The local Broken Hill newspaper "Barrier Daily Truth" has a great article on the filming of Lucy's new mini-series Code which has been filming in Broken Hill and Silverton (25 km from Broken Hill). This is the first article focusing more on Code rather than Lucy. The second article will focus more on Lucy and her career after Xena. Many thanks to Alexandra Hawke for the newspaper scans and transcript.
In Code, Lucy plays the role of Alex Wisham, a "passionate" teacher (as she is described in the article below). What was more interesting in this article was that Lucy was first to sign up to the mini-series. We will see the mini-series in Australia on the ABC sometime next year. No word yet on whether this will be shown in other countries.
Stay updated on all the news and multimedia about CODE by bookmarking the AUSXIP Lucy Lawless CODE subsite
Barrier Daily Truth - 2 October 2013
Stars Come Out
Shooting Begins in Political Thriller
by Kurtis J Eichler
2 October 2013
Move over Hollywood- Broken Hill is staking its claim as a filmmaker's paradise as crews descend on the city to shoot a political thriller.
The outback city has been home to the crews of Mad Max, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert and Wake in Fright in the past - now all classic Aussie flicks. Now film crews making the six-part ABC political thriller called 'CODE' are shooting in Broken Hill, Silverton and the border town of Cockburn for three weeks.
Crews have shot in Canberra- the first production to film inside Parliament House on Election Day - and on sets in Sydney. Broken Hill's name is left untouched but Silverton has been dubbed 'Lindara' for the show.
The mini-series tells the story of two brothers who come across information that some of the most powerful politicians want to keep under wraps. The film kicks off with a gut-churning truck crash which kills two Aboriginal boys. The accident is shrouded in conspiracy as it emerges the cargo is a prohibited substance the government wants to keep secret. The brothers, internet journalist Ned - played by 'Offspring' star Dan Spielman- and 'Rush' star Ashley Zukerman break open the case.
The ensemble cast is rounded out by Lucy Lawless of Xena: Warrior Princess fame, playing a passionate teacher and David Wenham as the charming yet loathsome Deputy PM Ian Bradley who is fighting to keep the secret. Yesterday crews set up in Silverton for their second week of filming. Six trucks for make-up, wardrobe, catering, a greenroom and electronics rolled in, creating a hive of activity in the usually quiet smalltown.
Screenwriter Shelley Birsesaid it took four years to get the script ready for filming. She said Broken Hill was chosen as a location because of the "sheer beauty of the landscape".
"There's a great kind of shift from the corridors of power right to a great, big vast landscape," Ms Birse said. "There have been some beautiful similarities in the pictures too."
Ms Birse - who wrote for teen drama Blue Water High- said the chance to travel to Broken Hill was one of the reasons high-profile stars jumped on board.
"The great attraction for people was to be able to travel with the series here and do it in the real place and tread the real ground." Executive producer David Maher said despite being fictional, writers always wanted a "ripped from the headlines" feel about the "rollercoaster thriller".
"It's got a real contemporary, globally relative perspective," Mr Maher said. New Zealand-based Lawless was the first to signup. She said the themes of media, responsibility and truth-telling attracted her to the "rich" production.
"It was just bloody good from the start," the 45-year-old said. "I loved the relationship between the two brothers and it was just a really sophisticated piece of writing." Her co-star Aaron Pederson plays outback cop Tim Simons. He said the chance to perform with young Aboriginal actors was the key to him signing on.
"It was the opportunity to work with a large group of Indigenous actors that are coming through," Pederson said."It is new ground and it's the way we should be heading."
It's expected the series will hit ABC screens next year.