See-Saw Films hires Porchlight co-founder to lead in Australia

The North Water

Slow Horses producer See-Saw Films has appointed former Porchlight Films exec Liz Watts to head up its operations in Australia.

Watts will oversee the development and production of all film and TV projects out of See-Saw’s Australian office, including those from its joint venture Picking Scabs with writer Sam Strauss.

She reports See-Saw’s joint MDs Emile Sherman and Iain Canning, as well as The North Water prodco’s UK-based creative director Helen Gregory, who joined from Channel 4 earlier this year.

Liz Watts

Watts, who starts 14 December, was most recently at Spirit Pictures, which she founded in 2020. Selected projects from that company will be brought to See-Saw and Watts will continue to exec produce key shows developed under Spirit’s first-look with NBCUniversal’s Matchbox Pictures.

She has previously collaborated with See-Saw on shows including 2018 feature Mary Magdalene and Justin Kurzel’s True History of the Kelly Gang. Her TV credits include Stateless for the ABC in Oz and Fires, which was from Tony Ayres Productions. Prior to that, Watts had co-founded and co-run production company Porchlight with Vincent Sheehan and Anita Sheehan.

Her arrival follows the exit of See-Saw Films head of TV Jamie Laurenson and TV COO Hakan Kousetta, who left earlier this year to set up a new venture, 60Forty Films.

Sherman and Canning said: “The opportunity for Australian content is stronger than it’s ever been, both locally and internationally, and we’re excited to grow our Australian business with Liz at the helm.”

See-Saw’s current slate includes five TV shows in production: the second season of State Of The Union for SundanceTV; Heartstopper for Netflix; The Essex Serpent and Slow Horses for Apple TV+; and Firebite for AMC+.