I’m pleased to be producing the Lil CEEBS comedy project, along with writer/producer Nikki Tran, in supporting the vision of Betiel Beyin and Leigh Lule who are two wonderfully talented and funny Afro-Australian creatives from Melbourne’s West. This Instagram mini-series is the prequel to the CEEBS web series that was selected as one of twelve projects Australia wide to participate in the Screen Australia/ SBS Digital Originals workshops 2021 (read more). Details of Lil CEEBS below:
Lil CEEBS MEDIA RELEASE – April 2021
A new IGTV series will unearth the comedic voices of writer/performers Betiel Beyin and Leigh Lule. The four-part comedy series, to be filmed in Melbourne’s West, follows the story of Zion and Ruby, as they put their friendship to the test in search of a tolerable, easily replaceable friend – who’s willing to be the third wheel.
The mini-series aims to showcase the importance of friendships when it comes to identity, acceptance and belonging. Through Zion and Ruby’s blind optimism, absurdity and self-sabotage, Lil CEEBS spreads joy and plenty of second-hand embarrassment.
“We want to make a show about two young black girls from the West-side, who are unapologetically themselves,” says Beyin.
“We are interested in exploring a friendship that is strange and beautiful and questionable in the best way possible,” says Lule.
Creators Beyin and Lule met as part of a Western Edge Youth Art theatre program and since then have been creating work with Western Edge, Phoenix Youth Centre and Malthouse Theatre. Beyin and Lule will both have a significant creative voice on this project as writers, actors and directors.
Lil CEEBS is supported by Signal Arts, a creative arts studio for young people. The series will consist of four bite-sized episodes to be released via Signal’s Instagram account every week in the month of May 2021.
The project will engage talented creatives from around Melbourne including filmmaker Ez Eldin Deng as cinematographer and actor/musician Yaw Dadzie as Jonathan, Ruby and Zion’s would-be third friend.
Producers Amie Batalibasi (Dir. MUSTANGS FC, THALU) and Nikki Tran (FRESH!, GIRL INTERPRETED) are working with Beyin and Lule to develop Lil CEEBS into a larger web series project.
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4x IGTV episodes released May 2021 at: @signalarts on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/signalarts/
Follow the CEEBS project for behind the scenes insights: @ceebsproject on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceebsproject/