See-Saw Films’ and writer/showrunner Samantha Strauss’ joint venture, Picking Scabs, has added Louise Gough as Executive Producer.
Gough, who will report to Strauss and Liz Watts, See-Saw Film’s Head of Film and Television (Aus), joins Picking Scabs from Screen Australia where she was Head of Development.
This new appointment comes on the heels of a number of TV talent hires for See-Saw, with Executive Producers Moss Barclay, Ann Phillips and Julian Stevens joining the company in 2022 working out of the UK office.
Gough has developed projects across Australia, New Zealand, the US and Europe. Prior to Screen Australia, she held roles as Head of Development at Arenamedia, Head of New Work at Belvoir Theatre, Editorial Manager at ABC TV Drama and Narrative Comedy, Script Manager at Film Victoria, and was in the development team at Madman Production Company. She previously worked at Screen Australia as a Development Executive (Story). Gough has also worked as a script advisor with Sources 2 in Europe, and as an Advisor at the Berlinale Talent Campus Script Station. Through freelance development work Louise has worked with companies including Matchbox, Roadshow, Felix Media, Easy Tiger, Fremantle, Hoodlum and Blackfella Films.
Samantha Strauss says: “Louise Gough’s story instincts are second to none. After every script session I feel as if my head has been opened and my life changed. I’m honoured she’s joining Picking Scabs as an Executive Producer and, with the wonderful folks at See-Saw, cannot wait to bring our slate of projects into the world.”
Liz Watts says: “Louise is exceptionally talented at working with writers and shepherding scripts through development right through into production. She has had a long and distinguished career and most recently highly regarded in her role as Head of Development at Screen Australia. We are thrilled she will be joining Samantha Strauss and the See-Saw team in our Picking Scabs joint venture.”
Louise Gough says: “I have long admired Iain Canning and Emile Sherman and the stories that See-Saw Films bring to the world. It is a company with global reach, who work with the highest calibre creatives and who produce meaningful and superbly executed stories that enrich our understanding of the world.
“I am so looking forward to working with Liz Watts and the See-Saw team and with Samantha Strauss and Picking Scabs as well as our creative partners. Sam is a vivid creator who embraces rich and resonant themes in forms that hit the heart, humour and pain of life, wrapped up in joyous rides. Liz, in her sustained and stellar career, is a tremendous role model for me as I step into this position.
“I could not be more honoured and thrilled to be invited into the See-Saw Films’ family.”
See-Saw Films has also announced that Maria Nicholson, previously Development Coordinator, is now Development Producer. Maria was part of the development team responsible for originating Heartstopper and Slow Horses. She will be reporting to Helen Gregory and is based out of the UK office, and will now be developing her own slate focussing on “intimate, warm, younger skewing drama” as well working across See-Saw’s TV slate as a whole.
Jon Creamer
Share this story
