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Applications open for 2025 Digital Originals initiative

Screen Australia, SBS and NITV are pleased to announce that applications for the 2025 Digital Originals initiative are now open.

Moonbird

Now in its sixth year, Digital Originals is a nationwide talent development program supporting screen creatives from historically under-represented backgrounds, including those who identify as culturally and linguistically diverse, First Nations, d/Deaf and disabled, women and gender diverse, LGBTQIA+ and those from regional and remote areas. 

Developed to uncover fresh, compelling stories for SBS on Demand and NITV, the initiative offers emerging creators a valuable pathway into the screen industry – equipping them with skills, industry connections and support to bring distinctive Australian stories to life.  

Many past participants have gone onto make their mark both at home and abroad, including Jub Clerc (Warm Props), Mohini Herse (Appetite), Emma Myers and Angus Thompson (Latecomers), Madeleine Gottlieb (Latecomers) and Corrie Chen (Homecoming Queens) – and many more. Past Digital Originals projects have garnered local and international acclaim with Night Bloomers winning an Australian Writer’s Guild Award for Best Web Series, and Latecomers, A Beginner’s Guide to Grief and The Tailings all winning AACTA Awards. Appetite was selected to screen at Canneseries 2023, and Moonbird was shown in competition at Series Mania in 2025. 

Following on from the workshops in November, six teams from the Digital Originals 2024 cohort have also been selected to receive development funding for their projects: Banana Milkshake, Hardly a Wallflower, In Her Body, Mangrove Mansion, Nailing It! and Tantrum. Find more information on these six projects here.  

Three new Digital Originals projects – Moonbird, Warm Props, and Moni – are set to premiere on NITV and SBS On Demand from Thursday 19 June. 

Applications for Digital Originals 2025 close at 5pm AEST on 17 July 2025. Shortlisted teams will be invited to attend an exclusive workshop in October, followed by a pitch day in November, with a select number then offered further development funding.  

Webinar 

Screen Australia, SBS and NITV will also host a Digital Originals information webinar on 13 June. Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend and hear from SBS Scripted Development Executive Zaina Ahmed, NITV Commissioning Editor Joseph Meldrum and Screen Australia Investment Manager Joanna Beveridge about the history of Digital Originals and what Screen Australia, SBS and NITV are looking for in this current round, followed by a Q&A. 

For more information and to apply, please read the guidelines here.  

Watch all Digital Originals projects here. 

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