The Miles Government through Screen Queensland has launched the agency’s first Channel Lab initiative to support emerging creators who use online platforms to share their screen stories.
Lead image: Changer co-founders Ant McCormack and Farad Meher-Homji deliver an Accelerator workshop for YouTube.
This new initiative, in partnership with Changer with support from YouTube, is providing up to 20 emerging Queensland creators with in-depth training to enhance their production skills, better understand their audience and build their YouTube presence.
Channel Lab: YouTube Accelerator participants will undertake a 16-week masterclass and mentoring program with Brisbane’s globally recognised creator specialists Changer, who have run creator workshops here and internationally in collaboration Google.
Practitioners will be equipped with the skills to maximise their creative potential and one team will be selected at the end of program to attend a major online creator conference.
The program runs from May to September 2024 and is open to practitioners from across Queensland with 5,000 to 150,000 subscribers on YouTube or a significant following on other online platforms.
Applications for Channel Lab: YouTube Accelerator are now open on the Screen Queensland website and close on Monday 8 April.
Practitioners from diverse backgrounds, including Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, are encouraged to apply.
“The Miles Government, through Screen Queensland, is proud to champion Queensland’s emerging online creators, who can share local screen stories with global audiences in increasingly accessible and immediate ways,” said Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch.
“The Channel Lab initiative is a significant new program partnering with industry leaders that will grow Queensland creators’ production experience to enhance their storytelling capabilities so they can develop long-term career pathways”.
“This exciting initiative will contribute to the delivery of our Creative Together 2020–2030: 10-year roadmap for Queensland arts, culture and creativity, and our priorities to grow a strong and sustainable sector, share our stories and celebrate our storytellers”.
“Business Enterprise will provide vital support for the sustainable growth of Queensland screen businesses, supporting local production while building the development and retention of Queensland Intellectual Property,” said Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney:
“Queensland is rich with stories yet to be told and through Business Enterprise, Screen Queensland is proudly investing in our state’s screen businesses so that they can lead the sector’s future—creating more homegrown screen stories from broader perspectives, to engage audiences locally and internationally”.
“Changer is thrilled to embark on this collaboration with Screen Queensland, who share our vision for nurturing creativity and fostering sustainability within the content creation landscape,” said Changer co-founder Farhad Meher-Homji.
“The launch of this new Channel Lab program reflects our commitment to equipping the next generation of content creators with the requisite tools and support to thrive in the creator economy”.
“By creating an environment that champions collaboration, innovation, and skill development, both organisations aim to contribute significantly to the growth and success of the Queensland creative sector”.
“YouTube is proud to support Screen Queensland and Changer for Channel Lab: YouTube Accelerator,” said Dan Stephenson, content partnerships manager, YouTube Australia & New Zealand.
“By providing forums for mentoring and upskilling across production and with the necessary tools, we aim to help foster a vibrant and thriving creator ecosystem—and we’re excited to see what opportunities this opens up for new talent and telling their unique stories”.
