29 05 2023 - Media release Screen Australia, SBS And NITV Call For Applications To Digital Originals 2023
Latecomers, Appetite
Screen Australia, SBS and National Indigenous Television (NITV) have announced that applications are now open for the fourth year of the highly successful Digital Originals initiative.
Digital Originals aims to develop exciting and innovative short-form drama projects to premiere as a single hour-long episode program on SBS On Demand and NITV, from screen creatives historically under-represented in the sector. This includes people who identify as culturally and linguistically diverse, First Nations Australians, people with disability, female and gender diverse, LGBTQIA and those who are located in regional and remote areas.
Recent recipients include Appetite, which was selected as one of 10 series in the Short Form Competition at Canneseries 2023 and Latecomers, which was among six series featured in the Short Forms Competition at Series Mania in Lille, France - with both series the only Australian productions selected for each of the prestigious festivals. Three more projects from the 2022 cohort, Warm Props, Moni and Moonbird, are currently in development, with up to three progressing to production.
Screen Australia's Head of Online and Games Lee Naimo said, "It's amazing how quickly Digital Originals has established itself as a meaningful pathway for emerging creators to advance their careers, and I am sure this announcement is a welcome one for many talented creators in the industry wanting to follow in the footsteps of past recipients.
Whether it's previous recipients stepping up their careers on bigger projects, or series like Latecomers and Appetite receiving local and international acclaim, this initiative is a proven talent escalator with a deserved place in the careers of so many exciting writers, directors and producers.
SBS Scripted Commissioning Editor, Donna Chang, said, Digital Originals continue to break new ground in storytelling and showcase the tidal wave of talent we have here in Australia reflecting the cultures and lived experiences of people who have historically been under-represented in our sector. It's exciting to be a part of an initiative that is making an impact in our industry as a career pathway at SBS, we're thrilled to have had Digital Originals alum like Corrie Chen (Homecoming Queens, New Gold Mountain), Stevie Cruz-Martin (The Tailings, Safe Home), Liam Heyen (Latecomers, Erotic Stories) and others, go on to work across our flagship network dramas. I can't wait to see the projects and talent this initiative elevates next.
NITV's Head of Commissions, Marissa McDowell added, Through Digital Originals, we want to put the spotlight on emerging First Nations storytellers and provide a platform for a new generation of fresh voices. Each year we continue to be impressed by the calibre of projects, innovative approaches, and inspiring stories that Digital Originals delivers, testament to the incredible emerging creative talent that we have in this country. It's a wonderful and meaningful opportunity, and I encourage creatives to submit their ideas and get involved.
Teams will be selected to attend an exclusive workshop in October 2023, run by Screen Australia, SBS and NITV. The workshop will focus on narrative writing skills, as well as developing the projects to align with the SBS Charter and SBS On Demand platform, culminating in a pitch to Screen Australia, SBS and NITV. Teams outside of Sydney will receive flights and accommodation for up to three team members to attend the workshop. Teams of either two or three members are eligible to apply and must include one writer.
From these teams, up to six will be chosen to take their projects into further development, and from these up to three will be chosen for production funding and commissioning with SBS, NITV and Screen Australia.
Submissions should include an up to three-page pitch document outlining the details of the series and more information on the creative team; an up to three-minute pitch video outlining the creators' personal connection to and reason for wanting to develop the project; and an up to 10-page script sample of previous work. For more information on eligibility and application guidelines click here.
Download PDF
Media enquiries Maddie Walsh | Publicist
61 2 8113 5915 | [email protected]
Ted Rose | Senior Publicist
61 2 8113 1091 | 61 456 558 679 | ted.rose@screenaustralia.gov.au
All other general/non-media enquiries
Sydney 61 2 8113 5800 | Melbourne 61 3 8682 1900 | [email protected]
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
13/05/2026
New Adobe Premiere Color Grading Mode Accelerated on NVIDIA GPUs
Joel Pennington May 13, 2026
0 Comments
New NVIDIA RTX-accelerated features streamlin...
13/05/2026
Grass Valley announced that dB Broadcast has delivered new IP-based outside broadcast (OB) trucks for Cloudbass, featuring Grass Valley LDX 100 Series cameras a...
13/05/2026
Ikegami will exhibit the latest additions to its wide range of broadcast production cameras, control units, viewfinders and monitors on stand 5D3-1 at Broadcast...
13/05/2026
FISE, working with the founding members of the XR Sports Alliance (XRSA), Accedo, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and HBS, have collaborated to develop an immersive...
13/05/2026
Canon Unveils New EOS R6 V Full-Frame EOS Camera and RF20-50mm F4 L IS USM PZ Bu...
13/05/2026
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Honors Beth Morrison and Moses Pendleton at Comme...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Creative software developer Foundry today announced the latest developments on Nuke Stage. A purpose-built application for end-to-end virtual production and in-...
13/05/2026
A definitive portrait of one of Ireland's most influential musicians
New TV documentary airs Monday 18 May on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm
Watch the...
13/05/2026
Agentic AI is changing the way users get work done. Following the success of OpenClaw, the community is embracing new open source agentic frameworks. The latest...
13/05/2026
Reinforcement-learning agents - AI systems that learn by trial and error - can c...
12/05/2026
Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...
12/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...
12/05/2026
With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...
12/05/2026
The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...
12/05/2026
NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...
12/05/2026
TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...
12/05/2026
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...
12/05/2026
For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...
12/05/2026
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...
12/05/2026
LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...
12/05/2026
Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...
12/05/2026
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...
12/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...
12/05/2026
Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...
12/05/2026
To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language
NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...
12/05/2026
Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...
12/05/2026
A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
29 05 2023 - Media release Screen Australia, SBS And NITV Call For Applications To Digital Originals 2023 
