Independent creative studio Heckler is entering an ambitious new era of storytelling with a growing slate of originals, feature films, and scripted and factual television currently in development. As part of this major strategic expansion, the studio has announced the appointment of Coralie Tapper as its new Head of Film & Television. In this pivotal role, Tapper will spearhead Heckler’s rapidly expanding slate of original productions, feature films, scripted series, and factual content, positioning the globally minded studio as a comprehensive home for original entertainment.
This high-profile appointment signals an exciting and natural evolution for Heckler. The studio is successfully building upon its internationally recognized creative, visual effects (VFX), and post-production expertise to establish a fully integrated film and television division. This comprehensive new division will handle every stage of the pipeline, spanning development, financing, physical production, and post-production.
The momentum behind this transition is already palpable across both domestic and international screens. Following the success of True South, a Heckler Original feature documentary charting the extraordinary history of the grueling Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, the studio has firmly cemented its reputation in long-form storytelling. True South premiered theatrically earlier this year to strong acclaim and has since expanded its reach by launching on streaming giant Netflix, introducing Heckler’s cinematic sensibilities to a massive global audience.
Beyond its documentary success, Heckler has contributed to an impressive run of independent films making significant waves on the competitive global festival circuit. Projects such as Facing the Numbers, French Girls, Boss Cat, and The Witchdoctor and the Windmill have all benefited from the studio’s involvement, reinforcing Heckler’s growing presence in independent cinema and its unwavering commitment to bold, distinctive storytelling.
At the same time, Heckler’s renowned design and VFX teams continue to demonstrate the studio’s immense creative firepower across high-end television. Most recently, the studio delivered the striking and atmospheric title sequence for Kill Jackie, a major new television series starring acclaimed actress Catherine Zeta-Jones. The series has rolled out across prominent platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, and Stan, showcasing Heckler’s ability to collaborate with top-tier international talent and major streaming networks.
For Heckler Co-Founder and CEO Will Alexander, Tapper’s official appointment as Head of Film & Television represents a natural and organic progression for a company that has always operated at the intersection of creative ambition and technical innovation.
"Heckler has always been about bringing extraordinary creative people together and giving them the freedom to make ambitious work," Alexander reflected. "Moving further into original film and television is a natural evolution of that philosophy."
Alexander emphasized that Tapper has already played an integral role in shaping this side of the studio’s business operations. "Coralie has been instrumental in building this side of the business, bringing together the right projects, people, and partnerships, and driving them forward with real determination. She’s got a rare understanding of both the creative and commercial sides of filmmaking, and we’re excited to back her as we take Heckler into this next chapter."
Looking ahead at the studio’s capabilities, Alexander expressed immense confidence in the team’s infrastructure and global reach. "We have the talent, the infrastructure, and the international reach. Now it’s about creating more opportunities to tell our own stories."
For Tapper, whose impressive professional background spans feature film production, documentary filmmaking, creative development, and post-production, the new leadership role brings together Heckler’s considerable technical capabilities with a clear and focused vision. Her primary objective is to develop and produce original stories designed to resonate with audiences around the world.
"We’ve spent years building an extraordinary collective of filmmakers, artists, and storytellers at Heckler," Tapper said. "What’s exciting now is the opportunity to take everything we do so well and bring it into projects from the very beginning—developing ideas, building partnerships, financing productions, and seeing stories all the way through to audiences."
Tapper also pointed to the studio’s recent successes as a strong foundation for future growth. "We’ve already had an incredible year across our film and television projects, and there’s a real appetite for the kind of ambitious, creatively driven work we want to make. This next chapter is about building on that momentum, backing great talent, and creating work that travels."
The high-profile announcement arrives as Heckler actively expands its international industry presence and strengthens strategic relationships across the global film and television market. The studio recently hosted the inaugural Soho House and Heckler Sydney industry mixer, titled After Dark, at the iconic Golden Age Cinema and Bar. The well-attended event successfully brought together independent filmmakers, prominent creatives, and screen sector industry leaders, further cementing Heckler’s role as a community builder within the creative arts.
Continuing this international push, Tapper is traveling to MIPCOM Cannes alongside Jasmine Tay, Executive Director and Producer at Heckler Singapore. At the premier global entertainment market, the pair will pitch an original crime drama series to international co-production partners and network buyers. This project will be presented alongside a broader, diverse slate of scripted and factual projects currently winding their way through Heckler’s development pipeline.
The upcoming engagements at the Cannes market represent yet another significant step in Heckler’s overarching ambitions to connect Australian, Asian, and European storytelling traditions with broad global audiences. These efforts are powerfully supported by the studio’s expanding international footprint, which includes established physical studios operating across Sydney, Singapore, Amsterdam, and Dubai.
With a rapidly growing slate of original intellectual property, feature-length documentaries, scripted television series, and ambitious international co-productions currently in development, Heckler is intentionally positioning itself as much more than a traditional creative services studio. The overarching ambition is to construct a premier home for original storytelling—a place where independent filmmakers and creative partners can seamlessly access world-class production and post-production expertise alongside development backing, financial structuring, and direct international market opportunities.
For Heckler, this expansion represents a logical and powerful next step, effectively uniting the studio’s independent entrepreneurial spirit, global creative talent pool, and a relentless appetite for ambitious, boundary-pushing storytelling.
