Plans to recut archival episodes of the Australian soap into mobile microdramas focused on Margot Robbie’s character raise questions over consent, rights and the use of performers’ work.
Former cast members and crew of the long-running Australian soap opera Neighbours have voiced strong concerns over a project that uses artificial intelligence to re-edit old episodes into short vertical microdramas for mobile phones, with an initial focus on storylines featuring Hollywood star Margot Robbie.
Producer Fremantle has partnered with US-based RoseBerry Media to create the content for the Epis platform. The AI-assisted tool RedSnapper scans decades of episodes-the show ran from 1985 until its final episode in 2025-to identify character arcs, storylines and key moments. These are then edited and reframed into short vertical videos optimised for phone viewing.
Two of Robbie’s storylines as Donna Freedman, whom she played from 2008 to 2011, are being transformed into roughly 150 minutes of micro-episodes. Companies involved say the process relies solely on original, previously broadcast footage, dialogue and performances. They emphasise that no new scenes are generated, actors’ faces or likenesses are not altered, and synthetic voices are not used. Human editors review and approve every stage of the process. The stated aim is to introduce the iconic series to new audiences on mobile devices.
Neighbours Cast Condemn Unauthorised AI Reuse of Their Images:
Several performers and crew members say they were not consulted and did not consent to their images, voices or work being repurposed in this way. Long-time cast member Stefan Dennis, who played Paul Robinson for decades, described the project as “unbelievably invasive, morally and legally wrong,” adding that “somehow it appears we can’t do anything about it.” He said his agent was looking into the matter and expected others, along with industry bodies, to do the same.
Matthew Werkmeister, who played Zeke Kinski from 2005 to 2011 and appeared alongside Robbie in a love-triangle storyline, learned of the project only when approached by journalists. He expressed concern that his image was being used through AI on a platform he did not consent to, noting that contracts signed years earlier-in his case as a teenager-predated streaming and vertical mobile formats.
Sound recordist Bruce Findlay, who worked on the show from its first episode and has decades of industry experience, likened the AI re-editing of existing material to “cutting up a Picasso and rebuilding it.” Robbie herself has not publicly commented on the project.
Australian Unions Demand AI Protections for Actors and Writers:
Australia’s Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) and the Australian Writers’ Guild have become involved. Union representatives have called for stronger legislative protections to ensure consent and fair compensation for performers and creative workers when their work is used or adapted by AI systems.
The dispute highlights broader tensions in the entertainment industry as companies mine vast television archives with AI tools to create new formats. While producers argue that re-editing existing material for modern platforms is a legitimate way to extend the life of established intellectual property, many creators worry that older contracts do not adequately cover emerging technologies and distribution methods. Questions remain about residual payments and the extent of rights holders’ control over how performances are reframed and redistributed.
Fremantle and RoseBerry Media maintain that the project respects the integrity of the original performances and operates within existing rights frameworks. As the first microdrama content prepared for release, the initiative is being closely watched as a test case for how the industry balances innovation with the rights of those whose work underpins classic television.