Screen NSW Production Finance

Funding of up to $850,000 is available per successful project, determined on a case-by-case basis based on Qualifying NSW Production Expenditure.
Features may receive up to 10% of Qualifying NSW Production Expenditure, capped at $850,000.
One-off documentaries may receive up to 10% of Qualifying NSW Production Expenditure, capped at $850,000.
Documentary series may receive up to 10% of Qualifying NSW Production Expenditure, capped at $850,000.
TV drama, including children’s television, may receive up to 5.5% of Qualifying NSW Production Expenditure, capped at $850,000.
Digital online interactive projects may receive up to 10% of Qualifying NSW Production Expenditure, capped at $850,000.
Matched funding or in-kind contribution requirements are UNKNOWN. Projects must be fully financed at the time of application, except for the contribution from Screen NSW or contributions being considered concurrently by other similar State or Commonwealth agencies.
Applications close 27 July 2026

The Screen NSW Production Finance program supports NSW production companies, screen projects and creatives to produce or post-produce screen content in NSW. The program supports feature films, longform adult and children’s drama series, factual and documentary television or online content, animation and interactive online screen entertainment. Its purpose is to maximise cultural and economic benefits for NSW by supporting screen practitioners to create new intellectual property, build commercially sustainable businesses and grow the NSW screen sector.

Funding supports exceptional quality, diverse and engaging fiction and non-fiction screen content that contributes to Australian culture and storytelling, generates employment and economic activity in NSW, supports NSW production companies and key creatives, and aligns with Screen NSW’s diversity commitments. Applications are assessed through published funding rounds and must address the assessment criteria

Key Requirements

Generate employment and economic activity for NSW: Projects should provide economic benefits to NSW through a high level of Qualifying NSW Production Expenditure and meaningful employment opportunities for NSW screen practitioners.
Contribute to Australian culture and storytelling: Supported projects should deliver culturally relevant, distinctive and high-quality screen content that contributes to Australian storytelling nationally and internationally.
Grow NSW production companies and creatives: The program aims to increase opportunities for NSW key creatives and support the growth, scale and competitiveness of NSW production companies.
Support diversity and authentic representation: Projects should reflect diversity across the creative team, content genre, format, platform, storylines, characters and target audience, with cultural authorship considered where relevant.
Demonstrate project quality and feasibility: Applications are assessed on the quality of submitted materials, the track record and delivery capability of the creative team, the viability of the finance plan and budget, the production methodology, marketplace commitment and pathway to audience

What is eligible for funding?

Production or post-production of feature films.
Production or post-production of documentary television, documentary features or online documentaries and documentary series with a total minimum duration of a commercial half hour.
Production or post-production of television drama and narrative comedy series, including miniseries.
Production or post-production of animation series.
Production or post-production of creative interactive online screen content, including digital series, interactive or XR content intended for public access on a screen-based device.
Post-production funding where principal photography has been completed and the applicant can demonstrate a post-production path to delivery and audience

What companies are eligible for funding?

Eligible applicants must be one of the following:

An Australian company based in NSW and actively operating in NSW for at least six months before applying, with at least 50% of the total production budget as Qualifying NSW Production Expenditure.
An Australian company not based in NSW that is in a genuine co-production arrangement with a NSW production company, or where the project is created by a NSW creative or substantially driven by NSW key creatives, with at least 50% of the total production budget as Qualifying NSW Production Expenditure.
A non-NSW based Australian company with at least 80% of the total production budget as Qualifying NSW Production Expenditure.
Applicants must also have a total production budget of less than $20 million, at least one NSW-based key creative, ownership or control of the rights required to carry out, market and exploit the project, and must be compliant with relevant program terms.
The 50% or 80% expenditure requirements may not apply where Qualifying NSW Production Expenditure is at least $5 million, where below-the-line eligible NSW post-production spend is at least $3 million, or where 100% of the project’s post-production will be undertaken in NSW with NSW-based post-production personnel.

Eligible projects must have Significant Australian Content or be an official treaty co-production, be fully financed at the time of application except for eligible concurrent funding contributions, be substantially ready to go into production, have marketplace commitments where required and be compliant with an eligible project format

Is this grant competitive or entitlement based?

Competitive. Your application will be assessed among other applications by a judging panel.

How can I increase my chances of winning this grant?

By engaging an accredited government grants consultant, such as Avant Group.

Competitive grants often require significant business case development and project analysis to support the application, this may include detailed presentations supporting the project’s merit, projected sales, cost-benefit analysis and more.

As part of your engagement with Avant Group, your account manager will assess the required documents and will provide the following as needed to support your grant submission.

Grant application writeup including a detailed presentation illustrating how the grant funding will contribute to your project, how the funding will contribute to the project’s budget, a project milestone plan, delivery timeline, impact on employment if applicable and a breakdown of the management and leadership team for the project

Industry analysis presentation
Competitor Analysis Presentation
Marketing and Sales Analysis Presentation
3-5 year Cashflow Forecast
3-5 year Balance Sheet Forecast
Cost-Benefit Analysis of Grant Funding
End-to-end grant application including information collating, analysis and application writing
CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) cost-benefit analysis
Stakeholder relations and Risk Mitigation Plans
Any other relevant forecasting that will support your application

How can I get help with my application? Or know if I’m likely to win funding?

Avant Group offers a no-obligation assessment of your eligibility for funding and will assess your likelihood of a successful grant application.

This grant is open

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