Join us for a fascinating session with Executive Producer Karina Holden and Director Tosca Looby, the makers of SBS’s groundbreaking new series The Jury: Death On The Staircase, which premieres on Wednesday 6 November. Across five episodes, this gripping true crime event follows a re-enactment of a real manslaughter case, presented word-for-word with actors, before a new jury of 12 everyday Australians. But will they come to the same verdict as the original trial?

In this conversation, we’ll explore the many challenges faced by the team in creating an accurate - and compelling! - portrayal of the inner workings of a jury. Inspired by an original smash hit Channel 4 UK format, how did they approach making a version specifically for Australia - including finding a suitable crime to feature and casting both the real-life jury and the actors to feature in the dramatic re-enactments of the crime?

This complex production involved a team working across both drama and documentary, courts, legal professionals, and - most importantly - twelve ordinary citizens willing to put themselves to the test in a criminal trial. Join us for an in-depth conversation with Karina and Tosca on how they created a truly gripping series that takes audiences into a high stakes environment with meticulous skill, craft, and the expertise of many! 

KARINA HOLDEN

Executive Producer 

For close to three decades, Karina has been a trailblazer in the field of factual television, overseeing more than 20 factual series at Northern Pictures including Employable Me, See What You Made Me Do, and the globally successful Love on the Spectrum, winner of Six Emmy® Awards. Karina was named UNESCO’s Sydney City of Film, Filmmaker of the Year (2021) and was awarded the inaugural Southern Light Award (2024) in recognition of her contribution to Australia’s non-fiction filmmaking industry.

TOSCA LOOBY

Series Director

Tosca Looby is a Walkley award winning storyteller whose documentaries have screened across the globe. Her subject matter is diverse: From blue chip natural history series crossing the Australian continent, to series unpacking the drivers of domestic abuse. Her single and feature documentaries have spanned from The Great Australian Fly, a celebration of Australia’s native insects, to Strong Female Lead, an archive film revealing the sexism directed at Australia’s only female Prime Minister. Her work has won and been nominated for AACTA, Grierson, ADG, Rose d’Or, New York Festival and Australian Human Rights Commission Awards. 

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