09 08 2021 - Media release

Screen Australia and Google Australia announce Skip Ahead 7

Celebration Nation

Screen Australia and Google Australia/YouTube have today announced applications are open for Skip Ahead 7. The initiative is targeted at creators who have a track record of reaching a substantial audience on YouTube and are ready to ‘skip ahead’ their careers in terms of creative ambition and production values.

Since 2014, Skip Ahead has contributed over $3.8 million in funding to support 29 YouTube content creators to develop their skills and build their careers, including comedians Aunty Donna, Bush Tucker Bunjie and Skitbox, documentarians Mighty Car Mods, filmmaking duo RackaRacka, influencer Wengie and mathematics educator Tibees. 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.

Skip Ahead projects have garnered critical acclaim with Over and Out, created by Adele Vuko and Christiaan Van Vuuren, awarded Best Short Form Series at Canneseries 2019 and Michael Shanks’ project Rebooted making its World Premiere at the Austin Film Festival, before winning Best Australian Animated Short Film at Flickerfest and being nominated for Best Short Film at the AACTA Awards 2019.

Applicants will be eligible for up to $120,000 in production funding per project, with up to four projects to be funded. Screen Australia and Google Australia are jointly funding the initiative.

Skip Ahead aims to cultivate original Australian content made specifically for global online audiences, ensuring the storytellers and stories being told reflect the diversity of people and experiences from around Australia, all of which are important culturally, creatively and economically. Both scripted narrative (i.e. fiction) and documentary projects are eligible. Applicants must have a YouTube channel (or up to two current YouTube channels) with a subscriber base of at least 25,000 subscribers or a YouTube video that has reached a minimum of one million views on a channel with a subscriber base of at least 10,000. The program guidelines detail how existing YouTube creators can submit applications together and/or work with established producers and/or production companies.

Screen Australia’s Senior Online Investment Manager, Lee Naimo said, “We continue to be impressed with the heights our Skip Ahead alumni reach, with this funding allowing them to expand their production values and unlock new creative opportunities. Skip Ahead is one of our most valued partnerships in the Screen Australia Online department, and we look forward to receiving another round of high concept scripted and documentary applications for Skip Ahead 7 and championing world-class online content made by Australians.”

In addition to receiving production funding for their project, successful applicants will also participate in two workshops. A virtual workshop will be held on 16 November and a second workshop will be held from 23 – 26 November in Sydney or virtually, pending travel restrictions in place at the time. Travel and accommodation support will be provided for up to four members per project if in-person workshops are able to go ahead.

Lucinda Longcroft, Director, Government Affairs & Public Policy, Google Australia & New Zealand said, “Now in its seventh year, we are so proud of the Skip Ahead initiative and the talent it continues to surface to audiences around the world. While the initiative has evolved over this time, what hasn’t changed is the unique and powerful stories Australian YouTube creators develop - and I can’t wait to see what this year brings!”

Applications close 5pm AEST Thursday 16 September, 2021. 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’s Getting Started Guide.

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 (to be released)	2020
Neel Kolhatkar	Crossing the Line	2018
Fury Fingers	Love, Guns and Level Ups	2018
Piéra 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
The 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 That	The Sweetest Thing	2015
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