“Totally Completely Fine”, a new Stan Original, is now filming in Sydney.
The six-part dark comedy series was created by Gretel Vella (“The Great”). It is a co-production between Sundance Now and Stan, and is produced by Fremantle Australia.
It follows 20-something Vivian Cunningham (Thomasin McKenzie) who has accidentally burned down her brother’s vegan food truck with a bacon-flavoured vape.
Her next challenge appears when she inherits her grandfather’s coastal clifftop house and is tasked with helping people who come too close to the edge. He chaotic, nihilistic brand of psychology, however, actually seems to be working.
The story is inspired by true events and explores the complexities of grief, the power of friendship and the ways our sadness can unite us. It poses the question: “How many lives do we have to save before we’ll save ourselves?”
Vella, who is also acting as executive producer on the project, said “Totally Completely Fine” is her “heart project” and she’s thrilled to be bringing it to life with Sundance, Stan and Fremantle.
“A response to the mental health crisis, “Totally Completely Fine” was written for myself and so many other people in my life. To let them know they aren’t alone, that mess is okay, and sometimes the pain and anxieties we try and hide can be our greatest superpowers,” she said.
“I am so excited for the world to meet our unlikely hero Vivian, and the rest of the Cunningham family. Sometimes neurotic, frequently chaotic, but hey, always bloody entertaining.”
Cailah Scobie, Stan’s chief content officer, said the streamer is looking forward to sharing the series with audiences soon.
“Stan is delighted to again partner with Sundance Now on “Totally, Completely Fine”, a poignant Stan Original Series that brings to life a profound tale of family, belonging and grief,” she said.
“This is our second Stan Original with the talented Gretel Vella, working alongside the creative team at Fremantle to secure an outstanding young cast,” she added.
Shannon Cooper, vice president of programming at Sundance Now, added: “‘Totally Completely Fine’ brilliantly and compassionately tackles timely issues that surround our lives and the lives of those we cherish. We proudly support Gretel’s incredible vision and execution of the series, and it has been a true pleasure working alongside her, Stan and Fremantle since day one.”
Nat Lindwall, executive producer for Fremantle Australia, said it’s rare that bringing a series to fruition can teach you so much about life.
“My hope is that Gretel Vella’s unique world and irresistible characters bring as much joy as they do catharsis – Lucy Gaffy’s direction is the perfect final ingredient. May the audience embrace and be impacted by Viv’s journey as much as we have,” Lindwall said.
Kyas Hepworth, head of Screen NSW, said the organisation is proud to be supporting a strong female-led television series.
“With the exciting talent of Gretel Vella writing the series and director Lucy Gaffy as set up director, this production is also delivering significant employment opportunities for our local creative talent. I cannot wait to see it on our screens.”
“Totally Completely Fine” was financed with assistance from Screen NSW under the Made in NSW Fund. Vic Screen also lent support for Adrian Chiarella (“Dwarf Planet”) to direct episode four.
Fremantle will distribute the series internationally.
