Transforming bold ideas into market-ready productions: Digital Originals returns

Transforming bold ideas into market-ready productions: Digital Originals returns

14 May, 2026

Media releases

SBS, NITV and Screen Australia have announced the return of Digital Originals, a leading initiative for emerging creatives in Australia, with applications now open for its seventh edition.

With new titles such as Homebodies recently premiering and receiving critical acclaim here and abroad, Digital Originals continues to demonstrate its role as a platform for fresh Australian storytelling and emerging creative talent.

Designed and delivered in partnership with Screen Australia to uncover original and compelling stories for SBS and NITV, the initiative provides a structured pathway into the screen industry, equipping emerging creators with skills, industry connections and resources to develop bold ideas into audience-ready, short-form scripted series.

Five teams from the 2025 cohort (Digital Originals 6) have moved through to the next phase of the initiative and have been selected to receive development funding for their projects.

SBS Head of Scripted, Nakul Legha said, Digital Originals has established itself as a proven pathway for underrepresented voices to tell distinctive, award-winning stories. This initiative goes to the heart of SBS's purpose - to reflect the diversity of contemporary Australia and provide a sustainable pipeline for new voices.

At a time when it's harder than ever to break through, we're immensely proud of its continued success and I congratulate the talented 2025 Digital Original teams whose projects have received development funding. I can't wait to see the next generation of storytellers step forward with their stories.

NITV Head of Indigenous Commissioning and Production, Dena Curtis said, Digital Originals is an important pathway for First Nations practitioners to break into the industry, providing the tools and mentorship to create powerful scripted series that amplify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives.

It's exciting to see two strong First Nations projects from the 2025 cohort move into development, and I look forward to following their progress as they continue to craft these innovative and entertaining narratives.

Screen Australia Director of Narrative Content, Louise Gough said, For more than half a decade, Digital Originals has played a vital role in supporting the next generation of screen creatives, offering tangible pathways towards sustainable careers and creating incredible stories for Australian audiences. The five teams who have received development funding showcase the culturally resonant and singular perspectives that have come to define Digital Original projects and teams. I'm excited to see them take this next step to continue to grow their creative vision and bring their unique stories to Australian audiences.

The five projects from 2025 (Digital Originals 6) include:

Bump Into You: After a steamy encounter with Deaf British traveller Frankie, hard of hearing James begins to explore a romantic connection that challenges his identity and family expectations.

Team: Nathan Borg, Sam Martin, Scarlett Koehne and Jessica Smith.

Good Boy: A lonely romantic falls in love with a man in prison. When she copycats a crime to prove his innocence, her fantasy life tips into a criminal reality.

Team: Rebecca Metcalf, Anu Hasbold.

Rogue One: Community policing meets chaos in the Top End where justice is murky, youth are smarter than the cops, and the local BBQ holds more intel than HQ.

Team: Mema Munro, Cian McCue, Rebecca Parker.

Musket: When Levi dumps a stolen colonial-era musket into Jack's ute, the two Koori best mates are forced into a tense and absurd overnight mission to return it - navigating rowdy classmates, a bitter wannabe-rapper and the weight of a rural boys' school that's never truly seen them as equals.

Team: Jack Steele, Bronte Gosper.

SCAMMERS: After retiree Denise Reynolds loses her life savings to a scam caller, she reluctantly teams up with her young aged-care worker Anika Luthra to scam the scammers back. But as Anika and Denise get closer to each other and the truth, they uncover a greater scam much closer to home.

Team: Mehhma Malhi, Xavier Hazard, Paige Wharehinga.

Digital Originals has an impressive track record, with several projects earning national and international acclaim. Most recently, Homebodies (2026) was nominated for the Short Form competition at Series Mania, receiving a Special Mention from the jury. Previous successes include Moonbird (2025), shown in competition at Series Mania last year and nominated for a Rockie Award; Night Bloomers (2023), which won the 2024 Australian Writers' Guild (AWG) Award for Best Web Series; and Appetite (2022), which premiered at the Canneseries TV Festival and was nominated for a Rose d'Or.

More than a talent initiative, Digital Originals is a proven pipeline into the industry, supporting new voices to build sustainable careers and connect with audiences. A number of alumni have progressed to key creative roles across SBS Original dramas and the wider sector, including Jub Clerc (Warm Props), who went on to direct Mystery Road: Origin Series 2, Mohini Herse (Appetite), who became set-up director for SBS Original Four Years Later; Latecomers producer Liam Heyen and director Madeleine Gottlieb, who reprised their roles for anthology series Erotic Stories; The Tailings director Stevie Cruz-Martin, who later directed award-winning series Safe Home; Homecoming Queens' Corrie Chen and Michelle Law, and Robbie Hood director Dylan River; all of whom have created critically acclaimed projects.

The full collection of Digital Originals is available on SBS On Demand, with more projects set to premiere later this year.

More information about Digital Originals 7 and how to apply is available

LINK:	https://www.sbs.com.au/aboutus/2026/05/14/transforming-bold-ideas-into...
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