Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Screen Australia and Google Australia announce Skip Ahead recipients

19/01/2022

19 01 2022 - Media release Screen Australia and Google Australia announce Skip Ahead recipients

L to R: Luke Goodall and Marc Gallagher, Mithuna Yoganathan, Saksham Sharma, and Honor Wolff and Patrick Durnan Silva of Hot Department

Screen Australia and Google Australia have announced the four recipients of this year's Skip Ahead initiative who will share in $480,000 of production funding: Luke Goodall and Marc Gallagher (Goodall & Gallagher), Mithuna Yoganathan (Looking Glass Universe), Saksham Sharma (Saksham Magic), and Honor Wolff and Patrick Durnan Silva of Hot Department (on Grouse House).

The successful teams will participate in workshops in February to develop their projects with industry experts, including Skip Ahead alumni Adele Vuko. Now in its seventh year, the Skip Ahead initiative supports Australian online content creators who have YouTube channels with a substantial existing subscriber base and/or content which has reached significant viewership, to expand their vision and create more ambitious content to grow their audience.

Since its inception, Skip Ahead has supported the likes of Aunty Donna, Skit Box and Bush Tucker Bunjie to help them take the next step and build their careers in the industry. The Van Vuuren Bros' comedy series Over and Out, funded through Skip Ahead 4, went on to win Best Short Form Series at Canneseries in 2019. From Skip Ahead 6, Celebration Nation was nominated for an AACTA Award and Small Footprint has hit over 1.1 million views across the series.

Screen Australia's Head of Online, Lee Naimo said, Skip Ahead is one of our longest running and most successful initiatives and we are proud to be partnering again with Google Australia to give these creatives a powerful launch pad. Each of these teams are already producing unique and engaging content that is resonating with audiences and this is a fantastic opportunity for them to take their project to the next level.

We know the power of Skip Ahead to propel the careers of some of Australia's best online content creators, like Superwog whose initial pilot was incubated in Skip Ahead 3, and last year the first episode of Superwog Season 2 was announced as the #2 most watched YouTube video in Australia. We are beyond proud to see the Skip Ahead alumni succeed and continue to find large audiences.

Lucinda Longcroft, Director, Government Affairs & Public Policy, Google Australia, said, We are so proud of this partnership with Screen Australia and to be able to support local creators to further build their ideas and create longer form, quality videos. Over the last six years, we've seen the impact Skip Ahead can have on their careers and the recognition, both in Australia and globally, these projects can achieve. We have another four incredible creative teams for Skip Ahead 7 - and we're excited to begin work with them and to see their concepts become a reality!

The funded projects are:

Hot Department: Dark Web: This 6 x 5 minute comedy will explore the strangest parts of the internet, following interlinked sketches centring around various characters' online browsing habits when they think no one is watching. A chunky, retro computer will lead viewers into a rabbit hole of lost tapes, cursed deep web videos, surreal infomercials, viral music videos, deranged TikToks and needy viruses. Dark Web is created by writers Honor Wolff and Patrick Durnan Silva of comedy duo Hot Department. Emma Holland joins the writing team with writer/director Liam Fitzgibbon and executive producers Max Miller and Jono Mastrippolito. The series will release on the Grouse House channel which was launched by Skip Ahead alumni, Aunty Donna.

Quantum Experiments At Home: In this 6-part series physicist Mithuna Yoganathan will demystify quantum mechanics and guide viewers step by step through experiments they can do at home. Directed and produced by Yoganathan, and produced by Emma Watts, this project will release on YouTube channel Looking Glass Universe, which aims to help build people's confidence to learn science.

The Followers: A true crime parody about a wellness cult in the Aussie bush and a rookie journalist's endeavour to uncover their dark secrets. This 5 x 5 minute comedy will be written, produced and directed by Luke Goodall and Marc Gallagher, and produced by Jessica Pearce. The series will be released on YouTube channel Goodall & Gallagher.

Unknown Filter: This 5 x 5 minute thriller series is centred on Saksham, a university student who goes viral on his YouTube live stream, when the app detects an unknown face in the darkness and viewers discover that it is not a glitch but a spirit following and guiding Saksham. Writer and producer Saksham Sharma teams up with director/producer Enzo Tedeschi (Deadhouse Dark). This series will release on Saksham Magic.

SKIP AHEAD ALUMNI Channel

Title

Funded

Jenny Zhou

Celebration Nation

2020

Tibees

Finding X (to be released)

2020

Bush Tucker Bunjie

Long Black (to be released)

2020

Beau Miles

Bad River: Adventure on Australia's Sickest Water (to be released)

2020

Fishing the Wild

Lord of the Macks (to be released)

2020

Never Too Small

Small Footprint

2020

Neel Kolhatkar

Crossing the Line

2018

Fury Fingers

Love, Guns and Level Ups

2018

Pi ra Forde

Nevernight

2018

Chloe Morello

YouTube Famous

2018

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

Superwog

The Superwog Show

2016

Charli s Crafty Kitchen

Crafty Kingdom

2016

RackaRacka

Stunt Gone Wrong (Live)

2016

BrainCraft

Mutant Menu

2016

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 Tha
LINK: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/media-centre/news/2022/01-19-scr...
See more stories from screenaustralia

More from Screen Aus

27/06/2025

Game, set, action! Screen Australia and ABC announce new mini-series Goolagong

27 06 2025 - Media release Game, set, action! Screen Australia and ABC announce new mini-series Goolagong Marton Csokas and Lila McGuire of Goolagong. Image c...

06/06/2025

Award-Winning TV Creators Richard Gadd, Sally Wainwright and Soo Hugh Headline Future Vision 2025

06 06 2025 - Media release Award-Winning TV Creators Richard Gadd, Sally Wainwri...

12/05/2025

Australian Filmmaker Lucy Mckendrick Set For Directing Debut with Dark Comedy Fangs

10 05 2025 - Media release Australian Filmmaker Lucy Mckendrick Set For Directin...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

12/12/2024

Screen Australia, ABC and NITV announce Proper Loved Up Short Film Initiative

12 12 2024 - Media release Screen Australia, ABC and NITV announce Proper Loved Up Short Film Initiative Short Film Last Drinks at Fridas from Pitch Short Bla...

21/11/2024

Much-loved series Austin returns for a second season

21 11 2024 - Media release Much-loved series Austin returns for a second season Austin season 2: Ingrid (Sally Phillips), Julian (Ben Miller), Austin (Michael...

21/11/2024

Screen Australia and ABC announce new documentary series Eat The Invaders

21 11 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce new documentary series Eat The Invaders Eat The Invaders: Tony Armstrong, Kirsha Kaechele and Vin...

21/11/2024

Screen Australia and ABC announce drama series The Family Next Door

21 11 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce drama series The Family Next Door Teresa Palmer as Isabelle in The Family Next Door. Photo credit...

20/11/2024

Screen Australia, SBS and NITV unveil Digital Originals shortlist for 2024

20 11 2024 - Media release Screen Australia, SBS and NITV unveil Digital Originals shortlist for 2024 Digital Originals recipients with Screen Australia, SBS ...

31/10/2024

SBS, NITV and Screen Australia announce documentary series 2.6 Seconds

30 10 2024 - Media release SBS, NITV and Screen Australia announce documentary series 2.6 Seconds 2.6 Seconds. Photo credit: Jesse Marlow. SBS, NITV and Scr...

10/10/2024

Screen Australia announces $8.1 million of production funding for 15 projects

10 10 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces $8.1 million of production funding for 15 projects L-R: Love Adjacent director Louise Alston, Watching Y...

17/09/2024

Screen Australia and Paramount+ Announce New Murder Mystery, Playing Gracie Darling

16 09 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and Paramount Announce New Murder M...

11/09/2024

Endemol Shine Australia and Screen Australia announce Early Career Writers Program

10 09 2024 - Media release Endemol Shine Australia and Screen Australia announce...

04/09/2024

Screen Australia invests over $2 million in Australian Games Industry

04 09 2024 - Media release Screen Australia invests over $2 million in Australian Games Industry Zodiac Mountain Screen Australia has announced over $2 milli...

28/08/2024

Screen Australia and ABC announce four new children's programs

28 08 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce four new children's programs Andy Lee at Richmond Primary School with his nephews Freddy Mile...

22/08/2024

Screen Australia announces $3 million for 13 documentaries

22 08 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces $3 million for 13 documentaries We Are Jeni Screen Australia has announced 11 documentaries through the...

19/08/2024

Production starts on RFDS season three

19 08 2024 - Media release Production starts on RFDS season three RFDS cast. Photo Credit John Platt. Pre-production on the third season of the Seven Network...

15/08/2024

Maggie and Arthur return to the ABC for a second season of Mother and Son

15 08 2024 - Media release Maggie and Arthur return to the ABC for a second season of Mother and Son Denise Scott and Matt Okine in Mother and Son Fans of t...

06/08/2024

Bruce Beresford's Film Overture starts production in Western Australia

06 08 2024 - Media release Bruce Beresford's Film Overture starts production in Western Australia Overture cast (L-R) Susie Porter, Luke Bracey and Bryan ...

17/07/2024

Screen Australia and YouTube Australia announce Online Creators set to Skip Ahead

17 07 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and YouTube Australia announce Onlin...

12/07/2024

Screen Australia and ABC announce new comedy series Optics

12 07 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce new comedy series Optics Optics. Photo credit: Joel Pratley ABC and Screen Australia have annou...

10/07/2024

Shipwreck Hunters Australia back on the water for Season 2

10 07 2024 - Media release Shipwreck Hunters Australia back on the water for Season 2 Shipwreck Hunters Australia Screen Australia and The Walt Disney Compan...

09/07/2024

Applications Open for Digital Originals, and three new dramas coming to screens

09 07 2024 - Media release Applications Open for Digital Originals, and three new dramas coming to screens (L-R) Moonbird director, co-creator and co-writer N...

30/05/2024

Screen Australia, Australians in Film and VicScreen announce FUTURE VISION

30 05 2024 - Media release Screen Australia, Australians in Film and VicScreen announce FUTURE VISION Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo Australians in Film, Scree...

08/05/2024

Olivia Colman and John Lithgow Star in Sophie Hyde's New Project JIMPA

08 05 2024 - Media release Olivia Colman and John Lithgow Star in Sophie Hyde's New Project JIMPA Olivia Colman and John Lithgow in JIMPA. Photo credit: M...

29/04/2024

Screen Australia announces James J. Robinson's debut feature First Light

29 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces James J. Robinson's debut feature First Light First Light Principal Photography is underway on Firs...

24/04/2024

Screen Australia celebrates Australian projects bound for Cannes Film Festival 2024

24 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia celebrates Australian projects bound...

18/04/2024

Screen Australia and Dynamic Television announce new Scripted Initiative

18 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and Dynamic Television announce new Scripted Initiative Savage River Screen Australia and Los Angeles-based telev...

11/04/2024

Screen Australia and Meta launch fourth year of First Nations Creators Program for Instagram

11 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and Meta launch fourth year of First...

10/04/2024

Screen Australia announces over $2.3 million for nine documentaries

10 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $2.3 million for nine documentaries Guardians of the River Screen Australia has announced nine doc...

21/03/2024

Screen Australia announces over $1.6 million in support of the games industry

21 03 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $1.6 million in support of the games industry Which Way Up: Galaxy Games Screen Australia has anno...

18/03/2024

Screen Australia and VicScreen launch new Screen Careers initiative

18 03 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and VicScreen launch new Screen Careers initiative LTR Denise Eriksen, Esther Coleman Hawkins, Caroline Pitcher, K...

15/03/2024

The Creators 2024 Participants Announced

15 03 2024 - Media release The Creators 2024 Participants Announced The Creators program recipients. L-R Thomas Duncan-Watt, Vanessa Gazy, Sarah Lambert, Lea...

13/03/2024

Screen Australia announces dramas Critical Incident and Sunny Nights for Stan

13 03 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces dramas Critical Incident and Sunny Nights for Stan Critical Incident: Akshay Khanna and Zoe Boe. Photo c...

28/02/2024

Screen Australia announces over $810,000 in development funding for 29 projects

28 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $810,000 in development funding for 29 projects Willy Screen Australia has announced 23 feature fi...

27/02/2024

Michael Ebeid AM appointed as new Screen Australia Chair

27 02 2024 - Media release Michael Ebeid AM appointed as new Screen Australia Chair Michael Ebeid AM and Megan Brownlow The Hon. Minister for the Arts, Tony...

21/02/2024

Screen Australia and Australians in Film Announce Applications Open for UNTAPPED 2024

21 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and Australians in Film Announce App...

15/02/2024

Screen Australia announces over $560,000 for crew and gamemaker skills programs

15 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $560,000 for crew and gamemaker skills programs Liz Keogh Palmer (Australian Production Design Guil...

13/02/2024

Six Australian projects bound for South by Southwest Festival in the US

22 01 2024 - Media release Six Australian projects bound for South by Southwest Festival in the US Audrey, Birdeater, The Moogai Six Australian screen projec...

12/02/2024

Screen Australia and YouTube Australia Launch Skip Ahead 9

12 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and YouTube Australia Launch Skip Ahead 9 Uncovering Street Dance: Australia from Skip Ahead 8. Photographed by Ry...

08/02/2024

Screen Australia and ABC announce Bay of Fires is back for season two

08 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce Bay of Fires is back for season two Marta Dusseldorp as Stella in Bay of Fires ABC, Screen Austr...

22/01/2024

Five Australian projects bound for South by Southwest Festival in the US

22 01 2024 - Media release Five Australian projects bound for South by Southwest Festival in the US Audrey, Birdeater, The Moogai Five Australian screen proj...

17/01/2024

Brendan Cowell and Asher Keddie star in Screen Australia and ABC's new drama series Plum

17 01 2024 - Media release Brendan Cowell and Asher Keddie star in Screen Austra...

14/12/2023

Screen Australia announces over $6.9 million of production funding for 11 projects

14 12 2023 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $6.9 million of produ...