

Debono, Wright and Avery, along with the show’s director Daniel Mercieca and producer Rory Delaney, are crowded around a cafe table on a rainy Sydney day, hot drinks in hand. The enthusiasm is palpable as they tell BuzzFeed News about Subject to Change.

“There’s something about the story that draws people in, even without it being pushed. it’s unlocked something, somewhere,” says Wright.

Since the pilot launched on YouTube last week – quietly, says Delaney, without too much fanfare – the cast has received messages from people across Australia and all over the world. Messages from London, Iran, Russia and France have all said it struck a chord.

Part of the appeal comes from the show’s mission: to counter a lack of depth in the LGBT characters we see on Australian television.

“There were always characters shows touched on, but it felt like they needed to be more central, to really get and explain and understand their side of things,” Mercieca says.

Delaney agrees, adding that more LGBT characters are coming through. He points to The Family Law, a new SBS show based on the popular memoir by Benjamin Law, as one example.

“I wouldn’t say it's a desert out there, but there’s still not enough.”

In the works since 2001, Subject to Change came together slowly but surely, after a fundraising campaign exceeded its $15,500 target by an enormous 75%.

“The amount of support just blew our minds, the people who wanted to support the show financially,” says Delaney.

“There was a period of just asking, how?” says Avery. “It’s just us – we’re not big names!”

Mercieca puts it down to there being “a real gap in the market” for young adult drama, adding that the extra money funded post-production and commercial music rights.

Support came from high places as well, with musician Missy Higgins donating the rights to her song “Secrets” to be used in the pilot.