Canada’s CBC Launches Digital Comedy Accelerator

OTTAWA: CBC is teaming up with CineCoup Media and Just For Laughs Television to launch the CBC ComedyCoup, a digital comedy accelerator.

Canadian content creators are invited to enter a two-minute video demonstrating their comedic talents. Teams will then have ten weeks to engage with fans through digital and social platforms to gain support and feedback. The top ten finalists will prepare a final presentation for the jury. Ultimately, ten teams will be optioned for development and the top team will receive C$500,000 in production financing for a half-hour comedy special to air during CBC Television's 2015 prime-time lineup.

“We are excited to be launching this ground-breaking comedy accelerator with CineCoup,” said Michelle Daly, the senior director of comedy, commissioned and scripted programming at CBC. “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.”

“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,” added 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 center 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,” commented Bruce Hills, COO of Just For Laughs.