The Development Funding program is for Queensland-based screen practitioners with engaging ideas that have potential to excite global audiences and secure market.

The program is suited to applicants with projects in development who are seeking investment from Screen Queensland to progress their project to the next stage of development or production.

This program applies to stories from early stage through to production-ready development.

Projects can receive support more than once through this program with a maximum of $100,000 over the lifetime of the project.

How much can I apply for?

Under the new guidelines, all development funding will be offered as grant funding; Screen Queensland will cease to take a copyright interest in Development funds where contracting is finalised after 1 July 2024. No retrospective conversion of investment to grant is possible for existing Development Investment Agreements. 

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 
• Conceptual-stage applications will be accepted from established practitioners only (minimum half-hour professional screen credit) – capped at $7,500 
• Queensland applicant/producer only 
• Applications from sole practitioners are encouraged 
• Minimum creative materials: 
  • Scripted
    • treatment (draft scripts preferable)
  • Unscripted 
    • demonstrable evidence of access arrangements, along with minimum one-page pitch document – treatment preferable 
• Minimum Creative Materials for Conceptual-stage applications: 
  • one-page pitch 

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)

General notes:

• Under the new guidelines, all development funding will be offered as grant funding; Screen Queensland will cease to take a copyright interest in Development funds where contracting is finalised after 1 July 2024. No retrospective conversion of investment to grant is possible for existing Development Investment Agreements
• Letters of Interest/Intent from marketplace will be assessed in context of the project’s stage of development. Track record of LOI-provider will be assessed
• Applications will not be accepted where minimum creative materials are not provided
• Funds requested must be appropriate for current stage of development and associated deliverables. Please note that applicants may not receive the full funding requested and funding is awarded at Screen Queensland’s sole discretion. 
• 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
• All applications will be assessed according to development budget needs.

Who can apply?

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. 

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