Two Brisbane brothers will share in $580,000 in funding to produce a YouTube series.
Lachlan and Austin Macfarlane will write and direct a six-part anthology series for the social media platform, funded through the Skip Ahead initiative, operated by Screen Australia and YouTube.
The Macfarlane brother’s project, The Worst That Could Happen, was one of four funded by the $580,000 offered in the ninth round of grants.
Screen Australia Head of Online and Games Lee Naimo said their production featured an ensemble of ordinary Gen-Zers trapped in extraordinary supernatural situations which exploited their deepest anxieties.
Mr Naimo said The Worst That Could Happen, which will be released on the Macfarlane Bros YouTube channel, was a set of five-minute cautionary tales, escapist adventures and thrilling mysteries humorously mixing relatable issues with science fiction and horror.
He said all the Skip Ahead recipients would attend a workshop this week to develop their projects and hear from industry leaders and expert.
“Since launching (in 2014), Skip Ahead has supported 37 teams with over $4.7 million to develop their skills and build their careers, with alumni including RackaRacka, Superwog, Wengie, Aunty Donna, Chloe Morello and Michael Shanks,” Mr Naimo said.
He said the initiative aimed to help storytellers with an existing audience on YouTube expand their creative ambitions.
The other funded projects were:
- PWR House: Making of Champion: A 3 x 20-minute documentary profiling the world of competitive gaming and content creation culture from the perspectives of some of Australia’s biggest names in YouTube including Lachlan Power, Fortnite player Alex Richmond and influential figures like Kathleen Belsten ‘Loserfruit’ and other PWR creators. It is directed by Oliver Marshall, co-directed by Victoria Bush. The series will be released on the PWR YouTube channel.
- Supermarket: From comedians Jenny Tian and Patrick Golamco, Supermarket is a 6 x 5-minute comedy series about an upper management supermarket employee acting as an undercover spy for their competitor, secretly rising through the ranks. When she is found out, she must escape the rage of both equally corrupt companies. The series will be released on Jenny Tian’s YouTube channel nomnomjenny.
- The Rainbow Bop Show: A 6 x 5-minute live action series based on the YouTube channel Rainbow Bop. The all-puppet band members Stella, Sunny, Luna and Cloudia slide down their rainbow to earth to help kids having a “stormy day” and change their mood with music. Created by writer/director Amy Parry and produced by Sara Taghaode the series will feature songs and storytelling. It will be released on the Rainbow Bop YouTube channel.
