Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

ABC and Screen Australia on the hunt for more Fresh Blood

01/05/2023

01 05 2023 - Media release ABC and Screen Australia on the hunt for more Fresh Blood

Why Are You Like This

The ABC and Screen Australia are once again teaming up to uncover the next generation of great Australian comedy talent through the hugely successful Fresh Blood initiative.

Submissions are now open for new and emerging comedy acts to apply. Creators from all backgrounds, abilities, and identities who meet the selection criteria are encouraged to apply.

As part of the joint initiative to unearth a new generation of comedic talent, 10 teams will receive $50,000 to produce 3 x 5min comedy shorts and will participate in a workshop to be held in Sydney, in August 2023. These shorts will premiere simultaneously on ABC and creators social media platforms.

From there, up to three teams will be selected to create a longer pilot between 20-27 minutes in length, with potential to be commissioned by the ABC as a series.

The ABC and Screen Australia are looking for applicants with original comedy ideas. They can be narrative, sketch, vertical, as long as the ideas are fresh, the comedy is strong and has the potential to be developed into a full series. Ultimately, we want to be surprised.

Since Fresh Blood began in 2013 the initiative has launched the careers of countless acts including the rock stars of comedy, Aunty Donna, and the animated series Koala Man, featuring the voices of Hugh Jackman and Sarah Snook.

Screen Australia's Head of Online Lee Naimo said, We are so thrilled to be joining the ABC once again in supporting a new wave of comedic talent through the Fresh Blood initiative. We've seen first-hand the launchpad that this initiative provides, through the ongoing success of alumni like Skit Box, Nina Oyama and Angus Thompson and the team from Why Are You Like This. I can't wait to see the doors it opens for the new crop of talent that comes through this time around.

Nick Hayden, ABC Head of Entertainment said, Fresh Blood continues the tradition of the ABC supporting new comedic voices. Sometimes those voices tell us, she doesn't even go here' other times ok, boomer'. Whatever they say this time, we're excited to see what this new crop can dream up!

Todd Abbott, ABC Head of Comedy said, One of the ABC's most important roles is to find and nurture new comedy talent, and Fresh Blood provides a great opportunity to open the gates and amp up that search.

For further information about the Fresh Blood initiative or to apply please visit the Fresh Blood website or read the guidelines.

Applications close 4pm, Monday 29 May 2023.

For more information about Fresh Blood contact Yale Macgillivray, Executive Producer

[email protected]

Laura Todd, ABC Communications

[email protected]

Media enquiries Maddie Walsh | Publicist

61 2 8113 5915 | [email protected]

Ted Rose | Senior Publicist

61 2 8113 1091 | 61 456 558 679 | ted.rose@screenaustralia.gov.au

All other general/non-media enquiries

Sydney 61 2 8113 5800 | Melbourne 61 3 8682 1900 | [email protected]
LINK: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/media-centre/news/2023/05-01-fre...
See more stories from screenaustralia

Asia, Australia & Oceanic Stories

07/05/2025

SBS and NITV mark National Reconciliation Week with compelling premieres recognising the strength and resilience of First Nations peoples

SBS and NITV mark National Reconciliation Week with compelling premieres recogni...

07/05/2025

SBS commences search for a new Western Sydney production hub location

SBS commences search for a new Western Sydney production hub location 7 May, 2025 Media releases SBS has today launched a Request for Expressions of Intere...

02/05/2025

SBS On Demand achieves stellar month on the back of Alone Australia and The Handmaid's Tale

SBS On Demand achieves stellar month on the back of Alone Australia and The Hand...

01/05/2025

Screen Australia empowers 100+ distinctive Australian narratives

01 05 2025 - Media release Screen Australia empowers 100 distinctive Australian narratives All The Boys Are Here writer/director Goran Stolevski and It s All...

30/04/2025

Slam poet Huda the Goddess wins 2025 Les Murray Award

Slam poet Huda the Goddess wins 2025 Les Murray Award 30 April, 2025 Media releases Australia for UNHCR and SBS are proud to announce that Huda Fadlelmawla...

30/04/2025

SBS, NITV and NIDA partner to empower the next generation of screen creatives

SBS, NITV and NIDA partner to empower the next generation of screen creatives 30 April, 2025 Media releases SBS, National Indigenous Television (NITV) and ...

23/04/2025

We heard that you could use a little pick-me-up, so get ready to sh-sh-shake it goodit's almost time for the Eurovision Song Contest!

We heard that you could use a little pick-me-up, so get ready to sh-sh-shake it ...

22/04/2025

McAvaney takes the lead for SBS' Coverage of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September

McAvaney takes the lead for SBS' Coverage of the World Athletics Championshi...

16/04/2025

Finalists announced! Five stand-out brands shortlisted for SBS Media's Sustainability Challenge

Finalists announced! Five stand-out brands shortlisted for SBS Media's Susta...

15/04/2025

Claudia Karvan, Tom Gleeson, and Mark Coles Smith join in the adventure of a lifetime Who Do You Think You Are?

Claudia Karvan, Tom Gleeson, and Mark Coles Smith join in the adventure of a lif...

15/04/2025

SBS and Volleyball World sign landmark deal for Beach Volleyball World Championships in Adelaide

SBS and Volleyball World sign landmark deal for Beach Volleyball World Champions...

14/04/2025

SBS becomes first Australian broadcaster to have near-and long-term carbon reduction targets validated by the SBTi

SBS becomes first Australian broadcaster to have near-and long-term carbon reduc...

11/04/2025

Isn't that Insightful? Kumi Taguchi dives deeper into Insight's taboo topics in podcast return

Isn't that Insightful? Kumi Taguchi dives deeper into Insight's taboo to...

09/04/2025

SBS On Demand partners with Euronews to extend network news offering

SBS On Demand partners with Euronews to extend network news offering 9 April, 2025 Media releases SBS is expanding its international news offering with the...

09/04/2025

SBS announces TV's hottest new couple, Tony Armstrong and Courtney Act, as Eurovision Song Contest commentary team

SBS announces TV's hottest new couple, Tony Armstrong and Courtney Act, as E...

09/04/2025

Screen Australia and ACTF Kids IP Incubator Initiative enters next phase

09 04 2025 - Media release Screen Australia and ACTF Kids IP Incubator Initiative enters next phase Kids IP Incubator recipients in Melbourne for the workshop...

07/04/2025

Olympic Gold medallist and World Time Trial Champion Grace Brown joins SBS commentary team for Spring Classics Races

Olympic Gold medallist and World Time Trial Champion Grace Brown joins SBS comme...

07/04/2025

Female focus: New season of Living Black highlights women in Federal Election year

Female focus: New season of Living Black highlights women in Federal Election ye...

07/04/2025

SBS News' Cost of Living Secrets podcast returns to tackle one of the key issues of the Federal Election campaign

SBS News' Cost of Living Secrets podcast returns to tackle one of the key is...

04/04/2025

SBS announces initiatives to provide all Australians with trusted news and information about the 2025 Federal Election

SBS announces initiatives to provide all Australians with trusted news and infor...

01/04/2025

Bus Stop Films' first feature Boss Cat to begin production in June

01 04 2025 - Media release Bus Stop Films' first feature Boss Cat to begin production in June Boss Cat cast (L-R): Olivia Hargroder, Penny Downie and Juli...

31/03/2025

Ready, set, Party Time!' SBS News empowers young voters with a new political podcast

Ready, set, Party Time!' SBS News empowers young voters with a new politica...

28/03/2025

Marion Grasby's Flavours of Heart & Home is a celebration of culture and family

Marion Grasby's Flavours of Heart & Home is a celebration of culture and fam...

28/03/2025

SBS delivers Federal Election news to Australians in over 60 languages

SBS delivers Federal Election news to Australians in over 60 languages 28 March, 2025 Media releases As Australia heads to the polls on 3 May, Australia...

26/03/2025

The Secret DNA of Us premieres 17 April

The Secret DNA of Us premieres 17 April 20 March, 2025 Media releases Family secrets, royal relationships and hidden histories revealed What would you disc...

24/03/2025

ABS further Strengthens Leadership Team with Appointment of Matthieu Boutrolle as Chief Technology Officer

ABS further Strengthens Leadership Team with Appointment of Matthieu Boutrolle a...

19/03/2025

NITV and Cricket Australia elevate First Nations sport with National Indigenous Cricket Championships Finals live broadcast on 7 April

NITV and Cricket Australia elevate First Nations sport with National Indigenous ...

19/03/2025

Yumi Stynes wants older women to be SEEN' as SBS podcast returns

Yumi Stynes wants older women to be SEEN' as SBS podcast returns 19 March, 2025 Media releases Feminist icon Yumi Stynes shines a spotlight on trailbl...

12/03/2025

Telespazio and ABS Expand Partnership to Deliver Tailored C-Band Connectivity Solutions for the Brazilian Market

Telespazio and ABS Expand Partnership to Deliver Tailored C-Band Connectivity So...

09/03/2025

No more Monday morning blues for football fans as Major League Soccer comes to SBS

No more Monday morning blues for football fans as Major League Soccer comes to S...

06/03/2025

Powerhouse Speakers named for Untapped 2025

06 03 2025 - Media release Powerhouse Speakers named for Untapped 2025 Top (L-R): Jet Wilkinson, Michael Shanks. Bottom (L-R): Ryan O Connell, Megan Park. Au...

05/03/2025

SBS marks 50 years of sharing culture and knowledge with all Australians this Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr

SBS marks 50 years of sharing culture and knowledge with all Australians this Ra...

04/03/2025

SBS seeks risk-taking and boundary-breaking ideas for its next factual hit with return of development initiative

SBS seeks risk-taking and boundary-breaking ideas for its next factual hit with ...

04/03/2025

Satellite Mobility World interviews ABS CEO, Mark Rigolle

Satellite Mobility World interviews ABS CEO, Mark Rigolle...

28/02/2025

Marlee Silva reveals how we can make our nation safer for women through Australia's most loved sport, in Skin in the Game

Marlee Silva reveals how we can make our nation safer for women through Australi...

26/02/2025

Global viral pop sensation Go-Jo to represent Australia at this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland

Global viral pop sensation Go-Jo to represent Australia at this year's Eurov...

24/02/2025

Adam Liaw delivers all new dishes and chat to help you reach culinary greatness with ease

Adam Liaw delivers all new dishes and chat to help you reach culinary greatness ...

20/02/2025

Feisty Feminist Murder Mystery He Had It Coming Announced

18 02 2025 - Media release Feisty Feminist Murder Mystery He Had It Coming Announced Stars of He Had It Coming, Lydia West, Natasha Liu Bordizzo and Liv Hewso...

20/02/2025

Screen Australia and Stan Announce New Comedy-Horror Series Gnomes

18 02 2025 - Media release Screen Australia and Stan Announce New Comedy-Horror Series Gnomes Gnomes writers Tegan Higginbotham and Paul Verhoeven, and creato...

13/02/2025

SBS Media sustainability challenge open for applications

SBS Media sustainability challenge open for applications 13 February, 2025 Media releases The challenge offers brands and agencies $500,000 in advertising ...

13/02/2025

Love at First Bite? SBS podcast - Should You Really Eat That? returns

Love at First Bite? SBS podcast - Should You Really Eat That? returns 13 February, 2025 Media releases Join food writer Lee Tran Lam for another epic cul...

12/02/2025

Meet the Cast of Alone Australia Season 3

Meet the Cast of Alone Australia Season 3 12 February, 2025 Media releases Wilder, tougher and more extreme than ever Alone Australia is back for an epic ...

11/02/2025

In 2025 Australia's most trusted news brand celebrates 50 years with bold stories from home and across the globe

In 2025 Australia's most trusted news brand celebrates 50 years with bold st...

11/02/2025

NITV's flagship footy show Over the Black Dot returns Tuesday 4 March from Las Vegas

NITV's flagship footy show Over the Black Dot returns Tuesday 4 March from L...

10/02/2025

New series Memory Bites with Matt Moran stirs up nostalgia with a taste of the past

New series Memory Bites with Matt Moran stirs up nostalgia with a taste of the p...

05/02/2025

Screen legend Jacki Weaver tears back the curtain on Australia's most outrageous decade in a powerful new three-part series

Screen legend Jacki Weaver tears back the curtain on Australia's most outrag...

05/02/2025

Sanctuary Pictures Unveils Punk-Horror Feature Penny Lane Is Dead

04 02 2025 - Media release Sanctuary Pictures Unveils Punk-Horror Feature Penny Lane Is Dead Writer/Director of Penny Lane Is Dead, Mia'Kate Russell Sanc...

04/02/2025

ABS appoints Sameer Karimbhai as New General Counsel

ABS appoints Sameer Karimbhai as New General Counsel...

03/02/2025

SBS boosts commitment to Indigenous leadership and innovation with Executive team update

SBS boosts commitment to Indigenous leadership and innovation with Executive tea...