Fremantle Partnered With RoseBerry to Reformat Archives
The media group is using artificial intelligence to repurpose classic episodes of Neighbours for mobile-first audiences.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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Fremantle has partnered with the tech firm RoseBerry to convert classic episodes of the Australian soap opera Neighbours into a vertical format. The project uses an artificial intelligence platform to automate the reformatting of library content for mobile consumption on the Epis app.
Why it matters
This initiative represents a strategic effort to unlock commercial value from legacy media libraries by optimizing existing assets for modern, mobile-first viewing habits. By leveraging automated reformatting, studios can reach younger demographics without the costs associated with original production.
The production relies on the RedSnapper AI-assisted platform to scan and crop footage from the 40-year-old archive into a vertical aspect ratio. This conversion process is expected to yield approximately 150 minutes of new, mobile-optimized content.
The players
Fremantle
A global television production and distribution company known for managing extensive content libraries and long-running franchise soaps.
RoseBerry
A technology firm specializing in artificial intelligence-driven tools for video post-production and content optimization.
Margot Robbie
An actress who gained early prominence for her role as Donna Freedman on the series Neighbours between 2008 and 2011.
The details
The RedSnapper platform uses computer vision—a field of artificial intelligence that enables computers to identify and process visual information—to automatically adjust the framing of legacy horizontal video. By analyzing the center of action within each scene, the software crops the 1985-origin footage to fit vertical mobile screens while attempting to maintain visual focus on key subjects, such as Margot Robbie's character, Donna Freedman.
Timeline
1985: The soap opera Neighbours first arrived on television screens.
2008-2011: Margot Robbie appeared on the show as Donna Freedman.
2022: British funding for the production was withdrawn.
2025: The series celebrated its 40th anniversary milestone.
December 2025: The final episode of the Amazon Prime Video revival aired.
The Tech Race
This project follows the pattern set by the industry-wide trend of AI-driven catalog revitalization as studios look to maximize the return on legacy intellectual property. It competes with other attempts to bridge the gap between decades-old television formats and the vertical video standards now dominant on social platforms.
Viewers will eventually be able to access the repurposed content directly through the Epis app. The edit specifically targets scenes featuring Donna Freedman, potentially offering a more accessible way for newer fans to engage with the show's long-standing character history.
The takeaway
This partnership highlights how studios are using AI to bypass the high costs of traditional re-mastering for mobile distribution. Watch for the release of the 150 minutes of content on the Epis app to gauge audience reception to automated vertical crops of classic television.
Further reading
For more on how studios are applying machine learning to legacy media assets, see Artificial Intelligence.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Metro.
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