SBS independent
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television production, Film production |
| Founded | August 1994 |
| Defunct | December 2007 |
Area served | Australia |
| Products | Multicultural television and film programming |
| Parent | Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) |
SBS Independent (SBSi) functioned as the commissioning division of Australia's multicultural public broadcaster, the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS), from August 1994 until December 2007. Created within the framework of the "Creative Nation" cultural policy initiative launched in October 1994, SBSi’s main responsibility was to commission multicultural programming from independent Australian film and television creators. In December 2007, SBSi was integrated into the SBS Content and Online Division, concluding its status as a separate administrative entity.
Throughout its thirteen-year tenure, SBSi commissioned over 810 productions spanning feature films, animation, television drama, documentaries, comedy, variety shows, and reality programming, collectively generating more than 1500 hours of content. It played a vital role in fostering emerging and early-stage filmmakers, particularly those from Indigenous and non-English speaking backgrounds. SBSi’s projects achieved notable international recognition, securing upwards of 450 awards, including the prestigious 2003 Academy Award for Adam Elliot’s animated short Harvie Krumpet.
As a prominent cultural organization, SBSi significantly impacted Australian film and television production methodologies. Collaborating with federal and state film funding agencies, it supported the development of Indigenous filmmakers such as Ivan Sen, Warwick Thornton, and Rachel Perkins. The works commissioned by SBSi garnered extensive acclaim through industry accolades and community engagement both domestically and abroad.
The range of content commissioned by SBSi was diverse, encompassing feature films, drama series, animation, standalone documentaries, and documentary series.
Productions
A detailed catalogue of productions commissioned by SBS Independent is accessible via the SBS Independent Commissioned Content Database. The following list highlights selected well-known titles that found distribution beyond their original broadcasts.
Animation
- Animated Tales of the World
- Bobtales
- Harvie Krumpet
- John Callahan's Quads!
- Leunig
- The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello
Comedy
Documentary
- The Prodigal Son
- Australia By Numbers series
- Fond Memories of Cuba
- Golden Sandals: The Art of Reg Mombassa
- John Safran's Music Jamboree
- John Safran vs God
- Nerds F.C.
- Poles Apart
- Sydney 2000
- The Animated Leunig
- Decadence
- Bush School