Becker Entertainment is one of Australia's best-known, integrated screen entertainment companies. Founded in 1965, Becker is a leader in television and film production, distribution and exhibition (as owners of the Dendy Cinema chain).

Becker's Australian-based production department currently focuses its activities in three areas:

• distinctive and globally successful documentaries for broadcasters including Discovery Networks International, National Geographic Channels International, TLC, Travel Channel, Animal Planet, PBS, Canal Plus, NHK, TV Asahi Japan, CCTV China, MediaCorp Singapore etc
• feature films by leading Australian/New Zealand film makers including Roger Donaldson's THE WORLD'S FASTEST INDIAN (starring Anthony Hopkins) and Gillian Armstrong's feature documentary UNFOLDING FLORENCE:THE MANY LIVES OF FLORENCE BROADHURST (Australia's only official selection in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival)
• the development of talent-driven factual programs for the US channels owned and operated by Discovery Communications Inc and other US cable and network broadcasters

Becker's reputation for cutting edge programs enables it to attract leading filmmakers from around the world to supplement a core team led by:

Charles Hannah
General Manager, Production
charlesh@beckers.com.au

Sue Clothier
Head of Factual TV Production
suec@beckers.com.au

John Godfrey
Head of Documentary Program Development and Executive Producer
johng@beckers.com.au

Mike Bluett
Executive Producer
mikeb@beckers.com.au

Nicola Lawrence
Production Manager
nicolal@beckers.com.au

Factual Program Production

The Becker approach to documentary development is based on producing integrated content for the small screen (mobile) to the big screen by incorporating 2 key elements, namely:

• Market intelligence based on regular and close interaction with major clients
• Blurring the genres in the pursuit of good stories well told

Documentaries in production 2007

ATTACK OF THE BABY BOOMERS
3 x 1 hour documentaries on the baby boomer generation for WNET/SBS/NHK
Executive Producer - Sue Clothier & Charles Hannah

I'LL CALL AUSTRALIA HOME - 2007
1 hour documentary on refugees settling in Australia for SBS/Film Australia
Director - Belinda Mason
Producer - Mike Bluett

Documentaries completed since 2002

OUTBACK COWBOYS - 2006
1 hour special for Discovery Asia
Director - Simon Heath
Executive Producers - John Godfrey & Mike Bluett

SPEED DYNASTIES & SKYFIGHTERS - 2006
2x1 hour specials for Discovery Networks International
Director - Geoff Tanner and Rodney Long
Executive Producers - Sue Clothier and John Godfrey

COULD IT HAPPEN HERE? - 2006
1 hour special for DNI & Discovery Times
Directors - Paul Faint & Bernadine Lim
Producer - Mike Bluett
Executive Producers - Sue Clothier & John Godfrey

ONE STEP BEYOND Series 2 - 2006
11 half hours of science & behaviour that pushes the envelope for DNI
Series Producer - Mike Bluett
Executive Producers - Sue Clothier & John Godfrey

ONE STEP BEYOND - mobile phone content - 2006
11 mobisodes, 3G mobile game, ringtones, wallpapers, sms fact sheets/quizzes for DNI
Producer - Bianca Keeley
Executive Producers - Sue Clothier, Tim Flattery & John Godfrey

A MONKEY'S TALE - 2005
1 hour special for Animal Planet US & Animal Planet Int'l & Discovery HD Theatre
Producer/Director - Karina Holden
Executive Producers - Sue Clothier & Charles Hannah

UNFOLDING FLORENCE: THE MANY LIVES OF FLORENCE BROADHURST - 2005
Theatrical docu-drama for Film Australia, SBSi, NSWFTO & Dendy Films
Official Selection 2006 Sundance Film Festival
Winner 2006 Queensland Premier's Literary Award & Winner 2006 Australian Writers' Guild Award
Director - Gillian Armstrong
Producers - Sue Clothier & Charles Hannah

SPEED SCIENCE - 2005
1 hour special for DNI
Director - Jonathan Challis
Executive Producers - Sue Clothier, John Godfrey & Charles Hannah

KUNG FU MONK - 2005
1 hour for NGCi & Singapore EDB
Director - Karina Holden
Supervising Producer - Sue Clothier

THE TSUNAMI LINE - 2005
1 hour for National Geographic Channels International (NGCi) & Singapore EDB
Director - David Grusovin
Executive Producer - Karina Holden
Supervising Producer - Sue Clothier

ONE STEP BEYOND Series 1 - 2004/05
10 half hours of science & behaviour that pushes the envelope for DNI
Series Producer - John Godfrey
Executive Producers - Charles Hannah & Sue Clothier

HISS OF DEATH - 2004
1 hour for NGCi & Singapore EDB
Winner - Best Director Show Real Asia 2
Winner - Silver World Medal, New York Film Festivals 2006
Director - Karina Holden
Supervising Producer - Sue Clothier

SAMURAI SPIDERS - 2004
1 hour for NGCi & Singapore EDB
Director - Karina Holden
Supervising Producer - Sue Clothier

UNEXPLAINED UNEXPLORED - 2004
1 hour special for Animal Planet & Singapore EDB
Director - Karina Holden
Producer - Sue Clothier
Executive Producers - Charles Hannah & John Godfrey

BODY JARS - 2003
1 hour for NGCi
Special Jury Award The Explorers Club Documentary Film Festival 2004
Director - Tim Toni
Producer - Sue Clothier
Executive Producer - Charles Hannah

IF ONLY - 2003
10 half hours for SBS-TV
Series Producer - John Godfrey

UNFIT TO COMMAND - 2003
1 hour for ABC Australia
Director - David Salter
Producer - Sue Clothier
Executive Producer - Charles Hannah

BEETLE BATTLES: KWANG BANG - 2002
1 hour for NGCi & Singapore EDB
Highly Commended Natural History or Wildlife Programs, 2004 Asian TV Awards
Best Director & Best Editing 2004 Asian TV Awards
Selected for competition Best Documentary, People & Animals, Jackson Hole 2003
Winner Best Film and Best Director 2003 Asia to the World Awards
Director - Karina Holden
Producer - Tim Toni

INSPIRASIANS - 2002
8 half-hours for MediaCorp Singapore
Executive Producer - Tim Toni

PLANET SOCCER - 2002
1 hour for DNI & Singapore EDB
Finalist Best Documentary Asia TV Awards
Executive Producer - Tim Toni

THE END OF EXTINCTION: CLONING THE TASMANIAN TIGER - 2002
1 hour special for DNI & TLC
Silver Award Omni Intermedia Awards 2003
Bronze World Medal: New York Film Festival 2003
Winner: Silver Award ACS 2001
Director - Patrick O'Neill
Producer - Sue Clothier
Co-Executive Producer - Charles Hannah