The International Finance fund provides support to Australian projects with a very high level of global appeal, to assist them to develop pitching materials and strategy, in order to best attract international partnerships and finance in the current market. 

It is open to long form drama and documentary projects on any platform which are market ready, have undergone a successful development process and can demonstrate development funding from an arm’s length commercial partner.

What funding is available?

Funding of $5,000 - $20,000 will be granted to successful applicants and can cover items that will elevate the pitch and/or pitching strategy. These might include:

• creation of marketing and pitching materials
• reasonable travel costs for 1-3 people - being those in the best position on the creative team to creatively pitch and/or follow up and broker deals
• if required, work-shopping of the pitch from appropriate and experienced industry mentors or consultants
• if required, assistance from appropriate and experienced industry mentors or consultants, to help with strategic planning. (e.g. suggested key meeting targets and best way to approach, or advice around financing and deals, and other current market trends).

The types of items you apply for will depend of the level of experience of the team and nature of project. 

The amount of funding you apply for should be relative to the size of the investment potential and the likelihood of attracting partners. For commercial projects of scale with a strong likelihood to attract significant finance and large marketplace partners, it would be at the higher end. For projects of smaller scale it would be at a lower end.  

Applications for the International Finance fund can be made at any time through the application portal.

Who can apply?

Applications for this fund are open to anyone who:

• meets all requirements and conditions in our Terms of Trade
• is an Australian individual or team.  Co-productions may also apply with an application from the Australian Company.
• has a market-ready, long-form project on any platform
• has undergone significant creative development and has the key creative team attached
• has a project that is uniquely and culturally identifiable as Australian and is also bold, ambitious and has universal appeal
• controls the rights and has meaningful creative control of the project
• can evidence successful development process and funding from an arm’s length commercial partner (i.e. a substantial and well-known international or Australian commercial entity with an effective track record on similar projects, for example, a commissioning platform, broadcaster, local or international distributor, studio or production company of substance) and/or Screen Australia where their development funding will have been fully acquitted as a pre-condition of eligibility.

Please refer to the ACMA guidelines for the definition of a documentary note: Screen Australia does not invest in programs such as reality or magazine television, light entertainment, panel or travel shows, infotainment, current affairs, cooking, ‘how to’, sports, corporate, training, games, extensions to film or TV, or community access programs or projects whose primary market is the education sector.

Long form is defined as a single feature project (scripted or unscripted) of at least 85 minutes duration, an episodic project of at least 3 commercial hours, or an online project of at least 45 minutes total series duration.  XR (Extended Reality) projects can be any length. 

Market ready means the project must be creatively sound, have a realistic estimated budget (or budget range) and finance plan (or plans), and at a stage of sourcing finance, partners and/or pre sales. It will have undergone significant creative development and have the key creative team attached. The stage of development might vary dependent on content type, intended platform of release, and the proposed strategy.    

Please note that applications cannot be made retrospectively.

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