The Most Dysfunctional Town in Australia.
It began life as Yeah, Nah — a gloriously messy animated sitcom set in an outback town nobody's ever heard of and nobody can quite forget. Think Letterkenny colliding with South Park, with a Crocodile Dundee flavour thrown in for good measure.
From tradies led by Mickey Bones (and his ex Crystal) to a city mayor with a teacup puppy, to the Regional Australian Theatre Society (the "RATS," naturally) — this is a world where everything clashes, nothing goes to plan, and that's exactly the fun of it.
Challenge
Let's be honest: animated sitcoms are tough. They're costly, time-consuming, and in a crowded global comedy market, they need a clear personality to even make it to the table.
And here's the kicker — we needed momentum fast. A script alone wasn't enough. To win grants, pull in partners, and get cast and crew excited, we had to show the tone and chaos of the world in a way that felt undeniable.
Our Approach
So we did what we do best: we made the chaos visible.
We worked with writers like Simon Weaving, plus long-time collaborators Flip Kobler and Cindy Marcus, to flesh out the characters and world. Then we built a 60-second AI-powered teaser that dropped people straight into OldCastle: tradies, city folk, RATS, and all.
It wasn't about polish — it was about personality. Big, bold, and impossible to ignore. Alongside a pitch book, this became our calling card for funders, partners, and early backers.
Results
The reaction? Surprisingly quick and surprisingly generous.
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University of Newcastle came on board almost immediately.
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Event Cinemas backed us as a sponsor based on prior collaborations.
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The teaser gave us enough momentum to get a grant application into the City of Newcastle — and from there, we're lining up Screen Australia as the next stop.
Actors have attached, buzz has grown, and what started as "just an idea" is now a package that feels alive, supported, and genuinely funny.
Why This Matters
At Resonant Blue, we've always said: sometimes the difference between "just another script" and "a real project" is the ability to show, not just tell.
With Down Under, we proved that even in the high-risk world of animated comedy, an irreverent teaser and a sharp pitch can turn a crazy idea into a serious contender. Momentum doesn't have to be boring — in fact, sometimes the funniest projects are the fastest to move.
