NZ On Air Congratulates The Creators Behind TV Series n00b: From A Little TikTok Series To Cannes

NZ On Air congratulates the creators behind TV series n00b, which has been announced as a selection in the Short Form section of the Cannes International Series Festival 2025.

n00b is a youth-oriented scripted comedy set in Gore in 2005 that tells the tale of six Kiwi teenagers as they navigate the cringey period of adolescence...on the internet.

n00b was first conceived as a TikTok series, and received $50,000 funding through a 2021 initiative called Every Voice, which was run by NZ On Air, Screen Australia and TikTok. The initiative aimed to help a new generation of online storytellers, and to create original New Zealand and Australian content that would resonate with global online audiences.

After more than 1million views on TikTok, it was picked up by Three, and with Great Southern Television coming in behind the original creators Victoria Boult and Rachel Fawcett, it was developed into a fully-fledged TV series.

It’s also been picked up more recently by Netflix in Australia, and been showcased at the influential Berlinale Series Market.

NZ On Air Chief Executive Cameron Harland says the show’s success confirms it is still possible to engage the so-called hard-to-reach youth audience.

“We know we need to innovate to serve audiences these days, and N00b is just one example of how being prepared to shake up the model can pay off. New Zealand stories are important for local audiences, but can also resonate globally, creating both a cultural win, and economic success that is good for the local screen sector,” says Harland.

Philip Smith, owner of Great Southern Television and Executive Producer ofn00b says, “This is a huge achievement for this insanely talented young team. Go young film and TV makers! n00b just bounces with liberated creative freedom and fun and is driven by a brilliant cast and hugely talented director and producer. Warner Brothers Discovery and NZ On Air believed - and well, they were right. To make it onto the Cannes red carpet is testament to everyone’s faith in the brilliant yet unconventional script from Victoria Boult.”

Matt Barthow, Senior Director of Content at WBD says, “We are delighted to see n00b selected for Cannes. This show spoke strongly to New Zealand audiences on Three and ThreeNow, and we know that international audiences will love it too. This is a great outcome for the team at Great Southern, and a great outcome for all of us who want to see New Zealand stories told beyond our own borders.”

n00b is still available to watch on ThreeNow.

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