The two of us: Stranded on a desert island … plus one
Finding yourself stranded on a desert island with someone you can’t stand is the scenario for Brisbane writer Stephen M. Irwin’s new web series, Deserted.
What could be worse than being stranded on a desert island? Being stranded with someone you can’t stand. That’s the premise for Deserted, a five-episode comedy web series (each episode is around six minutes long) created by Brisbane writer, Stephen M. Irwin.
A rom-com of sorts – but without any actual romance – this two-hander features popular social media personality and actor Shuang Hu and award-winning writer and director Sean Lynch.
Episode One introduces us to their characters (we find out their names in the final episode and you won’t be hearing them from me because it spoils the joke), and we learn they’re the sole survivors of a plane crash. In amazingly good shape, considering that scenario (you just have to go with it), they attempt to tolerate each other, even though every encounter results in bickering.
The web series was executive-produced by Irwin’s and Leigh McGrath’s company, Moving Floor Entertainment, with the pair previously known for TV series such as Harrow and Secrets and Lies.
Shuang Hu also executive produced and Lark Lee came on board as producer. She directed one of the episodes while Irwin directed the other four.
It was inspired thinking to attach Shuang Hu because of her already sizeable social media following of 7.6 million on her YouTube channel, The One Shu, where she acts out amusing skits as different characters.
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In just a few weeks, the web series has already had more than half a million overall views. She also appeared in SBS’s The Family Law, and ABC’s Ronny Chieng: International Student.
Irwin, who refers to her simply as Shu, says she “has an interesting career, and travels the world as an entertainer and influencer … and is an accomplished actor”.
He explains that Natalie Hall, a friend and talent agent who represents Shu, sent the Deserted materials to her. Shu, a Chinese-Australian based in Los Angeles, read it and loved the idea.
Reflecting on how Deserted evolved from his initial ideas, which he started writing during the COVID era, he says: “The project has been in existence for a few years now. I wrote episode two as the first episode and I did that because I’m friends with Sean Lynch and wanted to work with him again. He was in Ascension, a short film that I wrote and directed more than 10 years ago.”
Lynch has also had a fascinating career, with roles in film and TV as well as being an award-winning writer and director in Afghanistan with the first fictional police action series there, Eagle Four.
Director of episode three is Lark Lee, a Logan-based writer, director and producer whose documentary web series, Mother’s Table – about inter-generational Asian family stories behind the restaurants in Brisbane – was made for the BrisAsia Festival. It also streamed on SBS On Demand.
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“Lark was a producer on the series, and it was a terrific opportunity to get her in the producer’s chair,” Irwin says. “She really appreciated the process. She is an emerging director. I met Lark some years ago and had been giving her some assistance with a horror feature project.”
Irwin refers to a proposed full-length version of Lee’s acclaimed short horror film, Street No. 4, which is in development. “She’s a triple threat and one to watch,” he says.
Some might be curious why Irwin and McGrath, after having long-form shows on TV, would turn to short episodes for an online series.
‘We also want to upskill emerging talent, both in front of, and behind the camera’
“We have a pretty diverse slate,” Irwin explains. “Obviously, there’s been Harrow and Secrets and Lies, but my background is in comedy, and we have a number of comedy projects on our slates as well. It’s a long process trying to raise money for a show, so we just wanted to be in production.
“We also want to upskill emerging talent, both in front of, and behind the camera. Deserted was a great opportunity to get emerging practitioners on board. I think we had six brand-new young people as fully paid crew on set.”
Deserted was made possible by the Screen Australia Online Production Fund. Filming took place on Quandamooka country on North Stradbroke Island. The location of the deserted tropical island was inspired by Irwin’s childhood, because he used to sit on the ocean side of Bribie Island near his grandmother’s place and gaze out to sea, thinking how he’d cope if he was marooned.
Known to many as an author of supernatural thriller novels, Irwin says he’s working “at a glacial pace” on the next one. In the meantime, he and McGrath are hopeful that a new TV crime series will be happening next year, but are unable to say anything about it until things are finalised.
If it comes to fruition, like Harrow, it will be shot in Brisbane.
Deserted can be streamed on The One Shu YouTube channel.
Watch the trailer youtube.com/watch?v=QYTZttTcOUw