Industry Report: Focus: Asia & Oceania

Funding Australian content on 'small screens': A draft blueprint

by http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/

26/11/2010 - A review of Screen Australia's role and objectives in television funding A proposed new blueprint for Screen Australia’s television funding was released on 19 November 2010 by Chief Executive Ruth Harley during her address at the Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) conference in Sydney.

The blueprint is the first key milestone in Screen Australia’s review of its funding of 'small screen' content production, announced 18 June 2010, to ensure that the organisation is supporting the television production industry and Australian storytelling in an optimum way.

Funding Australian content on ‘small screens’: a draft blueprint is underpinned by the principles of flexibility, clarity, innovation and quality.

It suggests that funding for small screen content be broken into two areas:

• Convergent Television:a fund of approximately $30–35 million for premium drama or documentary driven or triggered by a television broadcast platform and distributed on at least one other digital media platform

• All Media fund of between $2 and $5 million with the objective of advancing quality and innovative screen content, which is driven or triggered by any transmission platform but which must have a multi-platform component. This would include the Ignition Program to provide production investment for small-screen content with no restrictions on distribution platform and the Digital Sandpit for exploring new platforms and methodology.

Screen Australia anticipates releasing draft program guidelines in March 2011 for further industry comment. Final guidelines will be released in May to take effect from 1 July 2011.

Screen Australia’s current production funding for TV drama and documentaries is set out at www.screenaustralia.gov.au/production

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