by FilmInk Staff
Screen Australia and YouTube Australia have selected The Vegetable Plot as one of this year’s recipients of the prestigious Skip Ahead initiative, awarding funding to produce Season Zero (pilot) of their short-form animated series for children aged 4-7.
Based on the ARIA nominated kids’ music act The Vegetable Plot, Season Zero will deliver six x two-minute episodes following a quirky musical veggie family as they embark on bite-sized adventures in Eartha – their magical, beat-powered tour bus. The series blends humour, heart, and original music to explore big feelings through small, character-driven moments.
Luke Escombe, Creator & Performer: “Our songs have always been about connecting with kids and families through music, laughter and imagination. With Skip Ahead, we get to expand that connection into a living, breathing animated world. It’s an amazing opportunity to plant some seeds and see where they grow.”
Nick Lorentzen, Executive Producer: “This funding is a huge step forward for us – not just to bring The Vegetable Plot’s world to life in animation, but to test, learn and grow in a way that positions us for long-term success. Season Zero is a springboard to our ultimate goal of a full-length animated series with the reach and impact to engage families all over the world.”
Alvaro del Campo, Producer: “Our belief in this project has never wavered. We’ve faced plenty of setbacks along the way, but we’ve always persevered and we’re stronger for it. This Skip Ahead win is huge industry validation, and we’re deeply grateful to Screen Australia and YouTube for their confidence.”
Screen Australia Head of Narrative Content Louise Gough: “For over a decade, Skip Ahead has provided an important spring board for Australian content creators to develop their projects and grow their audiences. The Vegetable Plot are funny and funky storytellers and we can’t wait for them to bring more wondrous songs for little ears to life.
About The Creator: Luke Escombe, the creator and bandleader of The Vegetable Plot, is an award-winning singer-songwriter, comedian and health advocate, a teaching artist with the Sydney Opera House’s Creative Learning program, and a proud former stay-at-home Dad.
Veggie Plot Productions unites creator Luke Escombe with long-time Vegetable Plot fans and award-winning screen producers Alvaro del Campo and Nick Lorentzen. Based in Far North Queensland, Alvaro and Nick share Luke’s passion for driving meaningful change through creativity, producing content for leading global brands through their company QC.Productions.
