The Wizards of Aus: A magical refugee’s trials
A MAGICAL migrant with ambitions of being "normal" has landed Michael Shanks his first TV show.
The independent filmmaker and creative mind behind the popular YouTube Channel TimTimFed writes, directs and stars in the three-part sitcom The Wizards of Aus, premiering next week.
Funded by Screen Australia, the fantasy genre parody was going to be a web series before it caught the eye of multicultural broadcaster SBS.
It follows Jack, a wizard, who flees his conflict-riddled realm to live magic-free in suburban Melbourne.
His exodus inspires other supernatural creatures, including his nemesis Skulldrich, to make the crossing - a worrying trend for Australian authorities.
While the series touches on the timely issue of the treatment of migrants and asylum seekers, the show is not a vehicle for Shanks' political views.
"That came through as we were writing it, but it was certainly not intended to be a political show," he said. " It's a by-product of the plot we wanted to tell ... of a guy who has migrated to Melbourne and has to deal with the government."
The series features cameos from Guy Pearce, Bruce Spence and Samuel Johnson.
On SBS 2 from January 19-21, at 8.30pm.
