Film Funding

Avant Group helps Australian filmmakers access Australian film funding programs, Screen Australia grants, and state-based production support. Whether you’re producing a feature film, documentary, or TV series, our consultants guide you through every stage of the funding process.

Avant Group’s film funding department works with Australian production houses and filmmakers to gain funding and loans to help produce and distribute locally made productions to the world.

There are several funding programs available, with the majority funded by Screen Australia.

Below is an outline of the key funding opportunities based on production type e.g. feature film, documentary etc.

If you believe your production may be eligible, contact our team for an obligation-free eligibility assessment.

• Guaranteed Funding – Producer Offset Explained
• Competitive Funding – Feature Film, Television, Online & Documentary Support
• Export Funding – EMDG
• Film Funding Programs by State

GUARRANTEED FUNDING

Screen Australia Producer Offset Rebate: The Producer Offset is a refundable tax offset/rebate for producers of Australian feature films, television and other projects.

It is worth 40% of the QAPE* incurred in the making of a feature film or 30% of the QAPE* incurred for other eligible formats such as television series, animation series, online content or documentaries.

*QAPE = Qualifying Australian Production Expenditure. QAPE is a subset of production expenditure and provides the basis of the Producer Offset, since the amount of the refund is a fixed percentage i.e. 30% or 40% of QAPE on a certified project. It’s defined as the company’s production expenditure that is incurred.

COMPETITIVE FUNDING

FEATURE FILM, TELEVISION & ONLINE FUNDING

If you are developing an Australian feature film there are several funding opportunities to you during the development, production and distribution stage.

The major grant available for filmmakers during the development stage is the Narrative Content Development Funding, which covers features, TV and online/direct-to-audience production support. Applicants can apply for $10,000-$75,000 per application. 

Key funding to expand your film internationally include the International Marketing Support – Festivals and Awards funding, which can provide up to $20,000 for feature films and television series and up to $10,000 for short films and short form series. If you are marketing your film into international markets, you may be able to claim the cost back on some of those marketing activities with the Export Market Development, which offers between $20,000-$80,000 annually.

TELEVISION & ONLINE FUNDING

Australian film producers creating productions for television and online mediums are eligible to apply for several funding programs.

For the development stage the major grant available for filmmakers is the Narrative Content Development Funding, which covers features, TV and online/direct-to-audience production support. Applicants can apply for $10,000-$75,000 per application. 

Key funding opportunities to expand your production internationally include the International Marketing Support – Festivals and Awards funding, which can provide up to $20,000 for feature films and television series and up to $10,000 for short films and short form series. If you are marketing your work into international markets, you may be able to claim the cost back on some of those marketing activities with the Export Market Development Grant, which offers between $20,000-$80,000 annually.

DOCUMENTARY FUNDING

There are several documentary funding grants in Australia specifically for documentary producers. The key programs to be aware of are the Documentary Development program, which offers up to $30,000 for the development of one-off or series documentaries.

There are also several programs available for the production stage of documentary production. The main one is the Documentary Production Program, which offers three separate funding streams: Direct-to-Audience (Maximum grant $500,000 per project), Platform First (Maximum grant $500,000 per project) and Producer First (Maximum grant of $500,000 per project).

Key funding to expand your film internationally include the International Marketing Support – Festivals and Awards funding, which can provide up to $20,000 for feature films and up to $10,000 for short films.

If you are marketing your film into international markets, you may be able to claim the cost back on some of those marketing activities with the Export Market Development Grant , which offers between $20,000-$80,000 annually.

INDIGENOUS FILMMAKERS

For Indigenous filmmaker there are several funding programs available.

For projects in the development stage, the following Indigenous film funding programs are available:

First Nations Feature Development

Who: Writers or teams with demonstrated experience and an idea they wish to explore in the longer feature format

What: Up to $30,000, or up to $45,000 if a producer is attached

First Nations TV Drama Development

Who: Writers or teams with demonstrated experience and a strong TV drama idea; supports the creation of appropriate written and/or visual materials to ensure projects are as strong as possible when competing for production finance

What: Up to $30,000 for one-off projects and up to $65,000 for series

First Nations Documentary Development

Who: Individual practitioners or teams with some experience; emerging practitioners are encouraged to apply.

What: Up to $30,000 for one-off, feature-length documentaries; up to $30,000 for series; up to $20,000 for television one-hour documentaries; and up to $20,000 for online series.

For Indigenous filmmakers in the production stage of their projects, the following programs are available:

First Nations Feature production

Who: Producers of feature-length projects on behalf of a team including an experienced Indigenous writer and director, or writer/director; projects must have an acceptable offer to theatrically distribute the project in Australia.

What: Limited funding is available, intended primarily to assist in the professional development of Indigenous key creatives.

First Nations TV DRAMA PRODUCTION

Who: Experienced teams with outstanding television drama projects that have demonstrated potential to reach an audience; local presale for Australian free-to-air or subscription television rights required, with a minimum licence fee of $440,000 per broadcast hour.

What: Limited funding to support the production of telemovies, series and drama multiplatform projects; intended primarily to assist in the professional development of Indigenous key creatives.

First Nations Documentary production

Who: Experienced teams with projects based on strong and original ideas; local presale for Australian free-to-air or subscription television rights required, with a minimum licence fee of $150,000 per broadcast hour.

What: Limited funding to support the production and/or post-production of one-off documentaries, documentary series or factual multiplatform projects; intended primarily to assist in the professional development of Indigenous key creatives.

INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT

The Screen Industry Partnerships program provides limited funding for events that exhibit unique benefits to the Australian screen industry, typically annual or regular events such as conferences and markets that take place in Australia. Funding is available for one, two or three years. The funding amount will depend on the scope and scale of the event.

For Australian-based festivals that promote the screen industry, the Australian Screen Festivals Fund provides up to the three years of funding for festival applications that exhibit unique benefits to the Australian screen industry and to Australian audiences.

EXPORTING YOUR FILM TO THE WORLD? YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR EMDG

If you are engaging in marketing activities in international markets, you may be eligible for the Export Market Development Grant (EMDG).

The EMDG allows you to claim 50% back on the cost of exporting your product into international markets (net the first $5000) every year, for up to eight years.

This means you could claim marketing costs such as advertising, including online advertising such as Facebook and Google AdWords, trips overseas to pitch your production etc.

Click here for more information on the EMDG.

STATE PROGRAMS

State Government’s offer a variety of funding programs for locally-produced film and television programs.

These programs vary between states and opening/closing dates change throughout the year.

Avant Group lists current film and television funding programs in its grants directory.

Alternatively, contact our team for more information about film funding in your state.