TONY MCNAMARA is originally from Melbourne and had a diverse career before moving into the field of directing theatre and film. His first play The Café Latte Kid was produced by Sydney Theatre Company's New Stages and nominated for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards in 1995. He won the Philip Parsons Award for Young Playwrights in 1995 and graduated from the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) with a BA in Film and TV in 1996. His other plays include The John Wayne Principle, The Recruit, The Unlikely Prospect of Happiness, The Give and Take and The Virgin Mim, which got nominated for the Australian Comedy Award 2003. McNamara has written and directed the short films Kick to Kick and Seduction 101, and won an Australian Film Institute (AFI) award for Best Screenplay for the short film The Beat Manifesto. He wrote and directed the coming-of-age film The Rage in Placid Lake starring Ben Lee. On television he has written for Love My Way and The Secret Life of Us. He has won two AWGIE Awards (2003 Major Award / 2007 Best Television Script for Love My Way).