Snapchat Original ‘Two Sides’, created by Sydney filmmaker Hannah Lehmann.
Snapchat and Screen Australia have partnered to launch a new initiative aimed at developing and producing premium Australian, vertical mobile series, jointly offering $15,000 in development funding as well as an all-expenses-paid trip to Snapchat HQ in Los Angeles to workshop concepts.
The brief is for projects suitable for short-form, fictional series that are creatively outstanding, and able to be told in 10 episodes of up to 5 minutes per episode. Concepts can be of any scripted narrative genre, and up to two teams will be selected.
Applicant teams must consist of at least two people with the roles of writer, producer and director covered. All team members must be available to attend the workshop which will be held the week of May 18, 2020 in Los Angeles. 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.
Screen Australia online investment manager 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 is a global platform with 210 million daily users. Among its Originals slate is The Dead Girls Detective Agency, Endless Summer and Two Sides, which was created by Australian filmmaker Hannah Lehmann.
“We’re committed to creating opportunities for emerging creators not just in front of the camera, but behind the camera too,” said senior development manager of Snap Originals Erin 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.
More info here. Applications close March 5.