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Screen Australia is the Australian Federal Government's key funding body for the Australian screen production industry, created under the ''Screen Australia Act 2008''. From 1 July 2008 Screen Australia took over the functions of its predecessor agencies the
Australian Film Commission The Australian Film Commission (AFC) was an Australian government agency was founded in 1975 with a mandate to promote the creation and distribution of films in Australia as well as to preserve the country's film history. It also had a producti ...
(AFC), the
Film Finance Corporation Australia The Film Finance Corporation Australia (FFC) was the government agency responsible for funding commercial productions of Australian film, documentary, and television from 1988 to 2008. Unlike other publicly funded organisations responsible for f ...
(FFC) and
Film Australia Film Australia was a company established by the Government of Australia to produce films about Australia in 1973. Its predecessors were the Cinema and Photographic Branch (1913–38), the Australian National Film Board (1939–1955, under diffe ...
Limited. Screen Australia supports the development, production, promotion and distribution of Australian
narrative A narrative, story, or tale is any account of a series of related events or experiences, whether nonfictional (memoir, biography, news report, documentary, travel literature, travelogue, etc.) or fictional (fairy tale, fable, legend, thriller (ge ...
and documentary screen content.


History

The Commonwealth ''Screen Australia Act 2008'' provides detailed information about the specific functions and powers of Screen Australia. Under this act, from 1 July 2008 the Australian Film Commission, the Film Finance Corporation Australia and Film Australia Limited were merged into one body, to be known as Screen Australia. New Zealand television and film executive
Ruth Harley Ruth Elizabeth Harley is a New Zealand theatre, film and television executive. Early life and education Harley was born in Nelson, New Zealand and completed her secondary education at Nelson College for Girls. She graduated from the Univer ...
was appointed the inaugural chief executive officer, handing over to Graeme Mason at the end of her five-year term in 2013.


Management and functions

Screen Australia functions to support and promote the development of screen culture in Australia, with a primary focus on creating innovative and commercially sustainable screen production. Screen Australia also operates to support the production, promotion and distribution of Australian screen content, as well as ensuring access to these programs. Screen Australia provides support to content creators through providing financial assistance, guarantees, services, facilities, programs and equipment, as well as sponsoring other activities, and supports the development of a diverse range of Australian programs, with an emphasis on documentaries, children's programs and cultural programs. It also promotes programs that incorporate matters of national interest or importance to Australians, or programs with relevance to Australian people and their lives. Text may have been copied from this source, which is available under
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
licence.
Across its various departments, Screen Australia supports the development, production, promotion and distribution of Australian narrative and documentary screen content. , the
CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
is Graeme Mason, while Sally Caplan is Head of Content. The chairman of the Screen Australia Board is Nicholas Moore, while board members include
Claudia Karvan Claudia Karvan (born 19 May 1972) is an Australian actress, producer and scriptwriter. As a child actor, she first appeared in the film, '' Molly'' (1983) and followed with an adolescent role in ''High Tide'' (1987). She portrayed a teacher in ...
and
Deborah Mailman Deborah Jane Mailman (born 14 July 1972) is an Australian television and film actress, and singer. Mailman played the character Kelly Lewis on the Australian television series ''The Secret Life of Us'' and Cherie Butterfield in the Australian c ...
. The agency not only provides funding to individuals and companies within the industry, but also administers the tax rebate for the production of Australian screen content, known as the Producer Offset. (The other rebates which complete the "Australian Screen Production Incentive" suite are maintained by the
Department of Communications and the Arts The Australian Department of Communications and the Arts was a department of the Government of Australia charged with responsibility for communications policy and programs and cultural affairs. In December 2019, prime minister Scott Morrison ...
.)


Indigenous Department

In 1993, the Australian Film Commission established the Indigenous Branch, whose work was continued through Screen Australia's Indigenous Department. This branch was creating following the recommendations of Shirley McPherson and Michael Pope's report, ''Promoting Indigenous Involvement in the Film and Television Industry'', with the primary objective of increasing the rate of engagement of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples of ...
within the screen industry. After the establishment of Screen Australia in 2008, it took over the department. From 2004 the AFC and from 2008 Screen Australia's Indigenous units helped to fund the
Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival Message Sticks Festival, also known for some time as Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival, was an arts festival celebrating the culture of Aboriginal Australians, based at the Sydney Opera House, between 1999 and 2013. It focused on film fo ...
. In her role as head of the Indigenous Department (continuing from head of the AFC's Indigenous Branch), Sally Riley was responsible for the production of the award-winning feature film ''
Samson and Delilah Samson and Delilah are Biblical figures. Samson and Delilah may also refer to: In music * ''Samson and Delilah'' (opera), an opera by Camille Saint-Saëns * ''Samson & Delilah'' (album), released in 2013 by V V Brown * "Samson and Delilah" (t ...
'' in 2009, directed by
Warwick Thornton Warwick Thornton (born 1970) is an Australian film director, screenwriter and cinematographer. His debut feature film ''Samson and Delilah'' won the Caméra d'Or at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and the award for Best Film at the Asia Pacific Sc ...
. She also helped to launch the career of other Indigenous film professionals, such as Wayne Blair,
Beck Cole Beck Cole is an Australian filmmaker of the Warramungu and Luritja nations. She is known for her work on numerous TV series, including ''First Australians'', ''Grace Beside Me'', ''Black Comedy'' and ''Wentworth'', as well as documentaries an ...
and Darlene Johnson, and under her leadership, development support was provided for the acclaimed series ''
First Australians ''First Australians'' is an Australian historical documentary series produced by Blackfella Films over the course of six years, and first aired on SBS TV in October 2008. The documentary is part of a greater project that further consists of a ...
'' (2008), by
Rachel Perkins Rachel Perkins (born 1970) is an Australian film and television director, producer, and screenwriter. She directed the films ''Radiance'' (1998), ''One Night the Moon'' (2001), ''Bran Nue Dae'' (2010), and ''Jasper Jones'' (2017). Perkins is an ...
and
Darren Dale Darren Dale is an Indigenous Australian film and television producer. Since joining Blackfella Films as a producer in 2001, he is co-director of the company, along with founder Rachel Perkins. Dale is known for co-producing many films and tel ...
. Riley left in 2010, after being appointed as the inaugural head of the Indigenous department at
ABC Television ABC Television most commonly refers to: *ABC Television Network of the American Broadcasting Company, United States, or *ABC Television (Australian TV network), a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia ABC Television or ABC ...
, and was succeeded by Penny Smallacombe. Statistics showed a significant shift in the engagement of Indigenous and Torres Straight Islanders within the film industry over 25 years of the existence of the Indigenous Department. A 2002 study found that no Indigenous actors had a notable role on Australian television in 1992, and this number had only risen to two by 1999. However, a Screen Australia study in 2016 found that 5 percent of main characters on Australian television between 2011 and 2015 were Indigenous. the Indigenous Department had provided in funding to over 160 projects, with its annual budget then . In August 2018, the department celebrated 25 years of its existence, which filmmakers, actors and others associated with the industry, including
Rachel Perkins Rachel Perkins (born 1970) is an Australian film and television director, producer, and screenwriter. She directed the films ''Radiance'' (1998), ''One Night the Moon'' (2001), ''Bran Nue Dae'' (2010), and ''Jasper Jones'' (2017). Perkins is an ...
,
Ivan Sen Ivan Sen (born 1972) is an Indigenous Australian filmmaker. He is a director, screenwriter and cinematographer, as well as an editor, composer and sound designer. He is co-founder and director of Bunya Productions. Early life Ivan Sen was born ...
,
Leah Purcell Leah Maree Purcell (born 14 August 1970) is an Aboriginal Australian stage and film actress, playwright, film director, and novelist. She made her film debut in 1999, appearing in Paul Fenech's ''Somewhere in the Darkness'', which led to role ...
, and
Warwick Thornton Warwick Thornton (born 1970) is an Australian film director, screenwriter and cinematographer. His debut feature film ''Samson and Delilah'' won the Caméra d'Or at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and the award for Best Film at the Asia Pacific Sc ...
, celebrated at the
Carriageworks Carriageworks is a multi-arts urban cultural precinct located at the former Eveleigh Railway Workshops in Redfern, Sydney, Australia. Carriageworks showcases contemporary art and performing arts, as well as being used for filming, festivals, fa ...
in Redfern. To be eligible for assistance from Screen Australia's Indigenous Department, the applicant must be an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Australian and must develop a project in which an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Australian has a key creative role, such as a writer or director.


Funding programs

(having introduced a new system in 2018), Screen Australia runs several funding programs for Australian filmmakers: * The Generate program, providing funding for story development, is awarded to "New, emerging or experienced screen content creators who demonstrate an ability and passion for storytelling combined with a distinctive and authentic creative voice". *Also for story development, the Premium funding award is for "Screen content creators who have a significant track record/production credits on projects that have commercial success and/or critical acclaim". *The International Finance program provides funding for projects that are already market-ready and have secured some funding from a commercial source; this is aimed at films which have potential for international
box office A box office or ticket office is a place where ticket (admission), tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a Wicket gate, wicke ...
appeal. There are also separate programs for funding
feature film A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...
s relating to
Indigenous Australians Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples ...
,
documentary film A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional film, motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". Bill Nichols (film critic), Bil ...
s, and for pitching films to international markets.


Application process

The application process to receive funding from Screen Australia was previously complicated and required creators to have previous screen credits in order to be eligible. However, the introduction of the Generate and Premium funds has allowed for virtually no eligibility barriers, encouraging new entrants to complete the application process. An application to receive funding from Screen Australia requires a one-page synopsis as well as a three-minute pitch to camera, describing the story, intended audience and how the film will reach them.


Expenditure

Screen Australia's annual drama expenditure for 2021/22 was $2.29B, made up of a record spend on Australian titles of $1.51 billion, plus $777 million spent on foreign productions. Screen Australia supplied nearly in direct funding to the screen sector in the 2018/19 financial year. In the 2019/20 financial year, was approved for producing narrative films, including television drama, feature films, children's television and online productions. In 2020, the funding model and the practices of the organisation had to change significantly owing to the impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic in Australia The COVID-19 pandemic in Australia is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). The first confirmed case in Australia was identified on 25 Januar ...
and
worldwide Worldwide may refer to: * Pertaining to the entire world * Worldwide (rapper) (born 1986), American rapper * Pitbull (rapper) (born 1981), also known as Mr. Worldwide, American rapper * ''Worldwide'' (Audio Adrenaline album), 2003 * ''Worldwide' ...
on the film industry. Screen Australia first gave more than in emergency funding for productions that had already had funding, but were forced to close down or pause production. Additional funding was provided for projects that could work remotely, and a new Premium Plus development fund was launched. COVID-safe guidelines were developed for the industry in a joint initiative by the Australian Screen Sector Task Force; Screen Australia allocated to a new COVID-19 Budget Support Fund, and were appointed to administer the Temporary Interruption Fund (TIF), announced by the government on 25 June 2020. In August 2020, in funding was announced, allocated to nine projects which include two feature films, two television series (one for children)and several online projects. In October 2020, further funding was announced the first round of funding for the 2020/21 financial year from the Premium and Generate funding schemes, which includes funding for 7 feature films, 16 TV drama series and 5 online projects. Currently there are significant legislative changes under review which will affect how the Qualifying Australian Production Expenditure (QAPE) is structured.


See also

*
Cinema in Australia The cinema of Australia had its beginnings with the 1906 production of ''The Story of the Kelly Gang'', arguably the world's first feature film. Since then, Australian crews have produced many films, a number of which have received internati ...
*
Film Victoria VicScreen, formerly known as Film Victoria, is the Victoria State Government, Victorian Government’s creative and economic screen development agency. They function behind the scenes, supporting professionals, infrastructure, projects and ev ...
*
List of film production companies This is a list of film production and distribution companies. A production company may specialize in producing their in-house films or own subsidiary development companies. Major production companies often distribute films from independent product ...
*
List of television production companies This is a list of television production companies, sorted by country. Australia Egypt * Studio Misr * Lotus Film Production * Ramses Naguib * Salah Zulfikar Films * Mary Queeny Films * Egyptian Media Production City * Dollar Film * New Ce ...
*
Screen NSW ---> Screen NSW, formerly known as the New South Wales Film and Television Office, or FTO, and before that the New South Wales Film Corporation, is a brand name that is part of Create NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales that is re ...
*
Screen Queensland Studios Screen Queensland Studios are a set of film studios located in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. They are the second of two major studio lots in Queensland, the other being Village Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast. Description Screen Queensl ...
*
Screenwest Screenwest is Western Australia's screen funding and development organisation, working in partnership with the screen industry to develop, support and promote film, television and digital media production in Western Australia. Screenwest receives ...
*
South Australian Film Corporation South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) is a South Australian Government statutory corporation established in 1972 to engage in film production and promote the film industry, located in Adelaide, South Australia. The Adelaide Studios are managed ...


References


Further reading

*


External links

* {{Cinema of Australia State-owned film companies Film production companies of Australia