Secret City

Series one of Secret City screened on Foxtel in Australia in June 2016 – just weeks out from the federal election which saw Malcolm Turnbull narrowly defeat Labor’s Bill Shorten. The six-part drama featured a stellar cast of Australian and international actors, led by Anna Torv and including Jackie Weaver, Damon Herriman, Dan Wyllie, Eugenia Wang, Mehki Phifer, Alan Dale and Marcus Graham.

One of the first Australian dramas to be set in the national capital of Canberra, Secret City delved into the murky world of politics, exposing the backstabbing bastardry and torn loyalties of those who run the nation. Adapted from the first two novels written by Steve and Chris, Secret City also chronicled the rise of China – by then Australia’s largest trading partner – and the tensions this was generating with the United States.

Steve and Chris had spent a year negotiating for Secret City to be granted rare access to film in Parliament House in order to give the drama the authenticity it needed to become a success. The one-time Speaker of the House of Representatives Bronwyn Bishop had all but given the series the green light to film. Then disaster struck when Bishop stood aside as Speaker following a scandal over travel entitlements.

One week out from the scheduled start date for filming, permission was still to be granted. There were daily frantic calls from producers, meetings with parliamentary officials, until finally, permission to film was given the green light just before cast and crew descended on Canberra.

Among the highlights, permission was given for Secret City to film in the Prime Ministerial courtyard while a cast of extras was assembled featuring numerous members of the real-life Parliamentary Press Gallery.

There were numerous life-imitates-art moments, including one scene filmed on the courtyard just outside Parliament’s front entrance. The scene featured a peaceful vigil for Sabine Hobbs, the Australian who was being held captive by the Chinese Government. The producers arranged for a Chinese choir from the nearby Australian National University to sing some Chinese melodies in the background. But when the students arrived for the shoot, they were “confronted” by a Free Tibet poster made by someone in the Art Department. Frantic phone calls were made and within minutes a couple of young male diplomats from the Chinese Embassy arrived. They simultaneously started filming the scene outside Parliament while instructing the students to return to their dorm.

Alas, the shoot had to be aborted, at great cost.

A few days later, Secret City moved across the lake to the carpark outside the ASIO building. Alas, the permission to film outside the spy agency’s HQ had not been granted and the cast and crew received a surprise visitor to the shoot — the Australian Federal Police. A frantic phone call from Producer Joanna Werner to Chris resulted in calls to the AFP and ASIO, both of whom seemed more interested in whether Tony Abbott was going to survive as Prime Minister. He didn’t – but the shoot went ahead anyway.

Secret City was picked up for international distribution by Netflix which broadcast Secret City to an enthusiastic global audience, including at least one well-known world leader who raised the series with the heads of Australia’s security agencies.

Closer to home, Secret City became known by the cyber warriors at the Australian Signals Directorate as “the documentary”.

Title: Secret City Season 1
Starring: Anna Torv, Damon Herriman, Jacki Weaver, Dan Wyllie, Alan Dale, Eugenia Wang

Executive Producers: Penny Chapman, Penny Win
Producer: Joanna Werner
Director: Emma Freeman
Writers: Greg Waters, Matt Cameron, Belinda Chayko

First Aired (Foxtel): 2016
Episodes: 6

Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards
Winner – Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama, Damon Herriman

Australian Directors Guild Awards
Winner – Best Direction in a Television Series, Emma Freeman (director), Matchbox Pictures, NBC Universal International Television Production (NBCU-ITVP)

Australian Production Design Guild Awards
Nominee – Design on a Television Drama, Felicity Abbott (production designer)

Casting Guild of Australia Awards
Nominee – Best Casting in a TV Miniseries or Telemovie, Kirsty McGregor

Logie Awards
Winner – Silver Logie – Most Outstanding Supporting Actor, Damon Herriman (actor)

Winner – Silver Logie – Most Outstanding Actress, Anna Torv

Screen Music Awards, Australia
Nominee – Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie, David Bridie