The urge to proof yourself to others, pushing past your limits, and experiencing extreme physical symptoms due to burn-out—all these themes are gruesomely explored in our body horror series Skindeep, whose pilot episode premiered last weekend on the NPO3 YouTube channel. With this series, we aim to show young people that it’s okay to take a step back sometimes.

The series focuses on ballerina Talia (Elaine Meijerink), who, despite her immense dedication and hard work, has never landed a leading role. When the lead part in a new prestigious dance production seems to pass her by again, the original lead, Zoe (Jatou Sumbunu), succumbs to a mysterious skin disease. Talia makes use of the situation and eventually does land the lead role, only to discover that she is developing the same illness. Can she keep dancing while her body fights against her, or will she burn out spectacularly?

In 2021, 58% of Gen Z reported symptoms of burn-out. In a world that demands A LOT from them everyday, young people face immense pressure. Director and co-writer Nina Noël Raaijmakers explains: “With Skindeep we want to make young people aware of the never-ending struggle to meet unrealistic standards of a performance-driven society.” She hopes to help them see that it’s okay to step back and prioritize themselves.

The pilot is part of the NPO 3LAB platform and is the only body horror production in the line-up. Producer Monique van Kessel states: “For us, (body) horror is the ideal film genre to highlight societal and social issues. This genre in particular allows you to push the boundaries of reality and tackle topics in spine-chilling ways.”

Currently, only the pilot episode has been produced. A jury from NPO 3LAB will decide whether the full series will be developed, based on factors such as the show’s content and the number of views the pilot receives.

Watch the full pilot episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbl7Xx16FYw&t=12s