Oz drama to be based in Kiwi town

Rebecca Gibney and Erik Thomson.

It seems the reverse brain drain has made it to television production - a major Australian television network has commissioned a primetime family drama set in smalltown New Zealand.

Seven Network yesterday announced among its 2015 season 800 Words which stars NZ-bred actor Erik Thomson as the father of two teenagers who moves his family from Sydney across the Tasman to a picturesque Kiwi town after the death of his wife.

Thomson's character writes a newspaper column - hence the show title - for a living.

It's partly created by James Griffin, a regular contributor of 800 words in his regular column for the Weekend Herald's canvas magazine.

Despite the apparent scenic qualities of the fictional town in the show, the hamlet will be named "Weld".

South Pacific Pictures will be making the eight episode series of hour-long shows after the Australian network wanted a new vehicle for Thomson, who had played the father in hit Aussie series Packed to the Rafters for six seasons.

Says SPP Chief Executive Kelly Martin: "Seven loved the scripts from the start and we're thrilled to have this project underway.

"It enables South Pacific Pictures to broaden our horizons and it'll open up some great opportunities for our local actors and crew."

The show will be filmed in New Zealand with a local crew and a cast of actors from both sides of the Tasman.

The show has been created by Griffin (Outrageous Fortune, The Almighty Johnsons) and Maxine Fleming (Being Eve, Outrageous Fortune).

Thomson hopped across the Ditch in the mid-90s after appearances in Xena: Warrior Princess, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and Marlin Bay.

Seven also announced his Rafters Kiwi co-star Rebecca Gibney will star in Winter, a new crime series based on her character in the telemovie The Killing Field.

Many Seven shows have appeared in the schedules for TVNZ, which is announcing its 2015 line-up early next month.