Inside the Story: Writing the powerful female world of Wentworth

Why do we tell stories, and how are they crafted? In this series, we unpick the work of the writer on both page and screen.

One of the major considerations when creating an ongoing television series is its "story world", made up by its place, people, themes, style and tone. Central to this world is the setting, known in television writing as the "hub" or "precinct", which serves the need for constant generation of characters and storylines. Well-known examples of a hub or precinct include Ramsay Street (Neighbours), Sun Hill Police Station (The Bill), the White House (West Wing) and the eponymous Happy Valley. With its high turnover of criminals, and the pressure-cooker effect of locking up many characters within the same walls, a prison is a particularly useful story hub for a TV drama series. The Melbourne-set and produced series Wentworth, now in its seventh season on Foxtel in Australia, is a good example of how this can work. The show's drama revolves around a women's prison.