Private Project

Hardball

Mikey, the new kid, goes on a quest to be the Best in the West. Helped by new mates Salwa and Jerry, his mission is to become Western Sydney's sweetest-bestest-acest handball champ. He’s got the world's most powerful strike - if only the ball would land in the right suburb.

  • Darren Ashton
    Director
    Here Come the Habibs!, The Wrong Girl, Offspring, Wonderland
  • Guy Edmonds
    Writer
    Super Awesome!
  • Matt Zeremes
    Writer
    Burke & Wills, Super Awesome!
  • Joe (Joanne) Weatherstone
    Producer
    Housos, Killing Ground, The Go-Betweens: Right Here
  • Catherine Nebauer
    Producer
    Teddies, Hiccup & Sneeze
  • Bernadette O'Mahony
    Producer
    Round the Twist, Legacy of the Silver Shadow, Crash Zone
  • Jan Stradling
    Producer
  • Semisi Cheekam
    Key Cast
    "Mikey"
  • Logan Reberger
    Key Cast
    "Jerry"
  • Reannah Hamdan
    Key Cast
    "Salwa"
  • Erin Choy
    Key Cast
    "Tiffany"
  • Helen Dallimore
    Key Cast
    "Ms Crapper"
  • Project Type:
    Television
  • Runtime:
    24 minutes 2 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 15, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    6,020,731 AUD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    HD
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • ABC Me (broadcast screening)
    Sydney
    Australia
    Australian premiere
Distribution Information
  • Australian Children's Television Foundation
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Darren Ashton

Darren is a highly experienced director and producer across television and film. He directed all six episodes of the half hour comedy series Here Come the Habibs! For Jungle and the Nine Network and returned for the second series. Other television credits include The Wrong Girl for Network Ten and Playmaker Media, Wonderland for Fremantle Media, Worst Year of My Lift Again for ABC and BBC, ABC dramedy Bed of Roses, Rush and Offspring for Endemol and Network Ten. Through his company Whoa Flamingo, Darren has several feature and television series in development including Ghostmodern with Princess Pictures and The 13th Club with Easy Tiger.

Darren co-wrote and directed his first feature film Thunderstruck, distributed by Icon in 2005. Thunderstruck told the story of four boys who made a pact to bury their best friend next to AC/DC’s original front man, Bon Scott.

Inspired by his daughter’s dance classes, Darren and write Carolyn Wilson devised the story about pushy stage mother and dance competitions. In 2007, this became the basis of Darren’s second film Razzle Dazzle, starring Australian actress Kerry Armstrong and UK comic Ben Miller. Razzle Dazzle was selected for more than 20 film festivals around the world, including Berlin, Edinburgh, Los Angeles Independent Film Festivals and was the opening night at the New York International Children’s Film Festival.

Darren was the executive producer on the feature film Not Suitable for Children starring Ryan Kwanten (True Blood) and Sarah Snook (Predestination), directed by Peter Templeman. IN addition to his work in film and television, Darren is known for his comedic commercials, and has won numerous awards, including the London International Advertising Award, New York Advertising Award, Singapore Advertising Award and numerous Cannes nominations.

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