Development Program

All applicants need to fulfil all the following criteria:

• Be either a writer or producer who is an Australian resident or citizen or contracted by a Australian company providing writing services.
  
  
• If a writer applies for funding without a producer attached to the project:
  
  
  • • They must be residents of NSW and can only receive one round of funding for a project without a producer
    • Any subsequent applications must have an Eligible Producer attached. Where an applicant is an emerging individual or team and they do not have a suitable credit, a script editor or recognised Executive Producer may be considered.
      
      
• If a producer applies for funding they must meet the definition of Eligible Producer and:
  
  
  • • For NSW Producer applicants: you may engage a non-NSW resident writer, however, preference is given to all-NSW teams. Note: Screen NSW will only fund NSW elements – i.e., all expenditure must be in NSW and spent on NSW based recipients.
    • For Non-NSW Producer applicants: you must engage a NSW resident writer and the project must intend to shoot and /or post produced in NSW. Screen NSW acknowledges that co-productions and story content may sometimes require otherwise.
      
      
• If a director is attached (including any co-directors) and where the writers or producers attached cannot meet the credit eligibility requirements, the Director must have at least two ‘Eligible drama credits’ in their respective role and the credits needs to be for the same type of project submitted for development support (e.g., fiction feature, documentary series or be congruent with them).
  
  
• Documentary applications:
  
  
  • • Where the request includes shooting material, a director must be attached
    • From a director must include an eligible producer or executive producer
    • Directors must be NSW residents.
      
      
• Screen NSW is obligated to prioritise teams who are all NSW-residents.
  
  
• Applicants must hold the rights to the submitted project and be able to demonstrate this if required by providing chain of title documents.
  
  
• Authenticity of story elements is mandatory and projects must have individuals in significant creative roles representing priority groups that are aligned to the project’s story. 

AND

All applications must qualify based on one of the below eligibility criteria:

• The Writer must have an appropriate credit on a qualifying project:
   
  
  • • A project that has screened at a recognised Marquee Film Festival
    • Had a commercial theatrical release
    • Acquired by a recognised Commissioning Platform with a proof the project is, at minimum already in production and has a release plan in place
    • Online digital projects with demonstrated audience taking into consideration viewing levels such as Average Audience VPM (Volume per million)
    • The credit must be in the same role (Writer, Producer or in some circumstances, Executive Producers with a track record in securing production financing) and for the same type of project submitted for development support (e.g., fiction feature, documentary series or be congruent with them).

OR

• Individual NSW practitioners who have received development funding or successfully participated in a development initiative from a Screen Agency or market player. Assessment of this prior support is at the discretion of Screen NSW and must be approved prior to submitting. 

OR

• You can provide evidence of market interest (Letter of Interest is minimum) or have secured co-funding from a recognised distributor or commissioning platform.
  
  

Eligible projects are:

• Narrative fiction or documentary projects (as defined by ACMA) for any release platform including cinema, television and online
• Creative interactive screen entertainment. 
  
  

Non-eligible projects are:

• Short films under 60 minutes
• Lifestyle, Infotainment, Magazine, Sports, Game Shows and Current Affairs concepts.
• Community television
• Reality television series
• Projects being developed as part of a course of study.
  
  

Participation and Diversity:

• Authenticity of story elements is essential. Projects that do not have individuals in significant creative roles representing priority groups that are aligned to the project’s story will be deemed ineligible.
• If your project contains First Nations Content it will be ineligible if it cannot demonstrate appropriate Indigenous consultation and/or participation. Screen NSW does not currently support projects with significant First Nation’s content without a member of the key creative team coming from an appropriate background. Please refer to Screen Australia’s guidelines Pathways & Protocols: a filmmaker’s guide to working with Indigenous people, culture and concepts.
  
  

Resubmission eligibility:

• If your project has been declined twice you cannot submit another application for the same project.
• You can submit a maximum of two applications per project through this program in any one financial year without market interest.
  
  

An Eligible Producer is either:

• An ‘Experienced Producer’, or
• A producer who has at least two ‘Eligible Drama Credits’, or
• An emerging producer applying in conjunction with an ‘Experienced Producer’.

An Experienced Producer is defined as having at least one credit as a producer on a feature film that has been released on a minimum of 5 commercial screens in one territory OR a primetime broadcast drama series or telemovie OR in the case of documentary, a producer or director with at least one ‘Eligible Documentary Credit.’ 

An Eligible Drama Credit under this program is a drama film or program of at least 10 minutes duration which has: 

• Screened at a Marquee Film Festival, or
• Been nominated for an AACTA Award or Academy Award, or
• Been broadcast by a recognised commissioning platform, i.e., broadcaster or channel, or
• Had a commercial theatrical release.

An Eligible Documentary Credit under this program must be either:

• A linear documentary, is 30 minutes or longer in duration, and has:
  • Been broadcast by a recognised commissioning platform (i.e., broadcaster or channel), or
  • Had a commercial theatrical release, or
  • Been invited to screen at IDFA, Hot Docs, or equivalent 
• An interactive linear documentary which has been publicly released.
  
  

Screen NSW is dedicated to promoting fairness and equality in its programs and interactions with the community. Our main priorities include supporting increased participation in the industry of people from underrepresented groups, including:

• Regional NSW 
• Western Sydney 
• First Nations people 
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds 
• People living with disability 
• LGBTQIA+ people. 

Supporting this participation encourages genuine storytelling and fosters inclusivity.

Screen NSW believes it is crucial for the narrative and characters of projects it funds to reflect the lived experiences of diverse communities. Furthermore, Screen NSW values the cultural expertise of the applicant’s creative team in conveying an authentic story. Therefore, when evaluating applications, we consider the cultural authorship of the creative team as a significant factor.

To effectively contribute to the cultural and economic well-being of the state of NSW, screen content should resonate with and cater to our audiences. Embracing diverse ideas and fostering a diverse workforce will strengthen our local screen industry, making it more relevant to local audiences and more competitive globally.

• Up to $50,000 depending on the project type and level of market interest.
• Requested amounts should be reasonable and relative to the development stage and proposed activity, the scope of the final project being developed and align with our Budget Guide.
• Applicants are expected to supplement this funding with their own or third-party contributions and Screen NSW funding is generally a partial contribution to the next stage of development.
• Screen NSW funding is provided as a development investment which must be repaid from the production budget unless we elect to rollover into the production. Development funding automatically rolls over into production and is treated as Screen NSW Equity or producer equity in accordance with our Terms of Trade.
  • • If the project goes into production and it is not funded by Screen NSW, the development funding will be treated as Screen NSW equity and is repayable.
    • When conversion to production does not occur, the funding is treated as equity and is not repayable.
      
      

Funding is for the development of a project and/or to secure market attachment for production finance.

Funding requests could include:

• Writers room costs, series bibles, draft to draft for fiction series or one-off projects
• Draft to draft for fiction features
• Research, writing of treatments, teasers
• Strategic shooting for documentary projects
• Proof of concepts, prototypes, concept art, test shooting (360-degree projects only), script, pitch documents
• Advanced stage projects with significant market interest, budgeting, scheduling, casting, travel to finalise production finance.
  

Development budgets cannot include funding for:

• Office overheads
• Legal fees
• Option fees
• Items already expended prior to applying for development funds
• Graphic design or printing costs associated with a pitch deck
• Catering costs for writers’ rooms over $200 per day.
  
  

The total requested contribution from Screen NSW should not normally exceed:

Note: The caps are applicable solely to Screen NSW‘s contribution. The applicant or third party is expected to cover the difference between the Screen NSW contribution and the budgeted cost.

Fiction

Documentary

• The underlying idea’s strength, distinctiveness, originality and dramatic potential
• Does the story feel timely or particularly resonant?
• The quality of the submitted materials: what work needs to be done on story, structure, character, dialogue, tone, etc.
• Is there clarity about genre and does the script deliver on it? 
  
  

• The applicant’s demonstration of pathway to audience appropriate to the project’s budget size and financing strategy
• Potential of the project to reach and resonate with its target audience.
  
  

• Does the team have the skills and relevant experience to advance the project towards production and deliver on its creative vision
• The appropriateness of the development plan for this stage of funding.
  
  

How robustly does the project advance diversity across one or more of the following:

• On-screen representation of diversity in protagonist/s, themes, narrative
• Key Creatives and project leadership
• Industry access and opportunities for training/career progression/mentoring
• First Nation’s content and/or participation.

Screen NSW does not currently support projects with significant First Nations’ content without a member of the key creative team coming from an appropriate background. With co-writing teams of Indigenous and non-Indigenous writers, the original concept must come from the First Nations writer. This must be demonstrated in the application.

• How the project generates cultural value in terms of local storytelling i.e., content and/or authorship
• How the project generates NSW economic value in terms of local storytelling i.e., content and/or authorship.

• Your application will be assessed by our Development Assessment Panel.
• Screen NSW aims to turnaround applications from receipt to decision meeting in 8 – 10 weeks.
• Please note that funding allocation follows a competitive process. Evaluations will consider the Selection Criteria outlined above, the availability of funds at Screen NSW, the variety of content and genre in Screen NSW’s pipeline of projects and teams across all platforms, and the applicant's perceived need for Screen NSW funds.
• You will be advised via email regardless of whether your application has been successful or declined. If you are unsuccessful in your funding application, you may contact our Investment Managers who will provide some feedback.
  
  
  

Successful funding recipients will enter into a standard non-negotiable agreement with Screen NSW, setting out the terms and conditions of the funding.

What types of activities can I request funding for? Funding can be used for various purposes, such as developing a project to secure market attachment or production finance. Examples include writers room costs, creating pitch bibles, drafting scripts, producing teasers, conducting research, or engaging in strategic shooting.

Funding refers to the amount of money that Screen NSW may contribute to a specific development stage, while the budget represents the total cost of the development stage, including the funds needed for the next stage.

Please refer to the Budget Guide for detailed information, including maximum amounts allowed for the overall budget and individual line items.

What is considered a third-party contribution? A third-party contributor is someone other than yourself or Screen NSW who can provide financial support. This may include members of the creative team, Screen Australia, private investors, or broadcasters.

 We do not provide funding for office overheads, option fees, teasers, or trailers in Fiction Development.

What does "total estimated production spend" mean? It refers to your estimated cost for the final project, such as a film or series. Please note that this is only an approximate figure. If you're unsure, we recommend researching similar projects and using their production budgets as a reference.

Yes, individual writers or producers are eligible to apply.

• Development Guidelines - 27 Nov 2023