Tony Ayres

{{short description|Australian film director (born 1961)}} {{for|the darts player|Tony Ayres (darts player)}} {{Use Australian English|date=April 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Infobox person | image =  | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1961}} | birth_place = Portuguese Macau | birth_name = | spouse = | years_active = 1992–present | awards =AACTA Award for Best Children's Television Series 2013 ''Nowhere Boys'' Inside Film Award for Best Director 2007 ''The Home Song Stories'' Berlinale "Teddy" for Best Feature Film 2002 ''Walking on Water'' Australian Film Institute Award for Best Direction 2007 ''The Home Song Stories'' Best Screenplay (Original or Adapted) 2007 ''The Home Song Stories'' }}

'''Tony Ayres''' (born 1961) is an Australian showrunner, screenwriter, and director in television and film. He is most notable for his films ''Walking on Water'' (2002) and ''The Home Song Stories'' (2007), as well his work in television, including working as the showrunner on ''The Slap'' and teen adventure series ''Nowhere Boys'' (2013). He founded his own film production company, Tony Ayres Productions (TAP), in 2018.

==Early life and education == Tony Ayres was born in Portuguese Macau (now in China) in 1961.<ref name=prints>[http://www.printsandprintmaking.gov.au/catalogues/bibliography/135022/author-not-identified-ayres-tony.aspx Tony Ayres] on Prints and Printmaking</ref> In 1964, Ayres' mother married an Australian sailor and migrated her family to Perth, Western Australia.<ref name=TheAge />

In 1972, when Ayres was 11 years old, his mother died by suicide. She was a nightclub singer.<ref name=TheAge>[http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/04/03/1048962875695.html "Going beyond the pale"]. ''The Age'', 4 April 2003.</ref><ref name=ABCQ>[http://www.abc.net.au/queensland/conversations/stories/s2001814.htm?queensland "Writer and director Tony Ayres"]. ABC Queensland, 10 August 2007.</ref>

Ayres' stepfather died of a heart attack three years after the death of his wife, and two days before he was due to remarry.<ref name=TheAge /><ref name=perthnow/> Ayres and his older sister briefly lived with their stepfather's former fiancée, before being placed in the care of Ayres' history teacher (whom his sister would later end up marrying).<ref name=TheAge /> Ayres temporarily relocated to Canberra, ACT, to study, before moving back to help care for the teacher and his children.<ref name=TheAge /> Ayres' 2007 film ''The Home Song Stories'' is loosely based on this early period of his life.<ref name=ABCQ />

Ayres attended Ardross Primary School and Applecross Senior High School, later studying photography and printmaking at the Australian National University in Canberra, before working as an exhibition curator. He later completed postgraduate studies in film and video at the Swinburne Film and Television School (now the University of Melbourne Faculty of VCA and MCM School of Film and Television) in Melbourne, Victoria.<ref name=prints /><ref name=perthnow>{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Gail |title=Tortured lives |url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wa/tortured-lives-ng-2d677625fe9f23f2ad37c064903c2105 |accessdate=13 June 2019 |work=PerthNow |date=28 July 2007}}</ref>

==Career== {{refimprove |section|date=December 2025}} Ayres' first feature film, ''Walking on Water'', won the Teddy Award at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2002, and won 5 AFI Awardss.{{cn|date=December 2025}} His second feature film, ''The Home Song Stories'', also premiered at the Berlin Film Festival, and won 24 Australian and international awards, including 8 AFI Awards.{{cn|date=December 2025}}

Ayres was the showrunner and director of the 8-episode miniseries ''The Slap'',{{when|date=December 2025}} which won five AACTA Awards, including Best Miniseries or TV Movie, and was nominated for a BAFTA and International Emmy.{{cn|date=December 2025}} His other credits include producing the comedy series ''Bogan Pride'' with Rebel Wilson,{{when|date=December 2025}} and directing the 2009 telemovie ''Saved''.{{cn|date=December 2025}} Ayres was the showrunner for the ABC3 show ''Nowhere Boys'', as well as executive producer on ''Old School'' and ''Devil's Playground''.{{cn|date=December 2025}}

On 31 January 2025, it was announced that Netflix series ''The Survivors'' had been announced in the 2025 Australian drama slate, and that Ayres would produce and write for the show.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brzeski |first=Patrick |date=2025-01-30 |title=Netflix's Tasmanian Crime Series 'The Survivors' Reveals Cast, First Look |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/netflix-tasmanian-crime-series-the-survivors-cast-first-look-1236122232/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> Ayres, alongside Matchbox Pictures, was heavily involved with the production when it was first announced in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2023-12-19 |title=The Survivors taps into Tasmania for Netflix {{!}} TV Tonight |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2023/12/the-survivors-taps-into-tasmania-for-netflix.html |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=tvtonight.com.au |language=en-AU}}</ref> On 4 July 2025, ABC announced it was in active production with Ayres for a new series called ''Toxic'' based on the Erin Patterson "mushroom murders" trial.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=Staff |date=2025-07-03 |title=Tony Ayres Productions, ABC begin development on series inspired by Erin Patterson case |url=https://if.com.au/tony-ayres-productions-abc-begin-development-on-series-inspired-by-erin-patterson-case/ |access-date=2025-07-05 |website=IF Magazine |language=en-AU}}</ref>

== Other activities == In 2018, after departing Matchbox Pictures, Ayres created his production company Tony Ayres Productions (TAP).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2018-07-18 |title=Tony Ayres to set up new production company {{!}} TV Tonight |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2018/07/tony-ayres-to-set-up-new-production-company.html |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=tvtonight.com.au |language=en-AU}}</ref>

In 2020 Ayres was appointed as a board member of the South Australian Film Corporation for three years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tony Ayres appointed to SAFC Board |url=https://www.safilm.com.au/latest-news/tony-ayres-appointed-to-safc-board/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=SAFC |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2023-03-04 |title=Tony Ayres departs SAFC Board {{!}} TV Tonight |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2023/03/tony-ayres-departs-safc-board.html |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=tvtonight.com.au |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=SAFC bids farewell to Board member Tony Ayres |url=https://www.safilm.com.au/latest-news/safc-bids-farewell-to-board-member-tony-ayres/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=SAFC |language=en-AU}}</ref>

== Recognition and honours == On 16 May 2023, Ayres was awarded an honorary degree with a Doctor of Arts in film and television from AFTRS.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2023-05-16 |title=AFTRS bestows honorary degrees {{!}} TV Tonight |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2023/05/aftrs-bestows-honorary-degrees.html |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=tvtonight.com.au |language=en-AU}}</ref>

==Personal life== Ayres is openly gay.<ref name=TheAge/>

==Filmography== === Film === {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" ! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Year ! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Title ! colspan="3" scope="col"| Credited as ! rowspan="2" scope="col" class="unsortable"| Notes |- ! Director ! Producer ! Writer |- | 1992 ! scope="row" | ''Double Trouble'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | Documentary short film |- | 1997 ! scope="row" | ''Exposed'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Short film |- | 1998 ! scope="row" | ''Mrs. Craddock's Complaint'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | Short film |- | 1998 ! scope="row" | ''China Dolls'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | Documentary film |- | 1999 ! scope="row" | ''Sadness'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Documentary film |- | 2002 ! scope="row" | ''Walking on Water'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | |- | 2007 ! scope="row" | ''The Home Song Stories'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | |- | 2010 ! scope="row" | ''Lou'' | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | |- | 2011 ! scope="row" | ''Miss South Sudan Australia'' | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Documentary film |- | 2013 ! scope="row" | ''The Turning'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | Segment: "Cockleshell" |- | 2013 ! scope="row" | ''Spine'' | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no|Idea contribution}} | Short film |- | 2014 ! scope="row" | ''Cut Snake'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | |- | 2016 ! scope="row" | ''Nowhere Boys: The Book of Shadows'' | {{no}} | {{yes|executive}} | {{yes}} | |- | 2017 ! scope="row" | ''Ali's Wedding'' | {{no}} | {{yes|executive}} | {{no}} | |}

=== Television === The numbers in directing and writing credits refer to the number of episodes.

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" ! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Year ! rowspan="2" scope="col" | Title ! colspan="4" scope="col"| Credited as ! rowspan="2" scope="col"| Network ! rowspan="2" scope="col" class="unsortable"| Notes |- ! Creator ! Director ! Writer ! Executive producer |- | 1992 ! scope="row" | ''Six Pack'' | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} (1) | {{no}} | SBS TV | Anthology series |- | 1994 ! scope="row" | ''Under the Skin'' | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} (1) | {{no}} | SBS TV | Anthology series |- | 1996 ! scope="row" | ''Naked: Stories of Men'' | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} (1) | {{no}} | ABC | Anthology series |- | 1998 ! scope="row" | ''The Violent Earth'' | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} (3) | {{no}} | Nine Network | Miniseries |- | 2009 ! scope="row" | ''Saved'' | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | SBS TV | Television film |- | 2011 ! scope="row" | ''The Slap'' | {{no}} | {{yes}} (2) | {{no}} | {{no}} | ABC1 | Producer |- | 2013–18 ! scope="row" | ''Nowhere Boys'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | ABC3 ABC Me | Producer {{small|(series 1)}} Executive producer {{small|(series 2–4)}} |- | 2015–19 ! scope="row" | ''Glitch'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | ABC TV | |- | 2020 ! scope="row" | ''Stateless'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | ABC TV | |- | 2021 ! scope="row" | ''Clickbait'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} (5) | {{yes}} | Netflix | Limited series |- | 2021 ! scope="row" | ''Fires'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | ABC TV | Anthology series |- |2025 |''The Survivors'' | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} (2) | {{yes}} | Netflix | Limited Series |} {| class="wikitable" |+Key | style="background:#FFFFCC;"| {{dagger|alt=Television series that have not yet been aired}} |Denotes television series that have not yet been aired |}

==== Executive producer-only ==== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col"| Network ! scope="col" class="unsortable"| Notes |- | 2005 ! scope="row" | ''The Last Valley'' | ABC | Documentary film |- | 2008 ! scope="row" | ''Two Men & Two Babies'' | SBS TV | Documentary film |- | 2009–13 ! scope="row" | ''Anatomy'' | rowspan="2"| ABC1 | Docuseries Producer {{small|(series 1–2)}} Executive producer {{small|(series 3: 1 episode, series 4)}} |- | 2012 ! scope="row" | ''The Straits'' | |- | 2012 ! scope="row" | ''Underground: The Julian Assange Story'' | Network Ten | Television film |- | 2013 ! scope="row" | ''Next Stop Hollywood'' | rowspan="2"| ABC1 | |- | 2014 ! scope="row" | ''Old School'' | |- | 2014 ! scope="row" | ''Devil's Playground'' | Showcase | |- | 2015 ! scope="row" | ''The Slap'' | NBC | Miniseries |- | 2015 ! scope="row" | ''Maximum Choppage'' | ABC2 | |- | 2016–17 ! scope="row" | ''The Family Law'' | SBS | Series 1–2 |- | 2016–18 ! scope="row" | ''Wanted'' | Seven Network | |- | 2017 ! scope="row" | ''Seven Types of Ambiguity'' | ABC TV | |- | 2021 ! scope="row" | ''Creamerie'' | TVNZ OnDemand |Web series |}

==== Producer-only ==== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |+ ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Network ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes !Ref |- | 2008 ! scope="row" | ''Bogan Pride'' | SBS TV | | |- | 2016 ! scope="row" | ''Barracuda'' | ABC TV | Miniseries | |- |2023 |''The Spooky Files'' |ABC TV |TV series |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2022-10-13 |title=ABC ME co-commissions The Spooky Files {{!}} TV Tonight |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2022/10/abc-me-co-commissions-the-spooky-files.html |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=tvtonight.com.au |language=en-AU}}</ref> |}

==Awards== Tony Ayres won the award of Best Dramatic Feature at the 2015 Byron Bay International Film Festival for the film ''Cut Snake''.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb name|id=0044016}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ayres, Tony}} Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:Australian film directors Category:Australian film producers Category:Australian people of Macanese descent Category:Macau emigrants to Australia Category:Chinese emigrants to Australia Category:Chinese LGBTQ screenwriters Category:Chinese gay writers Category:21st-century Chinese male writers Category:Australian gay writers Category:Australian male screenwriters Category:Australian television producers Category:Australian television writers Category:Australian LGBTQ screenwriters Category:Australian LGBTQ film directors Category:Gay screenwriters Category:Australian male television writers Category:Mass media people from Perth, Western Australia Category:People educated at Applecross Senior High School Category:LGBTQ television directors Category:Australian television directors Category:Showrunners Category:Australian film production company founders Category:Best Director AACTA Award winners