“Dud” short film may become a TV series

PEOPLE with disability will be given a new platform to share a message of inclusion after award-winning British comedy television company Baby Cow Productions signed on to attempt to create a television series based on Geelong-made short film Jeremy the Dud.

The film, a partnership between genU Karingal St Laurence and Robot Army Productions, was released online last year and quickly went viral, with the trailer alone attracting almost 10 million views on social media.

The award-winning film is set in a world where everyone has a disability, while those who don’t are considered “without speciality” and labelled “Duds”.

They are treated with the same prejudice, stigma and condensing attitudes people with disability face in our own society.

Nearly every actor in the film has a disability, and about 50 genU participants acted as extras.

Writers Anil Gupta (The Office, Citizen Khan) and Richard Pinto (Citizen Khan, The Kumars at No. 42) will work on the television series, while Australian comedian Adam Hills (The Last Leg) will consult on the project along with Hollywood actor Warwick Davis (Star Wars, Harry Potter).

genU’s Ben Flynn worked alongside Robot Army writer and director Ryan Chamley to bring the project to life.

“We always dreamed of it becoming a TV series – it was a really ambitious dream which has now come true,” Mr Flynn said.

“It started as a project to spark the inclusion conversation and provide opportunities for our participants to get involved in something fun, but now the show will give that conversation a much greater reach and we are really proud of that.”

Mr Chamley, who will direct the potential television series, said he was proud of how audiences had reacted to the project across the world.

“This has turned into something really special and I hope it leads to people being treated equally.”

Jeremy the Dud won awards at the Melbourne City Independent Film Awards and Flicks 4 Change, and has been shown at schools and universities across the world to promote diversity.