acclaimed event series The Principal and the award winning telemovie The Broken Shore.
Her feature film credits as line producer include the highly anticipated sequel Red Dog: True Blue and associate producer of The Matrix. Her other credits include producer of the feature Like Minds, line producer of The Ferryman, River Queen, Swimming Upstream, Say A Little Prayer, executive producer of the 2003 breakout comedy hit Danny Deckchair and co-producer of Thank God He Met Lizzie.
For television Carol has supervised the production of Serangoon Road and series produced the telemovie At Home With Julia. Her previous credits in varying capacities include Do or Die, Hard Knox, On The Beach, Hart to Hart, Cody, Heroes II: The Return, Ring of Scorpio and The Elite.
Carol commenced her career in the film and television industry as a highly sought after production manager working across features and television with credits including series Poor Man’s Orange, Harp In The South and the telemovie The Perfectionist as well as the features Salute of the Jugger, Evil Angels, Bullseye and Bliss.
Casting Director
Amanda Mitchell
Originally from Singapore, Amanda worked in the film and television industry for four years before migrating to Australia. She has a Bachelor degree in Fine Arts, as well as a Master degree in Arts Management, both of which she graduated with high distinction.
In the last decade, she has worked on numerous Australian feature films, including THE DRESSMAKER, RED DOG: TRUE BLUE, MENTAL, A FEW LESS MEN and KILL ME THREE TIMES, working closely alongside one of Australia’s finest casting directors, Christine King.
Amanda frequently performs consultancy work on international projects filming out Australia, conducting extensive searches for the likes of Disney’s MULAN, HBO’s Sharp Objects (dir. Jean Marc-Vallee), and Sony’s Crash & Burn (for HULU). Earlier this year, she covered Australia and New Zealand casting for the NBC network during 2017 pilot season.
She has worked on hundreds of hours of Australian and international television, including both seasons of Marco Polo for Netflix, ABC’s The Code, Hiding, and most recently – Pulse – the casting of which has been celebrated as one of the most diverse ensembles on Australian television to date:
“Some of the best cross cultural casting seen on Aussie TV.” ~ Casting Guild of Australia (CGA)
With a Eurasian background, living in 3 continents across the last two decades – it is a component of casting she is deeply passionate about.
Directors of Photography
Caroline Constantine Eps 7-8
Joseph Pickering
Joseph Pickering emigrated to Australia from Fiji at age 10
After graduating from the Australian Film and TV School he has had a diverse and successful career as a Cinematographer.
He career began in documentaries where he was mentored by Dennis O’Rourke and worked on a variety of observational documentaries including The Human Face of the Pacific
Joseph shot his first feature Warming Up at the age of 27. And went onto to film Queen of the Road, Windrider, Shame and Sons of Steel in the space of three years.
He has continued to work in television drama and feature films. He has worked as Director of Photography on top Australian drama’s including Wildside, East West 101, The Circuit, Underbelly and Janet King.
Joseph has lived in Broome for the last ten years where he has also worked on variety of documentaries and short films.
In 2006 Joseph achieved an AFI for Outstanding Achievement in Television Craft for the film The Forrest.
Production Designer
Composer
Editors
Nicole La Macchia Eps. 1, 2, 5, 6
Mark Perry Eps. 3, 4
Henry Dangar ASE
Henry Dangar began his editing career at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. After travelling and studying in Italy and working at the BBC, Dangar returned Down Under in 1981 to start his freelance career by editing Stephen Wallace’s feature, STIR. Since then, Henry has edited more than 20 features, including WINTER OF OUR DREAMS, TRAVELLING NORTH, THE CROSSING, DEAD HEART, KISS OR KILL, CUT, TEMPTED, THE NUGGET, LUCKY MILES and SATELLITE BOY.
Henry Dangar has also been the editor of leading television features, series and short films including BANGKOK HILTON, THE CLEAN MACHINE, LOVE MY WAY, BLACKJACK, THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF MARY BRYANT, SPIRITED, RAKE, THE KETTERING INCIDENT and DOCTOR DOCTOR.
Henry Dangar’s documentary work includes FLOUR SUGAR TEA, SOUTHEND TO SYDNEY, THE CHOIR, WHEN COLIN MET JOYCE and REINDEER IN MY SAAMI HEART.
Dangar was instrumental in establishing Australian Screen Editors and served as its first President from 1995 to 1997.
Dangar earned the AFI Best Achievement in Editing award for KISS OR KILL.