Closer Productions is a film and television production company founded by filmmakers

Sophie Hyde Sophie Hyde (born 1977) is an Australian film director, writer, and producer based in Adelaide, South Australia. She is co-founder of Closer Productions and known for her award-winning debut fiction film, '' 52 Tuesdays'' (2013) and the comedy ...

and Bryan Mason in

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

, in January 2004. It is known for award-winning feature films such as ''

52 Tuesdays ''52 Tuesdays'' is a 2013 Australian coming-of-age drama film directed by Sophie Hyde, with the screenplay written by Matthew Cormack and story by Cormack and Hyde. The film centres on a teenage girl dealing with the gender transition of a paren ...

'' (2013) and ''

Animals Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the biological kingdom Animalia (). With few exceptions, animals consume organic material, breathe oxygen, have myocytes and are able to move, can reproduce sexually, and grow from a ...

'' (2019), as well as television series and documentary films.

History

Closer Productions was founded by Hyde and Mason, who are personal as well as professional partners, having both graduated from

Flinders University Flinders University, established as The Flinders University of South Australia is a public university, public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia, with a footprint extending across a number of locations in South Australia and ...

in 1997. They began Closer Productions in 2004 and produced their first work under the Closer banner in 2005. Writer Matthew Cormack joined the pair soon afterwards, and Matthew Bate came in 2010; both of them are Flinders graduates too. Previously, Bate had his own company, Plexus Films, but after working on separate projects after winning

FilmLab South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) is a South Australian Government statutory corporation established in 1972 to engage in film production and promote the film industry, located in Adelaide, South Australia. The Adelaide Studios are managed ...

funding, with Bate having his short film ''The Mystery of Flying Kicks'', he and the Closer team decided to amalgamate. Closer Productions was registered as a

private company A privately held company (or simply a private company) is a company whose Stock, shares and related rights or obligations are not offered for public subscription or publicly negotiated in their respective listed markets. Instead, the Private equi ...

on 28 January 2010. Producer

Rebecca Summerton Rebecca "Bec" Summerton is an Australian film producer who does most of her work with Closer Productions in Adelaide, South Australia. Working in film and television across many genres, she is known for producing ''52 Tuesdays'', ''The Hunting' ...

(also a Flinders graduate) joined the company shortly after the merger.

Description

The company is located in the inner Adelaide suburb of Glenside, sharing the historic former administration building of Glenside Hospital with

Adelaide Studios South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) is a South Australian Government statutory corporation established in 1972 to engage in film production and promote the film industry, located in Adelaide, South Australia. The Adelaide Studios are managed ...

, which are managed by the

South Australian Film Corporation South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) is a South Australian Government statutory corporation established in 1972 to engage in film production and promote the film industry, located in Adelaide, South Australia. The Adelaide Studios are managed ...

(SAFC). The company is self-described as a "collective of film-makers". , in addition to the four directors, Hyde, Mason (editor, DOP, producer, director), Cormack (writer, sales/delivery), Summerton (producer), and Bate (writer, director), other members of the team include editor, designer, and visual effects creator Raynor Pettge, director and screenwriter

Matt Vesely Matthew Vesely is an Australian filmmaker, best known for his 2022 feature film ''Monolith''. His other work includes the web series ''Wastelander Panda'' (2013) and the short films ''My Best Friend Is Stuck on the Ceiling'' (2015) and ''System ...

(another Flinders graduate), and director Maya Newell ('' Gayby Baby'', ''In My Blood It Runs''). Closer Services creates promotional films for industry clients and projects documenting various aspects of arts and architecture, including for clients such as the

Adelaide Festival The Adelaide Festival of Arts, also known as the Adelaide Festival, an arts festival, takes place in the South Australian capital of Adelaide in March each year. Started in 1960, it is a major celebration of the arts and a significant cultural ...

and the

Art Gallery of South Australia The Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA), established as the National Gallery of South Australia in 1881, is located in Adelaide. It is the most significant visual arts museum in the Australian state of South Australia. It has a collection of ...

(AGSA). They created a series of videos for the 2020

Tarnanthi Tarnanthi (pronounced tar-nan-dee) is a Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art held in Adelaide, South Australia, annually. Presented by the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA) in association with the South Austra ...

exhibition at AGSA, which included profiles of Ernabella Arts,

Iwantja Arts Indulkana (also known as Iwantja, from Iwantja Creek) is an Aboriginal community in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands in South Australia, comprising one of the six main communities on "The Lands" (the others being Pukatja, Amata ...

and

Tjala Arts Tjala Arts, formerly known as Minymaku Arts, is an Aboriginal Australian-owned and -managed arts centre located in the remote community of Amata, South Australia, Amata in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara, Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankuny ...

Grants and mentoring

In September 2020, Closer Productions and the

Adelaide Film Festival The Adelaide Film Festival (AFF, formerly ADLFF) is a film festival usually held for two weeks in mid-October in movie theater, cinemas in Adelaide, South Australia. Originally presented wikt:Special:Search/biennial, biennially in March from 2 ...

announced a "new grants program aiming to broaden accessibility to the Australian filmmaking industry for artists from underrepresented communities". Four selected emerging filmmakers would be awarded as well as the opportunity to participate in three workshops with the Closer Productions team.

Selected filmography

Feature fiction

*''

'' (2013) * ''

'' (2019)

Television series

*''

Hannah Gadsby's Oz Hannah Gadsby (born 12 January 1978) is an Australian comedian, writer, author and actor. They began their career in Australia after winning the national final of the Raw Comedy competition for new comedians in 2006. In 2018, their show '' Nanet ...

'' (2014), a 3-part series directed by Bate and featuring comedian and writer

Hannah Gadsby Hannah Gadsby (born 12 January 1978) is an Australian comedian, writer, author and actor. They began their career in Australia after winning the national final of the Raw Comedy competition for new comedians in 2006. In 2018, their show '' Nanet ...

* '' Fucking Adelaide'' (2017)

comedy drama Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...

, for ABC TV. AKA F*!#ing Adelaide and F**king Adelaide. * ''

The Hunting ''The Hunting'' is an Australian Drama (film and television), drama series starring Asher Keddie and Richard Roxburgh, screening on SBS (Australian TV channel), SBS TV and SBS on Demand on 1 August 2019. The four-part miniseries was created by ...

'' (2019) * ''

Aftertaste Aftertaste is the taste intensity of a food or beverage that is perceived immediately after that food or beverage is removed from the mouth. The aftertastes of different foods and beverages can vary by intensity and over time, but the unifying fea ...

'' (2021), created by Matthew Bate and Julie De Fina, directed by

Jonathan Brough Jonathan Brough is a New Zealand-born film director based in Australia. He is best known for the comedy TV series ''Rosehaven'', ''Aftertaste'' and ''The Family Law''. Early life and education Brough grew up in Hāwera, New Zealand, the son of ...

Short films and documentaries

*''Beyond Beliefs: Muslims & Non-Muslims in Australia'' (2007) * ''Shut Up Little Man! An Audio Misadventure'' (2011), documentary/comedy/drama, written and directed by Matthew Bate * '' Life in Movement'' (2011), a documentary about choreographer

Tanja Liedtke Tanja Michaela Karin Liedtke (6 October 1977 – 17 August 2007) was a German-born professional choreographer and dancer. She was most noted as a dancer, choreographer and director of contemporary dance in Australia and Europe. Early life an ...

*''Sam Klemke's Time Machine'' (2015), feature-length documentary, written and directed by Matthew Bate * ''My Best Friend is Stuck on the Ceiling'' (2015), s short comic film written and directed by Matt Vesely. *''A Field Guide to Being a 12-Year-Old Girl'' (2017), written and directed by, and starring

Tilda Cobham-Hervey Tilda Cobham-Hervey (born 4 September 1994) is an Australian actress. She made her film debut in ''52 Tuesdays'', a critically acclaimed independent film directed by Sophie Hyde, and has also appeared on stage. She appeared in the 2018 film ''H ...

* '' In My Blood It Runs'' (2019), feature-length documentary, directed by Maya Newell and others *''Eat the Invaders'' (2025), ABC TV documentary series about eating

invasive species An invasive species is an introduced species that harms its new environment. Invasive species adversely affect habitats and bioregions, causing ecological, environmental, and/or economic damage. The term can also be used for native spec ...

, presented by

Tony Armstrong Tony Patrick Armstrong (born 29 September 1989) is an Australian television presenter and former professional Australian rules footballer. He played for the Adelaide Football Club, Sydney Swans, and Collingwood Football Club in the Australian F ...

Awards

* 2011: ''Life in Movement'', winner, Best Work at the 2011

Ruby Awards The South Australian Ruby Awards, also known as the Ruby Awards, are annual awards which recognise outstanding achievement in South Australia’s arts and culture sector. They were named in honour of arts champion Dame Ruby Litchfield (1912–2001 ...

* 2011: ''Life in Movement'', winner, Foxtel Australian Documentary Prize * 2011, ''Life in Movement'', nominated,

AACTA Awards The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards, known as the AACTA Awards, are presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). The awards recognise excellence in the cinema of Australia, film and ...

, Best Feature Length Documentary and Best Direction in a Documentary *2011: ''Life in Movement'', Australian Film Critics Association Awards, Best Documentary *2013/4: ''

'' – multiple wins and nominations *2018: ''Fucking Adelaide'', winner,

Screen Producers Australia Screen Producers Australia (SPA), formerly the Screen Producers' Association of Australia (SPAA) and earlier names, is a national organisation representing film production businesses, emerging producers, service providers and screen industry supp ...

(SPA) Award for Online Series Production of the Year *2018: ''Fucking Adelaide'', nominated, APDG Award for Costume Design for a Web Series (Renate Henschke) *2018: ''Fucking Adelaide'', nominated, Adobe Award for Production Design for a Web Series (Amy Baker)

References

External links

*{{official, https://closerproductions.com.au Film production companies of Australia Australian companies established in 2004 Companies based in Adelaide