Production Finance

Click on the items below for the Production Finance guidelines

We fund production and/or post production of Australian projects in the following categories:

• feature films 
• adult and children’s television drama and narrative comedy including series, miniseries, web series and telemovies
• content-rich factual and documentary television or web programs and series animation series
• creative interactive screen entertainment

We do not fund the production of:

• *infotainment, lifestyle, travel, magazine, sports, education, game shows and other magazine style productions
• current affairs and news
• community television
• shorts, short features (under 60 minutes duration)
• projects that are being produced as part of a course of study

*For further guidance on the distinction between infotainment, lifestyle, magazine programs and documentary/factual programs refer to the advice on Screen Australia’s website.   

Create NSW general eligibility requirements can be found in the Create NSW Terms of Trade, which should be read in conjunction with these guidelines.

At least one of the Key Creatives must be NSW-based. 

Create NSW is committed to supporting increased participation in the industry of people from under-represented groups including women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from CaLD backgrounds, people with disability, LGBTQI people, people from western Sydney and people from regional NSW. Priority will be given to teams including people from under-represented groups.

Minimum NSW Spend

Generally the production needs to meet the following minimum NSW Spend requirements. See Section 7 of Terms of Trade for a description of NSW Spend.

If the production company is registered in NSW, productions must spend more than 50% of the total budget in NSW. International co-productions with a NSW-based producer must spend more than 50% of the total Australian budget in NSW.

An interstate production company must spend at least 80% of the total budget in NSW. International co-productions with an interstate production company must spend at least 80% of the total Australian budget in NSW.

The 50/80% requirement will be relaxed in the following circumstances:

• where the eligible NSW Spend is at least $5 million
• where the below-the-line eligible NSW post-production spend is at least $3 million (For an indication of an acceptable percentage spend in NSW in these instances, please contact the Manager Development and Production)
• where a producer intends to conduct 100% of the project’s post-production in NSW, from picture edit to delivery, with NSW-based post-production personnel. (Please see definition of 100% Post-Production requirements and Allowable Post Exclusions in the Screen NSW Terms of Trade to confirm your eligibility)
• where NSW-based producers are co-producing documentary and factual projects with interstate producers

Finance Plan

Productions will usually be fully financed at the time of application, with the exception of contributions being sought from Create NSW and other state, federal or international agencies. 

Marketplace attachments

For feature film projects, distribution and market attachments as well as Australian and rest of world distribution strategies will be significant assessment criteria. 

Television drama, narrative comedy and factual/documentary projects must have a confirmed financial commitment from a broadcaster, subscription service or distributor.

Post-production funding

Create NSW will consider a limited number of applications for post-production funding for productions that meet Create NSW eligibility criteria. Productions that have already completed their shoot need to submit at least a full assembly.

Production attachments

Projects receiving Create NSW production finance of between $100,000 and $200,000 must provide for one paid production attachment. Priority to be given for attachments to be placed in roles in line with screen NSW gender equity targets. 

Projects receiving finance of $200,000 or above must provide two attachments – at least one to be female, in line with NSW gender equity targets, and at least one from Create NSW's Strategic 

Priority Area groups: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, CaLD, Disability, LGBTQI, Western Sydney, Regional NSW.

Projects receiving finance of $400,000 or above must provide for one crew member who identifies as a carer. This requirement is in line with the Create NSW ‘Screen Momentum’ initiative which seeks to address the significant challenges for working parents or carers in the Screen industry.  Carers is defined to include childcare, caring for the elderly and self-care.

This attachment will be in addition to the two production attachments outlined above. Please note that the Screen Momentum attachment is QAPE-able.

Production Finance Round 86 is now open and will close on Monday 25th September.

Applications can be submitted by the SmartyGrants portal HERE.
 

Temporary changes to Screen NSW funding programs

The timeline for funding decisions for Production Finance and Regional Filming Fund applications are currently expected to take between 3-6 months from the funding round deadline of 25 September 2023.

These temporary changes are to ensure that Screen NSW can meet the evolving needs of the NSW screen sector and to align with the development of the new arts, culture and creative industries policy.

We appreciate your patience and understanding, and we will continue to update you over the coming months.

You must submit all core materials listed on the application form.

Your application will be competitively assessed against the project’s economic contribution to a robust and continuously developing NSW screen industry, with regard to the following considerations: 

• The qualities of the creative materials, relative to the team’s creative vision and market intentions, and their readiness for production

• Potential for innovation in content, form, distribution/delivery or production practices

• The track record and level of experience of the key creative team and crew relative to the ambitions of the project, creative

• The distribution and marketing

• The viability of the budget and schedule in terms of realizing the project’s stated ambitions 

• The perceived cultural merits of the project

• The available screen NSW funds in a particular round, and each project’s assessed real need for the funds

• The diversity of the Create NSW slate

Projects for which an indigenous assessment is commissioned will be assessed with reference to Screen Australia’s guidelines Pathways & Protocols: a filmmaker’s guide to working with Indigenous people, culture and concepts

Applications for rollover of Create NSW development investment will be considered by the Advisory Committee at the same time as Production Finance or Regional Filming Fund applications. Standalone applications may be approved out of round where no other Create NSW finance is being sought. See Terms of Trade for an explanation of terms governing repayment, retention and rollover of Create NSW development investment. 

Further information on the assessment process

Development and Production team members assess projects across our entire suite of development and production programs.

For shortlisted Production Finance applications we will commission an external budget assessment and may commission other assessments.

External reports inform our decision-making but they don’t determine the outcome. External assessors have substantial experience in producing, developing or commissioning in the genres in which we invest and they all sign confidentiality agreements.

Applications for Production Finance that are declined cannot be resubmitted to future funding rounds unless there is a significant change to the proposal.

Please see Terms of Trade for further information.

If you would like to provide us with feedback, or believe you have cause for complaint, please consult our Feedback, Review and Formal Complaints Procedures.