Screen Australia partners with Snapchat on original scripted content
Screen Australia and Snapchat have teamed up with a new initiative aimed at developing and producing premium Australian content for a global audience.
Two vertical mobile series will be created initially, with a grant of $15,000 for two teams of filmmakers and an all-expenses-paid trip to Snapchat HQ in Los Angeles to workshop their concepts for the platform.
Snapchat has already begun to invest in original vertical content, including Two Sides
Screen Australia and Snapchat are currently seeking projects which will be suitable for short-form, fictional series. They will need to be told in 10 episodes of up to five minutes per episode and be creatively outstanding. Concepts can be of any scripted narrative genre.
The partnership aims to encourage creators with a strong track record of producing compelling and distinctive content to create programming uniquely for mobile. Each team much consist of at least two people with the roles of writer, producer and director covered.
After the development period is complete, the selected teams will then have the opportunity to apply for production funding from Screen Australia and Snapchat to make their series.
Online investment manager at Screen Australia, Lee Naimo said, “This is a remarkable opportunity for Australian content creators to make a project that has the ability to reach a massive global audience. We’re looking forward to receiving applications from creators with compelling scripted narratives that will take advantage of Snapchat’s format and present a bold concept suitable for 18 to 24-year-olds.”
Snapchat currently boasts 210m daily users and began launching original content recently, including The Dead Girls Detective Agency, Endless Summer and Two Sides, created by Australian filmmaker Hannah Lehmann.
Senior development manager of Snap Originals for Snap Inc, Erin Keating, said the company is committed to bringing more voices to the global stage.
“We’re committed to creating opportunities for emerging creators not just in front of the camera, but behind the camera too,” said Keating.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Screen Australia and find new voices to bring Snapchatters more scripted shows made just for mobile.”
To apply, teams will need to submit a three-minute vertical pitch video, a pitch document, links to examples of previous work and a script sample from a previous project. Applications will close 5pm Thursday 5 March 2020. Full details can be found via Screen Australia.
