Canadian comedy creators are invited to participate in the new development accelerator CBC ComedyCoup. The top team will secure a development deal with CBC and a primetime television comedy special with half a million dollars in production financing.
Hashtags: #BeUnexpected #ComedyCoup
CBC, CineCoup Media and Just For Laughs Television are joining forces to deliver an exciting and rare opportunity to Canadian content creators with the launch of CBC ComedyCoup, an innovative, digital comedy accelerator. The accelerator offers the chance for the best, brightest and funniest creators from across Canada to enhance their careers and provides them with that crucial ‘foot in the door’ necessary to garner a potential development deal. Ultimately, 10 teams will be optioned for development and the top team will receive $500,000 in production financing for a half-hour comedy special to air during CBC Television’s 2015 primetime schedule.
“We are excited to be launching this ground-breaking comedy accelerator with CineCoup,” said Michelle Daly, senior director of Comedy, Commissioned & Scripted Programming. “CBC has always supported Canadian comedy. Between CBC ComedyCoup and the newly launched Punchline we are able to reach new comedy creators where they live - online.”
CBC ComedyCoup is designed to revolutionize the way comedy talent is discovered and developed. Over the course of 10 weeks, teams will be challenged to display their skills, build an audience and deliver hilarious content using digital and social platforms.
“Our studio model is about reducing barriers to entry, doing away with gatekeepers and letting the audience in early to support the content they want to see get made.” says CineCoup founder J Joly. “CBC ComedyCoup is a launch pad for the funniest talent Canada has to offer, no matter where they live. We put fans at the centre and we strive to be as transparent and democratic as possible.”
“Just For Laughs Television couldn’t be happier to be partnering with CineCoup and CBC on this innovative initiative to find the next great Canadian comedy writers and creative visionaries,” says Bruce Hills, COO of Just For Laughs Television.
Starting in August, applicants will be challenged to create a two-minute comedy video demonstrating their chops, for submission to http://comedycoup.cbc.ca. Then, teams will have 10 weeks to engage with fans through digital and social platforms to garner support and feedback while also navigating weekly challenges to help propel them forward and receive additional mentorship, access, and exposure from Just For Laughs Television. The teams will then be narrowed down to the top 10 and the finalists will prepare their final presentations for the jury. In the end, one team will receive funding and a national primetime broadcast special on CBC Television.
This unique accelerator will give new creators a platform to hone their skills and discover new audiences, and enable the CBC to help to develop new and untapped talent within the industry. For more information on CBC ComedyCoup please visit http://comedycoup.cbc.ca
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About CBC/Radio-Canada CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages.
About CineCoup Media Inc. CineCoup Media is a disruptive new studio model for independent content creators to develop, market and build audience their original film and tv projects. A key times during the year teams apply to the accelerator with a short idea prototype for their project then advance through a fan engagement funnel that’s designed to show off their creativity, package their projects and build fan support using social and earned media. All creators who participate stand to gain valuable audience feedback, social marketing savvy and a professional online pitch package bolstered by fan support. The Top 10 projects will be optioned for development. With the top project receiving production financing and a theatrical or broadcast premiere. CineCoup Media is the brainchild of media entrepreneur, J. Joly.
About Just For Laughs Television Just For Laughs Television is one of the leading producers of stand-up and variety programming and has produced television programs that have been seen around the world on FOX, ABC, MTV, TBS, CBC, IFC, HBO, W, BBC1, TF1, RTL, Showtime, Versus, BBC America, TEN Australia, HBO Canada, and The Comedy Network. The company has also expanded into scripted and non-variety programming with the acclaimed shows The Tournament (CBC), Deal with It (W Network), and Bullet in the Face (IFC). Just For Laughs Television is part of the Just For Laughs Group. Founded in 1983, the Just For Laughs Group’s growth is concentrated on four major focal points: Festivals (in Montreal, Toronto and Sydney); television production (most notably Gags, seen in 135 countries and on 95 airlines); live shows (Canadian tour dates for Jerry Seinfeld, Louis C.K., Jim Gaffigan, Bill Burr, Craig Ferguson, North American dates for Family Guy Live!); and talent management. Its inaugural Montreal Festival is over 30 years old, and is now the world’s largest and most prestigious comedy event, welcoming two million people each summer. The Group has offices in Montreal, Paris, Los Angeles, Toronto, London, and a small apartment on the Internet.
For more information or to request interviews, please contact:
Renee Weekes, senior publicist
416-205-2053
