yes Studios has announced that is has just picked up the rights to Alibi, a seven-part, short-form crime drama and format from New Zealand.
Produced by Plus6Four Entertainment for TVNZ, Alibi is a non-linear murder mystery, set in the fictional small town of Awatahi in New Zealand, where 17-year-old Jodie Hunter is found dead. There are six main suspects for her murder and each of the 15-minute episodes follows a different suspect as they give their version of what happened on the day Jodie died – i.e. their alibi.
Viewers can watch the episodes in any order, comparing the different stories to uncover how each version brings them closer to the truth – or further away from it – leading up to the seventh and final episode when all is revealed.
Alibi was created by Hannah Marshall (Settling, Ms. X), David de Lautour (Ms. X, Vince) and Gareth Williams, with Marshall and de Lautour writing and de Lautour also directing. Its ensemble cast includes Madeleine Adams (Shortland Street, Dealbreakers), Joel Tobeck (Avatar: Fire and Ice, The Luminaries), Xavier Horan (Shortland Street, Westside) and Melanie Vallejo (All Her Fault, Winners & Losers).
“Alibi is an industry leading format that showcases New Zealand’s talent, both in front of and behind the camera” says the show’s creator and director de Lautour “We know Alibi holds the potential to translate perfectly to different locations all around the world.”
Sharon Levi, managing director of yes Studios, says, “We are delighted to have added Alibi to our slate. Not only is it a clever and engaging crime drama but its length and non-linear format make it incredibly versatile and allows us to offer something different to our international partners. For linear broadcasters, episodes can be joined together for a range of more traditional slots, while digital and VOD platforms could create a real buzz about the audience’s ability to watch episodes in any order they choose – and readily binge all seven of course.
“With its simple, yet compelling premise, Alibi has great potential as an anthology series and I’m also expecting significant interest in the format, with its inherent flexibility adding to its appeal for localised adaptations in the evolving media landscape.”
