Fame, friendship and giving a duck: How a comedy web series led to major career shift
As a Brisbane freelance commercial director, it’s not every day you get a call to see if you’re interested in directing a comedy web series. Back in 2022, Let’s Get Ducking Famous was truly ahead of its time. Multi episode vertical narratives were in their infancy, but showrunner and social media strategist Nikki Brown knew she was onto a winning idea, and so did the production company that backed her.
The show, which was distributed on both TikTok and Instagram, and it follows Naomi (Maria Thattil) and Olivia (Jonti Ridley) as they rise to social media fame with the help of Olivia’s pet duck, Steven. At its core, Let’s Get Ducking Famous wasn’t just about chasing likes and followers: it was about a bond between two twenty-somethings as they navigate the unpredictable nature of our digital age. The series depicts their chaotic adventures in a tone reminiscent of Broad City, which has been a huge influence on me as a writer, producer and director, especially now that I’ve taken the leap into the comedy space.
Maria Thattil, Australian media personality and Neighbours cast member
This web series featured brand collaborations with sponsors, like WahWah (image 2).
A New Wave of Female-Led Comedy
As a woman in film and television, I was initially attracted to the script because of its strong and complex female characters. Naomi and Olivia’s friendship was at the heart of this story, and their journey was one of overcoming adversity to achieve their dream. What I loved most about Nikki’s script was it’s lighthearted critique of going viral’. It was very meta , in that the show’s format itself is designed for quick consumption on platforms like TikTok. But despite its bite-sized narrative, we were able to tell a complete and engaging story that had viewers hooked. The show was a fun, fast-paced ride that also delivered occasional moments of reflection on the potentially negative sides of social media, and centred the importance of real life female friendships.
New Beginnings: Establishing a New Comedy Production Company
This series marked the start of my exciting collaboration with Nikki Brown, the brilliant writer behind the show. It was not only the beginning of what has since become a long-lasting friendship, but it also lead to us founding our very own Brisbane production company, Laughlines AU, which focuses on narrative comedy for online platforms. Our latest production Run Club can be viewed on my portfolio, and if you haven’t seen Let’s Get Ducking Famous yet, be sure to check it out on TikTok.
