Created for just $12,000, the 11-part thriller follows two strangers drawn into a criminal underworld in rural Victoria.

Australian production company Onehouse Story Co. has launched Dustlands, an 11-part online drama created specifically for the rapidly growing vertical-video format.

Created and written by lead actor Jack Hayes alongside co-writer and co-star Isobel Kilmartin, the short-form thriller follows a lonely drug dealer and a grieving carer who are drawn into a quiet criminal underworld after a chance encounter.

Set in rural Victoria, the character-driven series explores loneliness, human connection and the consequences of keeping secrets. Its creators hope to bring a grounded, cinematic approach to a format more commonly associated with fast-moving melodrama.

The series was made on a budget of $12,000, raised through crowdfunding contributions from friends, family and supporters. Filming took place over seven days across a two-week period in Red Hill, Victoria.

Hayes said the growing international reach of online drama inspired him to explore whether the vertical format could support more ambitious storytelling.

“A lot of them seemed to follow a very specific tone and style,” Hayes said. “It made me wonder if we could do something different.

“Could we make a series that had the look, performances and storytelling of prestige television, while still keeping the hooks, pace and accessibility of a short-form online series?”

Hayes said he wanted to place the audience at the centre of the project and create the kind of series he would have enjoyed watching while growing up.

Prioritising tension, performance and restraint over spectacle, Dustlands brought together more than 20 emerging cast and crew members.

Kilmartin described the project as an example of what can happen when young creatives take control of their own work.

“Dustlands is a testament to the liberation of standing up for ourselves as creatives and breaking the confines that can, at times, feel entrenched in the Australian industry,” she said.

“Jack’s and my shared vision gave it a foundation, but it was the generosity, talent and courage of Fin, Cam, the cast and the crew that allowed it to become something none of us could have made alone.”

The series was directed by Finegan Sampson, with Cameron Mitchell serving as director of photography.

Sampson said the opportunity to tell a distinctly Australian story within the online space attracted him to the project.

“The characters felt layered and deeply human, and I could see so much room to explore the nuances of their relationships: what they share, what they misunderstand and what they choose to hide,” he said.

“I hope Dustlands shows what is possible for drama in the online space. There is an audience for Australian stories with complex characters and emotional depth, and I would love this series to help make more room for them.”

Dustlands has been selected for several festivals, including Melbourne WebFest, while its official trailer premiered at a sold-out Melbourne launch event last week.

New episodes will be released weekly in vertical format across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube. A full-frame version will also be available on YouTube.

The first episode, titled “The Boot,” is available to watch here.