012 - Deep Dive with Melanie Rowland on Global Success with a Minimal Budget: the Story of Lilydale Films and Flunk

In this episode, Melanie Rowland, co-founder of Lilydale Films, shares how she and her business partner have built a successful independent production company that is totally sustainable, without relying on streamers or broadcasters to greenlight them.

They’ve created seven series, six feature films, and built a loyal audience with no investors, meaning all revenue flows directly to them.

Their flagship show, Flunk, has garnered over 200 million views globally to date, all while operating on a minimal budget. In this episode Melanie discusses Lilydale’s unique approach to self-funding, building community engagement, optimising for YouTube’s algorithm, and creating new content within their highly engaged niche.

Listen to this episode if you are interested in:

• How to build a sustainable production company in the new media landscape.

• How to build and grow a story universe.

• Gaining insights into how to have a truly audience centric approach to screen storytelling

• Understanding sustainable revenue streams that don’t rely on traditional gatekeepers.