Gallipoli E01 The First Day

Gallipoli: The First Day

First episode of the brilliant new 7 part Australian miniseries, Gallipoli.

Excellent Australian production, adapted from the best-selling book Gallipoli, by Les Carlyon.

Gallipoli is produced by Endemol Australia and was shot over a three month period commencing on 17 March 2014.

Filming took place in Melbourne and surrounding areas, including Bacchus Marsh and Werribee.

The 25th of April 1915 landing was recreated on the Mornington Peninsula.

Premise

The series centers on 17-year-old Thomas "Tolly" Johnson (Kodi Smit-McPhee) who puts his age up so he can enlist with his brother Bevan (Harry Greenwood) and ends up fighting at Gallipoli in the campaign that helped create the Anzac legend.

The story depicts the ten month campaign in Turkey, highlighting the landing on 25th of April 1915 by ANZAC troops who go into battle on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Landing in the dark, Tolly, Bevan and their fellow soldiers endeavour to establish a defensible foothold beneath the treacherous slopes of the peninsula. The series follows both the battle and its aftermath.
The soldiers spend eight months learning combat skills while trying to survive in the most difficult of circumstances.
By the time of their final evacuation they have learnt much about themselves and their mates.

Directed by Glendyn Ivin

Scriptwriter Christopher Lee

Production Team

Gallipoli is an Endemol Australia project with John Edwards and Robert Connolly the producers. The Nine Network's co-heads of drama, Jo Rooney and Andy Ryan, along with Endemol Australia CEO Janeen Faithfull are the executive producers.

The series is directed by Glendyn Ivin and the scriptwriter is Christopher Lee.

The production employed around 750 local people and was expected to generate an estimated $14.6 million in production expenditure.

Rehearsals began in early March 2014 and cast-members also undertook some military training in Melbourne before filming began.

The Victorian government provided significant financing for the project through its Production Incentive Attraction Fund (PIAF).

Gallipoli will be distributed internationally by Endemol Worldwide Distribution.