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What We Do

We are NextUp, an organisation dedicated to showcasing new comedy talent and supporting their careers.

We achieve this by filming their shows and distributing them via our award-winning subscription video platform, sharing revenue with the acts 50/50.

This preserves their work, allows it to reach new audiences and gives them an additional revenue stream. In addition to this, we also spearhead numerous initiatives such as offering free rehearsal space, career coaching and funding community projects.

NextUp was founded by Daniel Berg, Sarah Henley, Kenny Cavey and Stuart Snaith who have over decades of experience in the live comedy world – scouting, booking and filming its brightest young stars. In 2016 they launched NextUp to solve the inherent problems they noticed within the industry.

Despite being a start-up with minimal budgets, they’ve quickly established themselves as a key player (and protector) of the comedy scene – respected by acts and fans alike. Here’s some further info on our video platform and support initiatives…

Our video platform.

We stream our shows on our subscription video-on- demand (‘S-VOD’) platform that specialises in live comedy performances. It’s available worldwide for £49.99 per year via web, mobile and TV apps.

Our S-VOD platform is one of many genre-specific services that is taking advantage of a digital video sector that is specialising. Fans of genres want a service that caters to them in-depth. Other examples include Shudder (for horror fans), HayU (for reality TV fans), True Royalty (for fans British Royal family content… yes really!) + many many more.

In addition to our own platform, we also license shows to third parties like Audible to help generate further exposure and revenue.

Amplifying comedy.

Through filming, we preserve and amplify comedians’ work. Here’s our process…

1. CURATION AND FILMING

NextUp has a 100% open door policy to acts who can invite us to see their shows. If the show is suitable, we outlay the cost of professionally filming it and work closely with acts to give them an active say in the
style and edit (we want comedians to be proud of the recordings!). We also acquire existing recordings which don’t have a home to be discovered on (YouTube is over-saturated, Netflix don’t commission new acts).

2. DISTRIBUTE AND SHOWCASE

We distribute the shows on our video platform and through 3rd parties like Audible. This allows acts to build their fan base by reaching more people than ever before. We also promote the performers and their shows via press coverage and social media.

3. REVENUE SHARE

For all of the above, we split revenues with comedians 50/50, proportioned fairly based on minutes watched. If we’ve outlayed any costs, we first recoup the cost from an act’s remuneration. This remuneration amount is written off after two years and acts are never personally liable to pay us back any costs.

As a bonus, acts can sell independently the finished recording on USB or DVD from which we don’t take a cut (this works really well after gigs).

Free writing and rehearsal space.

We offer free writing and rehearsal space for comedians. In the
past, acts have rehearsed their Edinburgh shows, touring shows, Christmas comedy pantomimes, work-shopped new sketches and run writing workshops.

It’s a highly valuable asset that many performers simply don’t have access to which we’ve found a way to offer since we launched.

In the past, we offered rehearsal space in dedicated rooms – but since moving office location, we’re using our office during evenings and weekends. This has obvious limitations that we’re looking to overcome by partnering with local theatres or renting an additional dedicated space.

Levelling the playing field.

At Nextup, we believe in reflecting the change we want to see in the stand-up industry regarding comedians’ ethnicity and gender.

In 2019, we ran the Grapevine Bursary, which aimed to enable more comics of colour, female identifying and non-binary comics to film their shows so they can be preserved and showcased online.

We’re planning even more initiatives in 2020 and have begun surveying comedians to find out what would help them most…

A prominent initial idea is to facilitate a mentorship scheme for female performers to help give their careers a helping hand in the midst of prevalent sexism in the industry.

Another initial idea is to support a regular live comedy night that features new comedians who face discrimination due to disability, ethnicity or gender.

Industry exposure. Our videos are available for comedy fans worldwide to enjoy, and acts can share private links with producers and commissioners.

The Comics’ Fund

In our first year, we launched the NextUp Comics’ Fund – a financial pot for supporting comedy endeavors that benefit the comedy or wider community, which acts and partners can apply for.

Two of the successful applicants were Ben Target and Liam Lonergan who used the cash to help support their incredible Care Homes Tour which featured comedians performing to a very different, but just as appreciative (if not more so!) audience.

The Guardian covered the event and took some great photos.

Our most recent Comics Fund application deadline was January 30th 2020 and we’re currently discussing which projects to support.

  • Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian
  • Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian
  • Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian
  • Photograph: David Levene for the Guardian

Read the story in The Guardian here

Feedback From Acts

“Thank you for your continued support with all things ‘comedy’. It’s so needed, and so appreciated.” – Shirley & Shirley, Sketch Duo

“I wanted to thank you and the whole team for being so brilliant.”
– Rachel Parris, Comedian

“Thank you NextUp! You are so lovely, thank you.” – ‘Weirdos’ Comedy Collective

“Thank you, thank you, thank you. This is such a lovely thing to have done for me and I’m really proud to have had it filmed!”
– Ali Brice, Comedian

“Here it is, our debut show. We are enormously proud of it. Thank you to the wizards of NextUp Comedy.”
– The Delightful Sausage, Sketch Duo

Comedian?

If you’re a comic performer and would like to be part of NextUp and have your talents showcased worldwide, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch below.