Digital Studio Above Average Launches Residency Program For Funny People

Above Average has set up a new program through which it can farm some fresh talent. The digital arm of Saturday Night Live producer Broadway Video has launched a residency that will give creative opportunities to a select group of comedians.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, which first reported this news, the residency will cover all areas of Above Average’s operation, including “directing, editing, writing, performing, graphics, and social production.” Each person accepted into the program will spend 18 months at Above Average.

A residency program makes sense for Above Average, since the comedy network has always excelled at featuring up-and-coming talent. One of the first shows to premiere after Above Average’s 2012 launch, for example, was a sketch series called Paulilu Mixtape. Five years later, the co-creator of that series, Lucia Aniello, has 11 episodes of Broad City under her belt and is set to premiere her first feature film. Another early series, The Realest Candidate, was a 2012 election satire that featured Saturday Night Live cast member-to-be Michael Che.

“We’re thrilled to announce this program, which affords incoming residents the platform and resources to build strong portfolios and industry relationships, while simultaneously supplying our studio’s creative engine with a diverse, rotational pool of talent,” said Above Average president Jen Danielson. “By championing emerging talent, we’ve fostered stronger relationships that better serve our business in the long run.”

Saturday Night Live has recently considered digital creators when searching for new performers. In additional to Che, other not-ready-for-prime-time-players with significant digital resumes include Kyle Mooney and Sasheer Zamata.