by FilmInk Staff
For nearly three decades, Australian vertical microdrama screenwriter, producer and director Racheal Leigh has been developing a single story. What began as a one-act stage play in 1997 has now evolved into Circle of Secrets – The Curse of Evelyn, a 20-episode AI animated vertical microdrama produced through Anamana’s 100 Creators Incubator Program, where Racheal became the first Australian creator accepted into the program.
The series marks an exciting milestone—the culmination of almost thirty years of creative development and Racheal’s first AI-produced vertical microdrama.
It follows the success of her earlier AI adaptation of The Tell-Tale Heart, a 10-episode vertical short that has already been officially selected for four film festivals and received Best Edit and Best Thriller awards, demonstrating that AI-assisted productions can also find recognition within the festival circuit.
While AI filmmaking continues to spark debate across the creative industries, Racheal hopes her project encourages people to look beyond the technology and recognise the creative work that still sits at the heart of filmmaking.
“This wasn’t a case of typing a prompt and letting AI make a film. The story already existed. Every episode was written, structured and rewritten. I still had to create shot lists, design storyboards, direct performances, make creative decisions, edit scenes and build the series piece by piece. AI became another production tool—not a replacement for the creative process.”
Like many independent filmmakers, Racheal knows how difficult it can be to bring original stories to the screen. Limited funding, small budgets and fierce competition often mean scripts remain unproduced for years despite the passion behind them.
“I still love live-action filmmaking and I always will,” she says. “But opportunities like this don’t come along every day. As independent filmmakers we’re constantly looking for new ways to tell stories and reach audiences. For me, AI wasn’t replacing filmmaking—it was opening a door that otherwise may have stayed closed.”
Since discovering the vertical microdrama format in 2025, Racheal has focused her writing on the rapidly growing genre, launching Vertical Drama Scripts to provide original English-language vertical microdrama screenplays for producers around the world. Alongside her writing, she has continued producing independent theatre and film projects while exploring how emerging technologies can help independent creators bring original stories to life.
Combining supernatural mystery, family secrets and fast-paced cliffhangers, Circle of Secrets – The Curse of Evelyn follows Sarah, a young woman who discovers she is the final heir to an ancient bloodline after witnessing a terrifying vision of her grandmother’s murder. As vampires, witches and long-buried family secrets collide, Sarah must uncover the truth before history repeats itself.
For Racheal, the series represents something larger than one production.
“It’s proof that independent creators don’t have to wait for permission forever. Technology will continue to change, but audiences will always connect with great characters and compelling stories. That’s what I’ve always wanted to create.”
Circle of Secrets – The Curse of Evelyn will premiere on the Anamana App available on Google Play & Apple Store in July 2026.
