BBC Studios has launched Creator Lab Australia – a new initiative designed to marry creator originality and audience with BBC Studios’ scale, craft and reach.
The programme for YouTube creators is supported by Australian public broadcaster SBS and will be delivered in partnership with Changer Studios and BBC Studios TalentWorks.
Building on the success of BBC’s UK programme, Creator Lab Australia will connect established Australian YouTube creators with trusted IP, premium development pathways and the tools to grow ambitious ideas into enduring creator businesses.
Delivered with Creator Economy specialist Changer Studios, the Australian programme brings together BBC Studios’ world-class storytelling and IP expertise with Changer’s expertise of global creator development, audience growth, platform strategy and commercial opportunity. The initiative aims to equip creators with the tools, relationships and experience needed to build sustainable careers.
Throughout the programme, participants will have the opportunity to work on selected established IP from the BBC Studios global catalogue, including from Werner Film Productions (part of BBC Studios), as well as SBS-owned IP, and be supported as partners for growth in the future of media, building the next generation of Australian content brands.
Kylie Washington, EVP & Creative Director BBC Studios Australia Productions said, “There is extraordinary creative power within Australia’s Creator Economy, with talented storytellers building loyal communities and shaping culture every day. Creator Lab is our commitment to investing in that potential. Locally, BBC Studios has delivered hugely successful collaborations with creators across our shows, such as Ghosts Australia, The Office, The Great Australian Bake Off and Mastermind.”
She added: “By connecting creators with trusted IP, premium production expertise and the development frameworks that have helped build globally recognised brands, we’re creating a bridge between audience connection and long-term growth. Our ambition is to help creators further develop and scale their ideas by utilising new and shared existing IP, while establishing a network that supports the future of Australian storytelling for years to come.”
Joseph Maxwell, head of unscripted, SBS said, “This is a great opportunity for a new generation of creatives. SBS is delighted to support an initiative that provides new platforms, new opportunities and new pathways for talented Australian storytellers.”
Farhad Meher-Homji, co-founder and CEO Changer Studios, commented, “At Changer, we’ve spent over 10 years helping creators build sustainable channels and businesses. Creator Lab Australia gives that mission an extraordinary accelerant – pairing Changer’s Creator Economy expertise with BBC Studios’ world-class IP and craft. It’s about building the infrastructure for a genuinely new generation of Australian content businesses, together.”
Helen O’Donnell, VP content & creators, BBC Studios Digital Brands, said: “BBC Creator Lab has had a real impact for us in the UK, helping build meaningful relationships with a new generation of creative talent and giving creators new ways to work with BBC Studios’ IP and expertise. Most importantly, those relationships have continued beyond the programme, creating new opportunities for creators and for BBC Studios. I’m excited to see that model now expanding to Australia and I look forward to seeing the ideas, partnerships and opportunities that come out of it.”
The programme will be delivered in two stages: The Sprint and The Accelerator. During The Sprint, creators will participate in a 2-day intensive masterclass in Sydney, gaining insights from YouTube, SBS Commissioning Editors sessions and the BBC Studios Unscripted & Scripted teams. Participants will explore audience development, content strategy, format creation and long-form storytelling.
From this cohort, creators will be selected for The Accelerator, an 8-week hybrid programme featuring one-on-one mentoring and specialist workshops focused on content development, audience engagement, multi-platform growth and building globally relevant IP.
Applicants must be based in Australia with the right to work, be over 18 years of age, have over 50K following on YouTube and have developed, created, and published at least two videos that have reached over 100K views on YouTube.
Applications close Sunday 6 September at 11.59pm AEST.
