Press release from ScreenWest
The level of Australian screen production undertaken in Western Australia looks set to increase significantly following a major restructure to ScreenWest’s drama and documentary investment guidelines.
ScreenWest’s Director Production Investment, Defrim Isai said the new guidelines released today include a raft of financial incentives.
“The new guidelines will increase the level of funding potentially available for WA producers, appeal to major Australian producers and investors interested in filming in Western Australia, and aim to also increase the level of WA creatives involved in production in WA,” he said.
“One of the more significant changes is that the maximum funding on offer from ScreenWest has now increased to a maximum of $800,000 for features and TV drama, and to $600,000 for documentary projects shooting and post-producing in WA.
“Investment is now calculated by a combination of base level funding calculated on the amount of WA spend, plus the additional investment provided by meeting a number of key incentives or subsidies.
“These changes ensure ScreenWest is becoming more aggressive in the financing marketplace and these new incentives will certainly make it financially viable for a broad range of projects to be shot in WA, and make it easier for WA teams to realise full finance.”
Other significant changes to the drama guidelines include:
1. On top of base funding of 10 per cent of the WA spend up to $400,000, producers can also receive additional investment as follows:
– Up to $50,000 travel and accommodation subsidy to shoot in WA
– Up to $50,000 subsidy for WA HOD and key crew
2. Additional support of up to $100,000 is also provided to projects that have WA producers attached in a Genuine Co-production.
3. Up to a further $70,000 is provided when post is undertaken in WA.
4. Projects with strong WA elements including Authorship, Indigenous content as well as WA directors can also receive additional investment.
Similarly, the agency’s documentary funding guidelines have also had a makeover with WA producers now able to apply for up to 15 per cent of the budget capped at $600,000. Interstate producers wishing to access documentary funding will need to team up with WA companies.
ScreenWest CEO Ian Booth said the new incentives will assist the agency achieve its vision of becoming a partner of choice with stakeholders in Australia and abroad.
“With a developing track record of recently successful drama productions including Red Dog, Mad Bastards, Bran Nue Dae, Drift, The Circuit and Cloudstreet, together with WA regularly making terrific award winning documentaries such as SAS: Search for Warriors, Who Do You Think You Are? and Jandamarra, when coupled with the new financing incentives, it pays to look to partner with the West.”
The full list of funding incentive can be found at www.screenwest.wa.gov.au.