Neighbours legend Stefan Dennis slams plans to reformat Margot Robbie episodes

Neighbours' Stefan Dennis has hit back at reported plans to reformat old episodes of the soap into short-form vertical video episodes using AI. Variety reports that RoseBerry Media will recut episodes starring Margot Robbie into vertical videos for its Epis Platform.

The publication said that two storylines – including with Robbie's character Donna Freedman, whom she played from 2008 to 2011 – will be cut into micro episodes that will total 150 minutes combined.

This project is being done using RedSnapper, RoseBerry's production workflow, which uses AI to create vertical content.

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Speaking to the Herald Sun, Stefan Dennis, who portrayed Paul Robinson in the show, slammed the use of AI for the vertical episodes, calling the new microdrama "unbelievably invasive, morally and legally wrong, and somehow it appears we can’t do anything about it".

"I’ve got my agent [on it]. I imagine everyone else on Neighbours is doing the same thing, as well as the MEAA and Australian Writers Guild. Whether they can stop it is another thing. We’re dealing with a very big machine," he said.

Digital Spy has contacted representatives for Fremantle Australia and RoseBerry Media for comment.

Dennis went on to say he feels "fear" for "his industry and every other industry" with the rise of AI technology.

"A year ago, I made a prediction that in 10 years, the world of recorded media will be predominantly AI. Well, I’m taking that back because it won’t be 10 years," he said. "The avalanche is happening now, and it will swallow us all."

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In a statement provided to Variety, co-founder and CEO of RoseBerry Media, Guy Hameiri, said: "Neighbours is an iconic piece of television history, and exactly the kind of premium entertainment IP we believe can thrive in the vertical format.

"This is the first time we’ve had the opportunity to apply RedSnapper to a long-running soap with such a rich library of characters, storylines and cultural moments, and Fremantle has been a fantastic partner in helping bring that vision to life."

Fremantle commercial and international CEO Jens Richter also said in a statement: "Neighbours has an extraordinary legacy, with decades of memorable characters, stories and talent.

"Working with RoseBerry allows us to explore incredible archive in an entirely new way, bringing much-loved IP to new audiences while demonstrating how established television libraries can continue to evolve, find new relevance and importantly create new commercial opportunities.

"It’s an exciting example of how technology and creative thinking can unlock new value from our diverse catalog and content library."

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