2000/01, Co-Creators, Executive Producers
Daily TV drama serial (130 eps)

Licensed in Canada as Train 48. Licensed in France as Le Train. Licensed in Italy as ANDATA E RITORNO (ROUND  TRIP) .

Concept

Going Home is a unique blend of news and current affairs, soap opera, comedy, reality television and interactivity.

Going Home has been created as a drama or comedy format, capable of high volume production at very low cost.   

Going Home is a five half hours a week strip.   Nothing unusual about that.   What is unique is that each episode is written/shot/edited and broadcast the same day.   Instant drama.   It had never been done before when it launched in 2000. 

The show is set entirely on board a commuter train travelling at night.   Nine very different characters are going home from work together in the same carriage.   Their fictional journey is a lengthy one, but 'edited' to 25 minutes for broadcast.   

It's all shot reality style.   

Their long commute has meant the regulars have become friends.   They talk about their personal and professional lives, fall in and out of love, help, criticise and involve themselves in each other's lives and engage in lively debate about the news of the day.   Daily newspapers or current magazines are referred to, as is the hot new movie, last night's television or tomorrow's sports. 

They flirt, argue and reveal themselves.   It's funny, sad, dramatic and informative.   The performances are largely improvised so they are compellingly real and honest.   Most of the audience think they're watching real people on a real train. 

But there's more - true audience interactivity. 

The immediacy of broadcast and flexibility of production allows the audience to interact with the show (via the web).   Daily the audience can vote on issues or characters, contribute story directions or suggest storylines and subjects - which the audience did in their thousands.   Each morning the best of the submissions are incorporated in the new day's episode.   If an idea is used, the contributor is credited on screen - they love that! 

No programming genre engenders stronger viewer loyalty than local drama or comedy.   Going Home's freshness creates a fanatical fan base.

Going Home is playable mornings, late afternoon or hard edged and late night.   

Breaking news could be the emphasis, or humour the goal. 

With careful cast/character selection, very specific demographic targeting is achievable.   It can skew young or old.   Another strength of Going Home is its diversity of opinion.   Minorities can be included, lobby groups placated.  It can be deliberately controversial or family friendly conversational.

Going Home's format is flexible too - it can be stripped, and repeated the next day or omnibussed at weekends.   It can be a single half hour, an interstitial or even an hour. It can be programmed with the intensity of a Big Brother or played year round. 

Going Home's interactivity can be central to the show's promotion, or simply a value add for the audience.
Going Home can be scripted or improvised. 

Going Home can be relocated too. A bar, a restaurant, any place people meet and greet on a daily basis, can be its locale. 

Whatever your choice or goal, Going Home is Tomorrow's Television Today. 

Production & Broadcast History

Australian Version for SBS:

Series 1          May to August 2000   (13 weeks x 5 = 65 episodes)
Series 2          May to August 2001   (13 weeks x 5 = 65 episodes)

SBS is a small government funded broadcaster which achieves an average 2.5-4% audience share. Going Home first series averaged 2% with a peak of 4% (similar to our lead in). The Series 2 year on year comparison however, reveals that Going Home achieved a 25% increase in daily ratings, a 34% increase in weekly ratings and over the full 13 week series an increase of 61%.

Canadian version Train 48 by Protocol Entertainment for Global Can West:

Premiered 2 June 2003.   A  total of 318 episodes were produced.  Global Can West is the 2nd ranking commercial network. Over the first season year on year, the audience improved 46%. In Ontario, Toronto 18-49 ratings went up 33%.

French version Le Train by Breakout/KM Productions for Canal Plus:

Commenced on air 13 September 2004. Critics say - 'Best new show'.   A total of 163 episodes were produced.

Italian version Andata e Ritorno (Round Trip) commenced on air 27th November 2006, every day from Monday to Friday at 18.50.  Produced by Grundy Italia for RAI 2 .   150 Episodes commissioned.   

Argentina was optioned by Java Inc for 2004. 

English version pilot The Bar for BBC3 shot July 2004.

American version for Cable Television pilot Bar Car for Showtime (LA) shot June/July 2003. 


Production Bible

Hal and Di McElroy's passionate commitment to their work means that they are very hands on writer producers, personally supervising every step of the physical production from concept and casting through shoot and edit to sound mix and delivery.

As a consequence they personally authored the 100 plus page Production Bible that is made available to the local production partners in each territory on a confidential basis.

This book outlines in simple, easy to understand language the entire production process step by step - the lessons learnt, thoughts, recommendations, etc., together with example storylines. 

Every single executive who has gained access to and used this Bible has been loud in their praise of its usefulness. 

Consultation

Hal and Di also make themselves available in person or via phone or email to advise, explain and encourage key players involved in any new production.

Their aim is to empower the local creative team to take ownership of the show to ensure the outcome is the very best local production achievable within all time and budget constraints.

Promo Reel

Watch Episodes here