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Amazing Grace vies for online video awards

Melbourne-based Grace Mulgrew is one of Australia’s most popular YouTube stars whose videos have notched up more than 180 million views.

At nine years old, she may also be the youngest.

Grace is among the finalists in the second annual Australian Online Video Awards, the OVAs, which recognise the work of online video content makers in Australia.

Presented by Open Channel and ScreenPro.tv and supported by YouTube and Film Victoria, the awards will be announced on October 21 at The Savoy Tavern in Bourke Street Melbourne.

Grace’s father Greg edits her videos. The Barbie fanatic has 200,000 YouTube subscribers. Her most popular video, which sees Barbie taking her family on a cruise ship, complete with accidental doll overboard incidents, has been watched more than 38 million times.

Her submissions for the award are Barbie – New Girl at School (https://youtu.be/R-79xnE1lEw) which has had 2 million views; Barbie – American Girl Christmas (https://youtu.be/NKO1-UGm-Lk), 8.3 million; and Barbie – Stacie and Max … and Chelsea! (https://youtu.be/GGGpb-VqJ4Q), 390,000.

This year there were 146 entries which were whittled down to 36 finalists by a panel of industry judges. The prizes are being provided by Madman Entertainment, Pozible, Roadshow Films, Screen Producers Australia, Australian Directors Guild and Shaun Miller Lawyers.

The top prize includes a trip to the YouTube Space in Los Angeles to learn from the world leaders in online video production and marketing, supported by YouTube.

Awards patron Jehan Ratnatunga, an alumni of Open Channel, is based in Los Angeles and works for Google developing comedy projects with YouTube creators for the YouTube Originals initiative.

He said,  “The quality and volume of entries received for the Australian Online Video Awards has been absolutely phenomenal – further proof of the level of exceptional talent that exists among Australia's content creators working in the online space today.”

Last year’s overall winner, Harry Potter vs Star Wars, which cost just $200, has been viewed more than 16 million times. Creators Danny and Michael Philippou won a trip to the YouTube Space and  went on to win a Streamy Award in the International category.

To view the finalists go to: http://ovas.tv/site/finalists.cfm