Screen Australia aims to support the creation of a diverse slate of quality, innovative, original, culturally significant small-screen storytelling that resonates with contemporary audiences.

Screen Australia is required to place particular emphasis on “programs of interest or relevance to children”, they acknowledge the particular challenges and opportunities involved in producing programs for children, including the difficulties Commissioning Platforms have in monetising content, as well as the different relationship between first and subsequent windows created by the nature of the audience. For animation, preference will be given to those programs with Australian voices; or, on a case by case basis we may require a separate Australian voice track.

What funding is available?

Screen Australia will not contribute more than 45 per cent of the total budget, inclusive of any Producer Offset amount, other than in exceptional circumstances.

Further, Screen Australia investment is capped at $2 million in any one children’s program, other than in exceptional circumstances. If a project is a co-production, this cap will normally be reduced pro rata according to the percentage of the non-Australian co-production partner(s)’ contribution. So, for example if the co-production is a 60/40 Australian majority co production, the cap would be $1.2 million.

Screen Australia will only fund up to 50 per cent of the total budget, inclusive of any Producer Offset amount, other than in exceptional circumstances.

For official co-productions the 50 per cent cap applies only to the Australian component of the budget.

Who can apply?

Children’s programs of any broadcast format are eligible for this program, including telemovies, telemovie packages and series (no distinction is drawn between series and mini-series). The content can be animation or live action, preschool or drama and does not have to be classified ‘P’ or ‘C’ by the ACMA. However, the primary audience for the content must be children, as opposed to families generally.

Children’s programs, animation or live action, which do not feature predominantly Australian voices will not be eligible.

Whilst Screen Australia will not normally fund long running series, in the case of children’s programs we will give due consideration to applications requesting funding for more than 26 viewing hours of any one project, including multiple series (whether or not they have been funded by Screen Australia). 

Projects must meet Screen Australia’s Terms of Trade, including that they must have significant Australian content or be official co-productions.

his program is only open to episodic drama with total budgets of A$25 million or less.  Higher budget projects will normally have the benefit of the Producer Offset and should attract enough other financing without requiring funding from Screen Australia’s limited direct funding programs.

• Phone: 1800 507 901
• Email: dramaproduction@screenaustralia.gov.au