What's Our Story?
Susan and Sean went to Singapore in 2012 for a 2 year contract with Beachhouse Pictures. They returned to Australia 10 years later, after producing over 200 hours of (mainly) children’s television for the Singaporean, SE Asian, Australian and international markets. Also, while they were there, they won a few awards, which was nice.
Anyway, they got back home, had a bit of a breather, and decided to team up with their friend Matty and kick some ideas around. Matt had been doing live comedy on the telly and radio in Oz and overseas for yonks. More than that, he was also involved in writing comedy - kid’s stuff, as well as adults (he chalked up more than a few hours also). He’s very funny and won a few awards too, which was also nice.
They’d love to show you pictures of all the stuff they’ve done between them, but can’t - because they did it all for other companies, and they’d get cranky (copyright and stuff…). It’s a bummer, cause their stuff looks really cool. You should check out their last project – it’s on a major international streaming service (starts with an ‘N’ and ends with an 'X') and is called ‘Mr Midnight: Beware the Monsters’. Here's a picture taken when we shot in the jungle in Indonesia. See? Very cool.
Anyhow, they finally decided to do their own thing aaanndd...Established in 2023, Playing Possum Pictures is a brand-spanking new Australian independent production company. They are currently working on four projects and are looking to start developing stuff later in the year. Stay tuned.
Cheers, Susan, Sean and Matt.
About Us
Susan Oliver
Matt Quartermaine
Sean Masterson
Susan is an award-winning Producer/Director/Writer with over 35 years of experience. She has produced series for all the major networks in Australia and with some of the world’s leading children’s television production companies including The Jim Henson Company (UK), EM-TV & ZDF (Germany), Mike Young Productions (US) and Tele Images Produ
Susan is an award-winning Producer/Director/Writer with over 35 years of experience. She has produced series for all the major networks in Australia and with some of the world’s leading children’s television production companies including The Jim Henson Company (UK), EM-TV & ZDF (Germany), Mike Young Productions (US) and Tele Images Productions (France).
Her experience spans live action, puppetry, 2D and 3D Animation. Her credits include Feral TV, Hi-5, Bambaloo, Flipper & Lopaka, Master Raindrop, DiveOlly Dive, Raggs, Toybox, and Pipsqueaks.
In 2012 Susan joined Beach House Pictures in Singapore to direct their first award winning children’s series Kids vs. Film and to set up the kids department. She managed over 200 hours of original content including 3 series of Hiccup & Sneeze, 2 series of Teddies, Kooki’s Crafty Show, My Buddy Bonemasher, and Nickelodeon’s Day of Play.
Their final series for Beach House was Mr. Midnight: Beware the Monsters. A 13x30min horror series for Netflix which Susan was the sole Producer.
After 10 years in Singapore she and her creative partner Sean Masterson, relocated back to Australia and have set up Playing Possum Pictures to develop more original content.
Sean Masterson
Matt Quartermaine
Sean Masterson
In a previous life Sean was a puppeteer. During that time, he was involved in hundreds of hours of local and international productions with companies including; Jim Henson Company, Beyond International, Southern Star, Sticky Pictures, Buster/Dandy, Yoram Gross, Kennedy/Miller & all major Australian networks.
Sean's credits include the feat
In a previous life Sean was a puppeteer. During that time, he was involved in hundreds of hours of local and international productions with companies including; Jim Henson Company, Beyond International, Southern Star, Sticky Pictures, Buster/Dandy, Yoram Gross, Kennedy/Miller & all major Australian networks.
Sean's credits include the feature film Babe: Pig in the City, Sci-Fi TV series Farscape, Children’s TV: Feral TV, Bambaloo, Five Minutes More, Me & My Monsters and Toybox, to name a few.
As Creative Director for Beach House Kids (Singapore) alongside Susan, they created over 200 hours of content, including: ZooMoo, 3 seasons of Hiccup & Sneeze, 2 series of Teddies, Kooki’s Crafty Show, My Buddy Bonemasher, and Nickelodeon’s Day of Play (where he finally got to work with Spongebob Squarepants - his hero).
Occasionally Sean would even hold a camera (like when recording the 2017 Holi festival - see above)
Their final series for Beach House was Mr. Midnight: Beware the Monsters. A 13x30min teen horror series for Netflix. Sean was Head Writer and also directed 4 episodes.
With his wife Susan and cat Harper, they have relocated back to South Australia where they plan to continue to create more exciting TV series.
Matt Quartermaine
Matt Quartermaine
Matt Quartermaine
Matt Quartermaine has been a professional comedian and writer for over thirty years. He is widely known as one of The Empty Pockets from ABC TV's The Big Gig and the Toyota Hilux commercials (Na Na-Na Na Na!).
He is a veteran of the comedy circuit, having written and performed thousands (nay, tens of thousands!) of gigs all over Australia
Matt Quartermaine has been a professional comedian and writer for over thirty years. He is widely known as one of The Empty Pockets from ABC TV's The Big Gig and the Toyota Hilux commercials (Na Na-Na Na Na!).
He is a veteran of the comedy circuit, having written and performed thousands (nay, tens of thousands!) of gigs all over Australia and the world, and was nominated for Best Newcomer, Edinburgh Festival ('90). He is also one of the founders of Espy Comedy at the world famous Esplanade Hotel in Melbourne.
Matt was a regular on Full Frontal and has worked on Comedy Inc, Tonight Live with Steve Vizard, and The Comedy Company. His Toyota Hilux TVC (the two blokes in blue singlets who hit each other) won the best car commercial of 1991.
On radio, he was an original member of The Cage and The Grill Team on TripleM.
As an actor, he has appeared in many shows including Stingers, Something in the Air, The Games, The Last of The Ryans, The Man From Snowy River, Neighbours, Halifax F.P. , City Homicide and You're Skitting Me.
Aside from writing for big people in print - The Age, The Big Issue, and on telly - various shows on all the major Australian networks, he has also penned very funny tales for the little peoples in shows like Hiccup and Sneeze and Teddies.