The Development Fund assists Queensland-based practitioners and interstate producers working with Queensland-based key creatives with up to $50,000 to turn their fresh, exciting and marketable ideas into a project ready for the screen.

The Development Fund supports projects with a clearly defined plan to meaningfully progress to the next critical stage on their journey to screen.

Development funding is offered in three tiers, depending on the applicant’s stage of development, evidence of marketplace interest and residency status (Queensland or interstate). 

Tier 1: Up to $15,000 (Queensland residents)

• Funding directed toward Queensland spend only 
• Queensland-resident applicants and producers, including sole practitioners are encouraged to apply
• For Queensland resident sole practitioners, written confirmation of a suitable producer's attachment to the project must be provided
• Interstate producers with a strong track record of professional screen credits may apply for funding that supports Queensland-resident key creatives
• Minimum creative materials: 
  • Scripted
    • treatment (draft scripts preferable)
  • Unscripted 
    • demonstrable evidence of access arrangements, along with minimum one-page pitch document – treatment preferable 

Tier 2: $15,001 - $30,000 (Queensland-residents and interstate)

• Funding toward Queensland spend only 
• Queensland applicants:
  • must be a rights-holding Queensland-resident producer retaining minimum 50% I.P./copyright in the project and 
  • must have a Queensland-resident writer or director attached (with attachment confirmed in writing)
  • no Letter of Interest/Intent (LOI) from marketplace required but applications that demonstrate marketplace interest will generally be more competitive
• Interstate applicants:
  • must be a rights-holding producer
  • must have minimum 50% writers/directors (attachment confirmed in writing) as Queenslanders
  • must demonstrate clear intent to bring production to Queensland AND/OR, story is set in Queensland and intent is to shoot Queensland as Queensland
  • Letter of Intent required 
• Minimum creative materials required:
  • Scripted
    • draft script(s) or equivalent well-developed, competitive creative materials
  • Unscripted
    • advanced Treatment and evidence of access arrangements

Tier 3: Slate funding $25,000 - $50,000 (Queensland-resident producers)

• Slate funding capped at $50,000 for entire slate
• Slate funding is available for established Queensland-resident producers with a track record of successful commissions and productions and may be applied to a slate of minimum 4 projects
• Applicant may only apply for slate funding once per financial year
• If successful, slate development deliverables will need to be fully acquitted before Screen Queensland will accept other applications for Development funding. Exceptions to this will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and may require evidence of substantial progress of slate deliverables
• Slate funding deliverables must be acquitted within 6 months
• Marketplace LOIs desirable but not required
• Minimum creative materials may be a combination of early-stage creative materials (e.g. treatments, one-pagers, early draft scripts), depending on ask and stage of development
• Please contact Screen Queensland before applying for slate funding.

Cap of $100,000 of development funding in any form, per financial year per applicant/company/associated company. Cap of $100,000 total development funding for any one project over its lifetime.

The Development Fund is open to anyone who:   

• lives and works in Queensland (and has been a resident of the state for at least six months immediately preceding the application; proof of residency may be required) OR  
• for Interstate applicants, must be an Australian resident working with minimum 50% writers or directors who live and work in Queensland
• can ensure requested funding is directed towards Queensland elements
• can provide the required detail/documents for the program they are applying for
• owns the rights to the story they are telling. 

Applicants or key creatives who identify as Queensland residents must have been a resident of the state for at least six months immediately preceding the application (proof of residency may be required).

It is important that your team of key creatives authentically represent the story and characters in your application. If your story includes content or characters from a diverse background, (e.g. female, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culturally and linguistically diverse people, people with a disability, or LGBTQIA+ people) then appropriate representation of that diversity must be ensured throughout the production.

• Phone: 3248 0500
• Email: content@screenqld.com.au