SBS has launched Future Frames, an initiative to support the career path of emerging Indigenous editors through a program of practical experience, mentorship and professional development.
Selected applicants will be supported to attend an intensive three-week development program at SBS in Sydney’s Cameraigal Country. There you will receive hands-on training and mentorship from SBS and NITV editors, as well as access to specialist equipment and software with support from Adobe. The Australian Film Editors Guild will also offer participants a one-year membership and will also receive an editing laptop.
The initiative was developed through SBS’s Technology Department and is the brainchild of Senior Video Editor John Schmidt, ASE’s first and only Indigenous member. This is believed to be Australia’s first program to specifically support Indigenous editors.
SBS Director of Indigenous Affairs Tanya Denning-Orman said Future Frames reflected the broadcaster’s continued commitment to elevating Indigenous voices “through the stories we share and the people who shape them”.
Chief Technology Office Darren Farnham added that the program creates a practical pathway into editing and post-production “through practical training, access to industry technology, and mentorship aimed at building capacity and providing valuable real-world experience.”
“We look forward to receiving applications from passionate storytellers across the country and look forward to working closely with successful applicants next year,” he said.
Actor and producer Aaron Pedersen also expressed support for the initiative, saying, “Initiatives like this further build a stronger foundation for a better film industry by giving future Indigenous storytellers the opportunity to actively contribute to the development and representation of Indigenous stories from an Indigenous perspective. They can continue to tell their stories as they have for thousands of years.”
Future Frames is open to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants from anywhere in Australia, and selected participants will have their travel, accommodation and meals reimbursed in Sydney. Entrants can enter by submitting a written text of 250-500 words or a 2-3 minute video and will be assessed based on their creativity, potential and passion for storytelling by a panel including representatives from SBS and NITV, as well as key figures from the Indigenous industry.
Entries are now open and close on February 9, 2026.
