Freehand Group

Infobox Company
company_name = Freehand Group
company_
company_type =Television Production and Content Creation
genre =
foundation =
founder = John Gregory, Peter Abbott, Chris O’Mara
location_city =Sydney
location_country =Australia
location =
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industry =
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revenue =
operating_income =
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owner = BBC Worldwide (25%)
company_slogan =
homepage = http://www.freehandtv.com.au
dissolved =
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"Freehand" is an Australian Television production and content creation company.The founding partners are, John Gregory, Peter Abbott and Chris O’Mara.

The companies body of work is predominantly in the areas of Factual, Observational Documentary and Light entertainment.

Production credits include My Restaurant Rules (Seven Network) Skating on Thin Ice (Nine Network) Honey, We're Killing The Kids (Ten Network) Missing Persons Unit (Nine Network), The Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards 2005 & 2006, (Nickelodeon) The Great BBQ Challenge (XYZ Lifestyle Food).

Freehand is actively involved in Brand Funded content creation. The highest profile example is the work done with Wild Turkey and Crown Casino, Joker Poker [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/advertisers-take-own-shows-into-prime-time/2006/07/26/1153816252624.html Sydney Morning Herald Advertisers take own shows into prime time] ] . The program has been running in Australia for three years on Network Ten and the format successfully reproduced in New Zealand on TV3 and C4.

The Company also manages Kate Ritchie former "Home and Away' Star'. One of the longest serving cast members [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio/4609-episodes-later-kate-leaves-home/2008/03/29/1206207501494.html SMH 4609 episodes later Kate leaves Home] ] Kate, played the role of Sally Fletcher in 4609 episodes [ [http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv--radio/tribute-to-dull-and-dependable-sally/2008/04/02/1206850985624.html The Age Tribute to dull and dependable Sally] ] , earning her a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest serving actor on an Australian Drama Series.

In 2006, Kate won the Silver Logie for Most Popular Actress at the 2006 TV Week Logie Awards. She was also nominated for the Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television, but lost to "Blue Heelers" actor John Wood.
In 2007, Kate Ritchie was nominated for and won the Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television [ [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21684193-1702,00.html The Australian Kate Wins Gold Logie] ] as well as her second Silver Logie for Most Popular Actress.

BBC World Wide

In January 2007 it was announced that BBC Worldwide, the main commercial arm of the BBC, agreed to take a 25% equity investment in the company. [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2007/01_january/freehand_groupl.shtml BBC Worldwide Press Releases BBC Worldwide to take stake in Australia's Freehand Group] ] Under the terms of the deal, Freehand has a first view option on all BBC and independent formats to which BBC Worldwide has rights, to see them produced in Australia and New Zealand. Freehand will also have all its formats distributed through BBC Worldwide's vast global distribution network.

Company Directors

John Gregory (Chief Executive Officer)

John worked in Europe as VP Business Affairs at Grundy Worldwide, General Manager of Beyond International Limited and CEO of Imagination Entertainment. At Grundy, John was a member of the senior management team that established the Grundy television business in Europe, South America and South East Asia and readied it for eventual acquisition by Pearson Television.
With Beyond, John worked across a broad range of projects in the factual and drama genres for broadcaster clients including Discovery, National Geographic and all Australian Free-to-air Networks.

Imagination was one of Australia’s first cross-platform media businesses and John developed a range of successful brands delivering content across both traditional and non-traditional media platforms

Chris O'Mara (Commercial Director)

Chris spent 12 years as the program director at the Seven Network in Australi. For the last five of those years Chris also had the role of Network Head of production. During that time Chris also served as an alternate director of the Seven Network board and Director of Pacific Magazines.

"'Peter Abbott (Executive Producer)"'Peter has worked as an Executive Producer at Beyond, Southern Star and the Seven Network. He has developed a number of highly successful formats and had the hands on responsibility of delivering literally thousands of hours of programming across a range of genres.

Production Credits

The Nest (SBS) [ [http://www.http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio/home-and-hosed/2008/06/21/1214009165188.html Sydney Morning Herald Home and Hosed] ] .
Top Gear Australia (BBCWW and SBS) [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2007/11_november/top_gear_downunder.shtml BBC Worldwide Press Releases Top Gear revs up Downunder] ]
Missing Persons Unit Series Four (Nine Network)ref> [http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio/happy-endings--for-some/2008/06/22/1214073033815.html SMH Happy Endings for Some ] ]
Great Australian Homes (How To Channel)
Owner Builder (How To Channel)
Outback Wildlife Rescue (Seven Network and BBC WW)
Missing Persons Unit Series Three (Nine Network) [ [http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21142464-5003422,00.html Courier Mail Raw emotion not missing] ] 

Celebrity Joker Poker Series Two (TV3 NZ) 

Celebrity Dog School (Ten Network)
Celebrity Dog School Digital Content (Ten Digital)
Missing Persons Unit Series Two (Nine Network) [ [http://www.ebroadcast.com.au/enews/Missing_Persons_Unit_Series_Two_220107.html Nine Network MPU Series Two] ] 


Joker Poker Series Two (Ten Network)
Celebrity Joker Poker (TV3 NZ) 

Celebrity Joker Poker (Ten Network) 

The Great BBQ Challenge (XYZ Lifestyle Food) [ [http://www.mcn.com.au/content/flyers/Great%20BBQ%20Challenge%20WINNER.pdf Fenton crowned Australia’s best BBQ’er!] ]
The Nickelodeon 2006 Kids’ Choice Awards [ [http://www.xyz.com.au/xyznetworks/fileup/News/file/66.pdf Nickelodeon Wins Astra Awards] ] 

Honey We’re Killing The Kids (Ten Network) [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2005/10_october/hwktk_australia.shtml BC Worldwide Press Releases Honey We're Killing the Kids comes to Australia] ]
Missing Persons Unit Series One (Nine Network) 

The Nickelodeon 2005 Kids’ Choice Awards 

Joker Poker Series One (Ten Network) 

Skating On Thin Ice (Nine Network) 

My Restaurant Rules (Co Production Seven Network) 

Queer Eye for The Straight Guy (Ten Network) [ [http://www.theage.com.au/news/TV--Radio/Queer-as-blokes/2005/02/08/1107625206515.html The Age Queer as blokes] ] 

Queer Eye exclusive mobile content (3)

External links

* [http://www.freehandtv.com.au Official Freehand Website]
* [http://www.jokerpoker.co.nz Official Joker Poker Website]
* [http://channelnine.ninemsn.com.au/section.aspx?sectionid=2183&sectionname=mpu Official Missing Persons Unit Site]
* [http://seven.com.au/homeandaway Official Home and Away Website]

References