Pathways Development Program

Writer applicants must fulfil the following criteria:

• Be a NSW resident
• Be a writer with disability. Screen NSW classifies disability as per the NSW Disability Inclusion Act 2014 (see definition below)
• For feature films you must have a confirmed experienced script editor attached, for drama series you must have a confirmed experienced tv writer on your team, for factual projects you must have a confirmed experienced researcher on your team.

Producer applicants must fulfil the following criteria:

• Be a producer who will undertake responsibility for producing the project
• Hold all necessary rights to make the project
• Ensure the project is written by a writer who meets “Writer Applicant” eligibility guidelines above.

The NSW Disability Inclusion Act 2014 (DIA) defines disability as: “The long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment which in interaction with various barriers may hinder the full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.”. The term ‘disability’ can also include d/Deaf or hard of hearing people and people with mental health conditions.

Eligible projects are:

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

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.

Screen NSW encourages applicants or third parties to co-contribute funds to the development budget of the project, however this is not an eligibility requirement and shall not affect the assessment of the project.  

Funding requests could include:

Series (Fiction)

• Writers room costs (Writers’ fees and notetaker)
• Writers’ fee for series bibles
• Producer fee

Feature (Fiction)

• Writer’s fee for treatment
• Producer fee
• Script editor fee.

Feature & Series (Factual)

• Researcher Fees
• Writer’s fee for pitch deck and treatment
• Producer Fee.

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

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 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, tone, etc.
• Is there clarity about genre and does the one-page synopsis deliver on it?

• Potential of the project to reach and resonate with its target audience.

• Does the team show potential to advance the project towards production and deliver on its creative vision?
• The appropriateness of the development plan for this stage of funding.
• Does the development plan provide the opportunity for the creator to learn development skills? 

• 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. 
  Note: 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.