Screen Australia and Google Australia announce Skip Ahead 6

25 03 2020 - Media release Screen Australia and Google Australia announce Skip Ahead 6

Skit Box, Parked, 1999

Screen Australia and Google Australia today announced applications are open for the sixth instalment of the Skip Ahead initiative. Since 2014, Skip Ahead has helped develop a generation of Australian YouTube storytellers to expand the vision and scale of their content. Skip Ahead alumni include comedians Aunty Donna and Superwog, science educator Vanessa Hill, documentarians Mighty Car Mods, fantasy creator Pi ra Forde and influencer Wengie.

The initiative is targeted at creators who have a track record of reaching an audience on YouTube and are ready to skip ahead' their careers in terms of creative ambition and production values. Up to $150,000 in production funding will be available per project, with up to five projects to be funded. Screen Australia and Google Australia are jointly funding the initiative.

Both scripted narrative (i.e. fiction) and documentary projects are eligible, and the program guidelines detail how existing YouTube creators can submit applications together and/or work with an external production house.

Senior Online Investment Manager Lee Naimo said, Skip Ahead not only provides Australian creatives with funding to make new content with higher production values, but it allows them to push their storytelling boundaries. We are open to applications for any kind of fiction or documentary content, whether it be short film, episodic or anything in-between creators can dream up.

Aside from receiving production funding for their project, successful applicants will also participate in two workshops to be held in Sydney (July/August 2020 TBC). Travel and accommodation support will be provided for up to four team members per project.

Michael Cooley, Public Policy Manager, Google Australia and New Zealand said, Skip Ahead aims to provide the next generation of Australian storytellers on YouTube with the support and tools they need to make amazing content and build new audiences, both locally and internationally. We've seen so many talented locals come through the program over the last five rounds, and we know Skip Ahead is an important step in the careers of many successful Australian content creators, in an ever-changing screen content environment. We're looking forward to seeing who is next!

Applications close 5pm AEST Thursday, 7 May 2020. Apply here

If Skip Ahead isn't right for you, visit the Funding and Support section of the Screen Australia website to explore development and production funding opportunities for online creators.

If you are just starting out, read Screen Australia for Beginners

SKIP AHEAD ALUMNI Skip Ahead has contributed over $3 million in funding to 24 productions. The projects released to date have amassed nearly 50 million views on YouTube and garnered critical acclaim including:

Over and Out created by Adele Vuko and Christiaan Van Vuuren, was awarded Best Short Form Series at Canneseries 2019.

Superwog's pilot funded through Skip Ahead was so popular it propelled the comedy duo to land a full ABC TV series. Superwog also have the distinction of having created the top trending YouTube video in Australia in both 2017 and 2019.

Vanessa Hill's Braincraft content now appears on PBS in the USA.

Michael Shanks' project Rebooted was released this week on YouTube having been featured at Austin Film Festival, Flickerfest (Best Australian Animated Short Film) and nominated for a Best Short Film AACTA Award 2019.

The full Skip Ahead alumni are included below.

Channel

Title

Class of

Axis of Awesome

Axis All Areas

2014

Mighty Car Mods

Lend Us A Ride: Australia

2014

Sexual Lobster

Fernando s Legitimate Business Enterprise

2014

Veritasium

This Will Revolutionise Education

2014

Neighbours

Neighbours vs Zombies

2014

The Roundabout Crew and

Frenchy SungaAttack

The Australiana Hostel

2015

Aunty Donna

1999

2015

SketchShe

Traffic Jam - The Musical

2015

Draw with Jazza

The Tale Teller

2015

How to Cook That

The Sweetest Thing

2015

Superwog

The Superwog Show

2016

Charli s Crafty Kitchen

Crafty Kingdom

2016

Racka Racka

Stunt Gone Wrong (Live)

2016

BrainCraft

Mutant Menu

2016

Van Vuuren Bros

Over and Out

2017

Study with Jess

Life of Jess

2017

Timtimfed

Rebooted

2017

Wengie

Parked

2017

Skit Box

Skit Box

2017

Neel Kolhatkar

Crossing The Line

2018

Fury Fingers

Love, Guns and Level Ups (to be released)

2018

Pi ra Forde

Nevernight

2018

Chloe Ting

The Not So Social Networks (to be released)

2018

Chloe Morello

YouTube Famous (to be released)

2018

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Media enquiries Jessica Parry | Senior Publicist

61 2 8113 5833 | 61 428 767 836 | [email protected]

Lidia Williams | Publicist and Events Officer

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