A gay-themed series subject to change the face of TV

A LANDMARK new Australian series with LGBTI high school students could potentially appear on national TV screens in the near future.

Should it be successful, it would be the first time a show on national TV where most of the leading characters are LGBTI.

Executive producer and director Daniel Mercieca has said his show, Subject to Change, would be a coming-of-age drama.

An online crowdfunding campaign via Pozible for the series pilot was successful, reaching just over $27,000 on the November 27 deadline and surpassing the initial target of 15,500.

The show’s creators believe the story would resonate with audiences because many of them experienced or know of someone who went through high school with same-sex attractions.

On Subject to Change’s website, the plot is described as one that is set in the working class suburb of Hedley and centred on the lives of three close friends: Ben, a “neat freak”; “tomboy” Karly; and “drama queen” Evie.

“Through its coming-of-age narrative, Subject to Change will confront the harsh difficulties faced in suburban Australia by following these young adults as they deal with their complex and conflicting emotions,” the website states.

“It will be a rocky, isolated road to love and inclusion through their final years of high school.”

The pilot episode was filmed in early November and is currently in post-production.

A teaser trailer is to be released in December 2014, and festival screenings will follow with hopes of a TV pick-up later in 2015.

Details: http://subjecttochange.com.au/