Ruby Entertainment has been one of Australia’s most successful indie Production Companies for more than fifteen years. We produce both films and television, narrative comedy and drama. During this time its principals, Stephen Luby and Mark Ruse have produced a string of iconic shows such as, “Kath and Kim” series 1 & 2, “Crackerjack”, “The Games”, “Bed of Roses” series 1 – 3, and most recently, “The Secret River”
We are producers of bold, ‘must see’, thought provoking and often ground breaking drama and comedy. We have a passion for cutting edge stories that connect deeply and for telling them with flair, excitement, humour, and depth. And we surround ourselves with the best – to tell the best. And if picking winners is an art – we often achieve it. We focus our energies creatively, take risks and give our creative partners and collaborators a great deal of freedom to blossom.
SUCCESSES
Most recently, Ruby produced, the acclaimed mini-series, “The Secret River” for national broadcaster, ABC. It was nominated for 8 ACCTA awards, as well winning Best mini-series in the Screen Producers award. It also won best mini-Series script in the AWGIE awards. Most recently, it won two prized Logie Awards, “Most Outstanding Supporting Actor” for Tim Minchin, and “Most Outstanding Mini-Series or Telemovie”. Here’s what the critics had to say:
“It has been a long time since Australian television has attempted a big Australian origins story, but it’s been worth the wait. It’s also one of those cases (like The Slap) where the television adaptation manages to transcend what was already fabulous source material” (Melinda Houston – The Sydney Morning Herald June ’15)
Seven years in the making, the television adaptation of Kate Grenville’s bestselling and highly celebrated colonial-era “first-contact” novel The Secret River has arrived, and does it full justice. . (Graeme Bludell – The Australian June’15)
Also recently we produced three Series of the acclaimed drama series. “Bed of Roses” for the ABC which won us the Screen Producers of Australia’s “Producer of the Year” award and a string of Australian Film Institute and Logie award nominations.
Ruby also produced the critically acclaimed telemovie series The Murray Whelan Series – ‘Stiff’ and ‘The Brush Off’ – screened on the Seven Network. John Clarke’s screenplay stars David Wenham and Mick Molloy and brings to the screen the creative talents of John Clarke and Sam Neill in their directorial debuts.
“Crackerjack”, a comedy feature film starring and written by comedian Mick Molloy was the highest grossing Australian film of 2002. It’s box office figures were only surpassed until recently. “Crackerjack’’ was co-produced by Stephen Luby along with “Bad Eggs”, another successful comedy feature released in 2003.
“Kath & Kim” was the highest rating locally produced comedy ever shown on the ABC, eclipsing “The Games” which held the previous record. Both programs doubled the number of viewers previously in the timeslot and both were produced by Ruby Entertainment producer, Mark Ruse.
“Fast Forward” was another early ratings success for Mark Ruse who produced 70 episodes of this comedy series which was the highest rating television program for the four years Mark produced it. There has never been another comedy program rate anywhere near these figures.
Stephen and Mark have been behind productions that have won more than15 AFI, Logie and industry awards.
STEPHEN LUBY
Stephen Luby has been one of the most prolific producers in Australia and most recently produced the critical and ratings success, ‘”The Secret River”.
He has also produced a string of high-end drama series, including, “Bed of Roses”, “The Murray Whelan Series” and “Whatever happened to that Guy”.
He has been behind many of Australia’s most loved comedy films and television series. Feature films include “The Extra”, “The Craic”, “Crackerjack “(Produced with Mick Molloy) and “Bad Eggs” (Produced with Tony Martin and Greg Sitch) all of which have gained critical and commercial success.
Producer of the television series’ “Big Girl’s Blouse”, “Jimeoin”, “Full Frontal”, “Something Stupid” (which spawned “Kath & Kim”), “Eric” (with Eric Bana) and “The Mick Molloy Show”, Stephen has gathered incredible teams of Australia’s best talent to create immortal Australian comedies that are still entertaining audiences regularly. Stephen began his career in documentary and produced more than 20 feature specials for commercial television and the ABC before moving into drama and comedy as a producer for Artist Services (now ITV STUDIOS). There he produced a variety of comedy and drama Series including, “Shark Bay”, a drama series for Foxtel. Stephen then oversaw a whole slate of film and television projects as General Manager of Production for Artist Services.
MARK RUSE
A producer for 35 years, Mark has produced over 250 hours of prime time television comedy and drama, over 300 hours of live television and more than 20 documentaries.
Along with Steven, Mark was also producer of acclaimed drama series, “The Secret River”, “Bed of Roses”, “The Murray Whelan Series”, and “Whatever Happened to that Guy”
Mark Ruse is one of the Producers of the first two series of acclaimed comedy “Kath and Kim” – the highest rating produced comedy series for the year it screened on the ABC, winning multiple AFI awards including “Best Television Series”. Mark was co-Executive Producer of the comedy hit series “The Games” which won a Logie for “Best Comedy” as well as an AFI award for “Best Screenplay”. In 2002 Mark received the Screen Producers Associations “Independent Producer of the Year” award, voted by his peers.
Mark was Executive Producer recently on a 16 part drama series for the BBC, produced and shot in Bangladesh, “Ganger Ujan Naiya”
Mark was the producer of 70 episodes of the highly successful one hour comedy series “Fast Forward” and worked on numerous other productions for GRANADA INTERNATIONAL including “Full Frontal” and “Tonight Live”.
Like Stephen, Mark also has an extensive background in television documentary. He has many credits in this genre, including “Hoddle Street”, about the 1988 Hoddle Street Massacre. This won the prestigious international BANFF Television Festival Award for “BEST DOCUMENTARY”.