The Hunting Explained

Genre:Drama
Theme Music Composer:Benjamin Speed
Composer:Benjamin Speed
Country:Australia
Num Episodes:4
List Episodes:
  1. Episodes
Executive Producer:Sue Masters (SBS)
Location:Adelaide, South Australia
Cinematography:Bonnie Elliott
Editor:Bryan Mason
Company:Closer Productions
Network:SBS TV

The Hunting is an Australian drama series starring Asher Keddie and Richard Roxburgh, screening on SBS TV and SBS on Demand on 1 August 2019.[1] The four-part miniseries was created by Sophie Hyde and Matthew Cormack at Closer Productions, and co-directed by Ana Kokkinos.

Plot

The Hunting tells the story of two high school teachers who discover that students are sharing sexually explicit photos of their under-age friends and peers online. The revelation has consequences for four teenagers, their teachers and families in modern, multicultural Australia.[2]

Cast

Themes

The Hunting tackles themes of misogyny, privacy, sexuality, online exploitation, sexualisation, toxic masculinity, gender[2] and cyberbullying. Producer/director Sophie Hyde said that the film would explore how teens use technology "within sexual context and reframe the conversation to be about trust and consent, considering how we are culturally responsible".[3]

Production

Originally titled The Hunt, funding for the series by Screen Australia was announced in July 2018.[4] The four-part mini-series was written by Matthew Cormack and Niki Aken, and directed by Ana Kokkinos and Sophie Hyde. Produced by Rebecca Summerton, Sophie Hyde (both of Closer Productions) and Lisa Scott (of Highview Productions[5]), it screened on SBS TV and on SBS On Demand from 1 August 2019.[6]

Production by the Closer Productions team started in Adelaide, on 18 January 2019. Additional funding was provided by the South Australian Film Corporation and SBS.[3]

Adelaide High School was used as a location setting.[7]

Reception

The series had an overwhelmingly positive response, and became the highest-rated TV drama series commissioned by SBS.[8]

Luke Buckmaster, writing for The Guardian, called the series a "very compelling, tense and prickly drama", praising the whole cast and the script, which "hangs together impressively, with admirable depth and nuance".[9]

Wenlei Ma wrote in News.com.au that it addressed the important question "Why isn’t anyone talking about the boys?", and that the series was "wonderfully written..., incredibly tense and the performances are excellent".[10]

Craig Mathieson titled his review in The Sydney Morning Herald: "Forget Home and Away, Australian TV needs more of this teen drama".[11]

Chris Boyd wrote in Screenhub: The Hunting is an extremely rare event in Australian television history. The power and topicality of the story are more than matched by the quality of the writing and craft of the production. It's as hot and urgent as it is considered".[12]

Accolades

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Airdate: The Hunting. TV Tonight. David. Knox. 3 July 2019. 1 August 2019.
  2. Web site: Asher Keddie and Richard Roxburgh to lead SBS/Closer Productions’ ‘The Hunting’. 17 January 2019. Inside Film. 17 January 2019.
  3. Web site: Asher Keddie and Richard Roxburgh to star in new SBS drama The Hunting. Screen Australia. 17 January 2019. 26 June 2019.
  4. Web site: News New dramas for Ten, SBS and Stan after one-off investment by Screen Australia. Mumbrella. Zoe . Samios. 18 July 2018. 26 June 2019.
  5. Web site: Keen . Suzie . Bestseller The Dictionary of Lost Words set to become a television series . . 10 November 2022 . 16 November 2022.
  6. Web site: SBS announces cast for The Hunting. 18 January 2019. TV Tonight. 18 January 2019.
  7. Web site: 45-14 Adelaide High School . Adelaide City Explorer . 16 November 2022 . 16 November 2022.
  8. Web site: The Hunting becomes the highest-rated SBS commission drama . . 28 September 2019 . 16 November 2022.
  9. Web site: Buckmaster . Luke . The Hunting review – an electrically uncomfortable sexual minefield navigated with nuance . . 1 August 2019 . 16 November 2022.
  10. Web site: The Hunting will make you feel the heat of your own anger. Wenlei. Ma. 31 July 2019. . 16 November 2022.
  11. Web site: Mathieson . Craig . Forget Home and Away, Australian TV needs more of this teen drama . . 20 August 2019 . 16 November 2022.
  12. Web site: TV Review: The Hunting is hot and urgent. Chris . Boyd . ScreenHub Australia . 1 August 2019 . 16 November 2022.
  13. Web site: Writers of Prima Facie, Hearts and Bones, Penguin Bloom, The Hunting and Total Control among winners at the 53rd Annual AWGIE Awards . Australian Writers' Guild . 15 August 2024.
  14. Web site: Winners & Nominees . AACTA . 15 August 2024.