Creating quintessential Australian stories with universal appeal.

Born from a union of remote bush experience and the edgy world of film and entertainment Rebel Films has emerged as a key player in the Australian television industry. Established in 1998 by writer/director DAVID BATTY and producer JENI McMAHON, Rebel Films produces innovative television for audiences throughout Australia and the international arena.

Rebel Films mission is to deliver fresh, energetic and entertaining documentaries that celebrate the human spirit. With shameless enthusiasm and a warm sense of humour this irrepressible production team brings to the screen stories and characters that surprise, inspire and continually delight. This is keen spirit, raw and off the edge filmmaking at its best.

After seven years based in Broome, Rebel Films are now based in Melbourne and have established a position in the industry as an innovative, resourceful and efficient company producing high quality, sought after broadcast content.



In 1999 Rebel Films made the all time classic Kimberley cowboy film RODEO ROAD. They followed with the BUSH MECHANICS series (for Film Australia) premiering on ABC TV in 2001. The four episodes screened to a combined audience of over three million viewers and developed a cult following throughout the nation.

2002 saw the creation of SISTERS, PEARLS & MISSION GIRLS, a poignant historical film which documents the arrival of an order of Irish nuns in the Kimberley in 1907 until the present day, The shared experiences of the Aboriginal people of the North West and the Sisters create a moving story of loss, determination and survival.

In 2004 TAYLOR MADE followed the remarkable –and hilarious- exploits of Phil Taylor, a second hand car dealer in the small town of Murwillumbah. In the same year the five part series INVENTIONS FROM THE SHED poked a torch in to the wacky world of the back yard inventor.

In 2005, Rebel Films chronicled the experiences of two of Australia’s best-known Aboriginal personalities, Olympic champion Catherine Freeman and actor Deborah Mailman. GOING BUSH is a rollicking ride that captures the experience of outback indigenous Australia as these two self confessed city girst go bush across the top end of Australia. It’s about discovering our own backyard and at the same time, learning what makes us who we are as Australians.

2006 saw the creation of THAT’S AUSTRALIA, an exciting new multi-platform series of short documentaries with a focus on Australian life, place and culture. 2007 saw the release of VEILED AMBITION, the inspring story of Frida, ,a young Lebanese Australian woman and self confessed “ little Aussie battler in a scarf” and her dream to create a fashion empire.

Rebel Films projects have received various awards screened at numerous festivals and are currently distributed by ABC International, Beyond and Film Australia.

David Batty’s career has spanned 27 years of writing, producing, directing and shooting both documentary and drama throughout most parts of remote Australia and in recent years Melbourne and Sydney. Over the years Batty has carved his own unique style of documentary filmmaking which is vibrant, intimate and rich in detail. The immediacy of his work comes from having a close rapport, trust and great access to often isolated and rarefied communities. He combines local knowledge with great story telling to make television that is fresh, pertinent and thought provoking.

Based in Alice Springs for twelve years and then Broome for a further 12 years and now in Melbourne, Batty has a long and distinguished history of making programs with and for Aboriginal people. His filmmaking career began around 1980 in Alice Springs during which time he played an integral part in establishing the television production unit at CAAMA (Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association).

The culmination of Batty’s work in Central Australia can be seen in the hit television series, “Bush Mechanics”, originally screened on ABC TV in 2001 to a national audience of over three million viewers. David’s recent projects include directing two episodes of the popular SBS series “Going Bush”, shooting and mentoring “Veiled Ambition” and writing, directing and shooting Australia’s first made for mobile documentary “Marree Man”

With the series “Halal Mate” and the one off half hour “Desert Heart”, and in production with the one hour “Wedding Makers” for the ABC, 2007 has been a watershed year Rebel Films. Along with producer Jeni McMahon, Batty has now firmly established himself as a significant player in the broader Australian Documentary community.

From 1998 to 2002 Jeni produced projects that primarily reflected aspects of life in remote Aboriginal Australia. She has a strong connection with this region, having lived at various times in Central Australia, Arnhem Land and the Kimberley.

Jeni’s knowledge of outback Australia held her in good stead whilst producing the Bush Mechanics Series in 2000- 2001. Over a period of eighteen months, she drove across the continent more times than she can remember, made countless cups of tea for co-director Francis Jupurulla Kelly, cooked and cleaned for the Bush Mechanics and tolerated heat, dust and floods at Yuendumu.

Of her experience she says: “Bush Mechanics has been both the most challenging and exhilarating project I’ve ever been involved with and I’m extremely glad to have survived the experience!”

In 2004, after six years of filmmaking throughout regional and outback Australia, Jeni returned to her home town of Melbourne to complete post-production on “Inventions from the Shed.” She liked it so much she decided to stay and in 2005, Rebel Films established a permanent production base and studio in Brunswick, Melbourne.

2005 saw her return to outback Australia to produce the “Going Bush” series with Cathy Freeman and Deborah Mailman for SBS and Lonely Planet Television. This year she hopes to stay closer to home to concentrate on the many projects she has on her development and production slate.

Of producing she says “ there’s nothing I enjoy more than being on the road and in production. We’ve had the privilege to work with some amazing people all over the country, sometimes people who you meet for only a short space of time but who nevertheless open up their world to you. That’s the highlight of documentary filmmaking for me – making those connections and allowing people to speak in their own voice and that I think, is what’s most important…..”




After the joys of driving a meat van around London for my sins, I followed my life-long passion for film by studying editing at Bournemouth Film School where I made my first documentary about road kill and met several like-minded (yes and tortured) souls. Next was ten long but thrilling years editing drama, long form documentary and reality television for the BBC, Granada and C4 in London. Major credits include high-rating shows such as Wife Swap, Louis Theroux and Temptation Island.
Drawing upon my storytelling and editing background, the past few years I've been moving towards directing, writing and development. I directed Rock Shrines in Australia, a BBC documentary about Michael Hutchence's fans . I've also spent time editing novels, including the coming-of-age novel 'The Dark Part of Me', as well as feature film scripts.
After meeting an Aussie 'sheila' in the UK and marrying her (even), I'm now based in Melbourne, working at mighty Rebel Films. I'm keen to explore Australia from an outsider's perspective and maybe learn to surf, too.

Claudia had wielded various tools of production in both far-flung and familiar places for the last ten years. Emerging during the digital revolution, she has worked as a director, writer, camera operator, set dresser and editor – an assortment of roles she initially began to juggle as a participant in the first series of Race Around the World (ABC TV 1997).

Since then she has spent a lot of time living and working in Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory. While there she worked on a language series for kids in the Kaytetye language, the Warlpiri Media archive project, a cooking show series in the Warlpiri language and a doco about the Yuendumu Old People’s Programme. Between projects in the Northern Territory, Claudia yo-yoed to Melbourne where she worked in the art department on drama series. It often seemed comparatively luxurious working on big budget urban productions where some days the hardest part of the job was digesting the mixed grill served up by the caterers for breakfast.


Bergen O’Brien - Editor

Bergen O’Brien’s professional work as an editor is an extension of his equally worthy pursuits in cooking. Steeped in the traditions of long stewed casseroles; thick juicy sauces; the occasional wade into sugary desserts; and accustomed to arduously working with unfilleted cuts of meat - he was naturally drawn to documentary. Editing compliments his other interests in music, history, philosophy and the stories of people everywhere.

Ismail Shallis - Online Editor/Media

Ismail currently oversees all graphics, post and finishing work for Rebel Films across a broad spectrum of broadcast and multi-platform projects.

Prior to arriving in Australia, Ismail worked in numerous fields of the film and tv industries, both in production and post, for a roster of different agencies and clients including Imagination UK, SI Group UK, Hector Films UK and Select Communications NY.



Franque Batty - Production Assistant

I have worked with Rebel Films for 3 years from humble beginnings as a sound recordist and general camera assistant (slave) helping David shooting commercials and corporate videos.
During high school I won many events such as coming runner up in the TEEFA Teenage Fashion Awards in casual day wear. Best soundtrack for “Big Jaffles” in the 15/15 International Film Festival. And winner of the “Student Award” and “Dreams of Flight” in Worn Art, with my costume of a corrugated iron angel, which also featured on the front page of the local rag.
I have also worked as a projectionist at Sun Pictures in Broome for 4 years, and often go back during the holidays to have a short working holiday.
I aspire to make feature films and world class short films in Australia and abroad. I enjoy long walks on the beach and even longer cycles. I enjoy circus and juggling as much as I can.