Faking it: headline-making viral video hoaxes were funded by Screen Australia

Over two years, eight videos from Melbourne's the Woolshed Company were viewed more than 205m times, partly thanks to $100,000 in taxpayer funding

The Australian producers who were behind eight fake viral videos which made news around the world were part of a Screen Australia-funded project to explore the impact of a short film narrative.

Over two years, eight disparate videos from Melbourne's the Woolshed Company were viewed in 180 countries, more than 205m times. On YouTube alone they were watched for the equivalent of 164 years; they accrued 500,000 comments and 1.6m likes.