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SBS names Comedy Runway finalists

SBS Comedy today named the 12 finalists for Comedy Runway, a nationwide initiative to assist in the development of Australia’s next generation of comedy talent.

In partnership with ScreenWest, Screen Tasmania, the South Australian Film Corporation, ScreenNSW and Film Victoria, 12 finalists will each receive $20,000 to create a five-minute web pilot. 

SBS plans to select at least one pilot to develop and produce as a five episode web series. Marshall Heald, Chief Digital Officer SBS said:  “The response to this initiative has been incredible and we’re delighted to showcase the next generation of Australian comedy with the development of these 12 unique, provocative and hilarious pilots.”

The first pilot,  The Victim’s Guide to Kidnapping, will be released in mid-August and a new pilot will follow every month.

The 12 finalists by state are:

New South Wales

Fully Furnished
Comedians Tom Ballard and Tommy Dassalo star as Todd and Dayne, two terrible people in a three bedroom house who have just driven out the last person willing to live with them. Desperate to cover the rent, they’ve turned to ‘Sky B ‘n’ B’ who, every two weeks, send a new overseas traveller to stay and, most importantly, pay the bills. Unfortunately the people they select turn out to have some very out of the box ideas on what constitutes a good use of the spare room.

Dog Squadron
Dog Squadron is exactly what it sounds like – an epic tale of adventure and heroism during the Second World War… with dogs. Filmed with real dogs in miniature planes, Sgt Stubbs leads dog squadron against the Luftwoofe comprised of German Shepherds and Gestapugs. With the voice talents of some of Australia’s top comedians including Stunt Bear’s James Wood and Jay K, and comedian and radio presenter Tim Ross as General Woofenstein.

The Victim’s Guide to Kidnapping
Duncan Doyle, heir to the Doyle family fortune, has been kidnapped for ransom over 47 times; however his uncanny ability to escape each time has earned him the reputation as the ‘unkidnapable kid’. Now all grown up Duncan just wants his first day at university to go well, and hopefully not involve abduction. ‘The Victim’s Guide to Kidnapping’ is written by and stars producer on SBS 2’s The Feed, Chris Leben.

Tip Rats
TJ and Nora are broke… which has meant lowering their standards to the point where ‘dumpster diving’, the culture of looking for a feed from the skips behind supermarkets, seems like a good idea. Written and starring rising stand-up comedian Nina Oyama (The Stand Up Show), this black comedy asks the type of questions you’ll hopefully never have to, like whether or not ‘best before’ really means ‘don’t eat after’ or is this Atlantic Salmon really trash if it’s still in its seal?

Victoria

Suspect Moustache
Suspect Moustache presents a brand new, completely animated sketch show showcasing bizarre characters and the kind of comedy you can only achieve through the medium of animation. Whether it’s cloning Jesus or fighting off hordes of dinosaurs if it’s funny ‘Suspect Moustache’ goes there.

Queensland

Nostalgics
Fresh from winning the coveted ‘Golden Gibbo’ at their debut Melbourne Comedy Festival show Fancy Boy Variety Show, YouTube viral sensations Skills in Time bring you Nostalgics, a pilot that remembers the classic shows from the 90s that you can’t (on account of their entirely fictional nature). Host Mike Nayna will dissect and deconstruct these 90s classics, and they hold nothing back in their exposé of these completely made up classics.

South Australia

Ted & Johnny
Ted is uptight, Johnny is a man-child. They both live together. Ted needs to get the Hagemashi report in by tomorrow or Mr Henderson will fire him. Oh also the zombie apocalypse is happening. Ted & Johnny takes your classic odd-couple sitcom format, adds a bit of awesome and the result is comedy gold.

Heaps Good Hostel
Heaps Good Hostel is definitely not the Ritz – despite the name it’s not even a good hostel. The owner’s strung out, the staff don’t care and the guests… are worse. But it’s cheap, interesting and if you’re lucky you might have a chance with one of the Swedish guests. Heaps Good Hostel is a sharp, innovative comedy.

Tasmania

Apocalypse Events
Meet Carlos, entrepreneur and founder of Apocalypse Events. His business takes corporate team-building to a whole new level by placing employees in realistic and traumatic situations like subjecting unsuspecting clients to hostage situations or making them defuse a real bomb. Carlos gets results. Sure he has to deal with the occasional disgruntled client suing for post-traumatic stress disorder, but he doesn’t mind, in fact he really seems to enjoy his job.

Nulton
Nulton is a small rural town in an isolated area of Tasmania that doesn’t get many visitors. When a freak explosion traps Dutch backpacker Christiaan down the Nulton copper mine, the peculiar townsfolk all have their reasons for keeping him there. Nulton is a black comedy from the twisted mind of emerging writer Matthew Stolp.

Western Australia

Top Knot Detective
Way back in 1991 came a cop show like none other. Made on the foreign shores of Japan, it soon rose to cult classic status in Australia. This was Top Knot Detective. Aaron McCann of Henry & Aaron presents the most exploitative, ludicrously over the top Japanese Samurai detective series you’ve never seen.

Saturday Night Five
Saturday Night Five is a topical, innovative and interactive online sketch show. Worldwide YouTube stars, comedians and performers join forces with Australian comedy talent to create a completely unique comedy show that draws its sketches and performances from talent all over the globe. Saturday Night Five will redefine how a sketch show can be done.

SBS Comedy is at www.sbs.com.au/comedy and includes a mix of articles, comedy show info, reviews and videos.