Bloom, an Australian production set in Clunes, is set to debut on Stan on New Year’s Day.

Series creator and writer Glen Dolman spoke to The Courier about what it was like to film his show in what he called “little country Hollywood.”

“The town is so used to playing host to film crews now,” he said.

“People are not starstruck like in other places, they've seen productions come and go before and they're all so welcoming and friendly.”

Dolman said filming in the quaint town was pivotal in bringing the cast and crew closer together in hopes of delivering the best result possible.

“It was really fun for our cast and crew because we would stay in Clunes overnight, it really created quite a fun camp feeling.

“That’s the best way to rehearse, to spend time and have conversations with people rather than reading off scripts.”

The California-based Dolman, who grew up in Melbourne but whose father was from Western Victoria, said it was great to return to the place he was so familiar with.

“It was fantastic, especially after being away from Australia for so long. 

“To be able to come back and make a show is great anyway, but to return and feel very familiar with my surroundings was a kind of pinch-yourself kind of moment.”

The six-episode series centres around a country town one year removed from a devastating flood that killed five of its residents. However when a plant with the power of restoring youth sprouts, those who discover it are forced to face the harsh reality of re-evaluating the importance of their actions.

Starring Australian acting royalty Bryan Brown and Jacki Weaver as well as some up-and-coming Aussie talent, the show has generated significant excitement both locally and abroad.

“It was a real joy working with Jacki and Bryan. They both carried this presence of relatability and approachability across the entire process.”

Dolman hopes the series will showcase Australian talent and connect with audiences across the globe.

“There has been a bit of a shift overall towards becoming a more international product.

“Historically Australian productions would often get remade for the American audience, but now we're having these shows like Glitch and The Code and Top of the Lake performing really well in the states as those Australian versions.”

All six episodes of Bloom premiere on Stan on New Year’s Day. Stan is part of Nine media, the owner of this newspaper.