Drama production spending by state

Expenditure in Australia and share of all feature films and TV drama productions by location of spending in Australia, 1994/95–2013/14

Overall, NSW has accounted for around half of all drama production spending since 1994/95. This fluctuates according to the level of major expenditure by foreign or high-budget local productions in any given year. The largest proportion of drama production activity in 2013/14 occurred in NSW (42 per cent), with high levels of both foreign and local production, including for feature films The Gods of Egypt and Unbroken and TV dramas Wonderland, A Place to Call Home and Love Child.

Victoria has fairly consistently accounted for around 20-30 per cent of drama spending, with fluctuations mainly caused by foreign productions. Victorian activity contributed 31 per cent of total production expenditure in 2013/14, with strong TV drama activity including new titles Gallipoli and Fat Tony & Co., and returning seasons of Winners & Losers, House Husbands, Offspring and Wentworth.

Queensland’s slate is considerably affected by the presence of foreign productions, which usually account for a substantial proportion of total expenditure in the state on an annual basis. Queensland’s share rose to 15 per cent in 2013/14, a significant increase on the 3 per cent during 2012/13,due largely to foreign productions San Andreas and Unbroken and local TV drama Mako Mermaids.

South Australia’s share of drama expenditure was fairly steady from 2006/07–2011/12, after peaking in 2005/06. Activity in South Australia is predominantly in the local slate, with annual production of McLeod’s Daughters between 2000/01 and 2007/08 supplemented by local features such as December Boys and Lucky Miles in 2005/06. In 2013/14 South Australia recorded its highest share since 2005/06, at 9 per cent. This boost was mainly related to domestic features The Water Diviner and Gods of Egypt, and TV drama Deadline Gallipoli and ANZAC Girls.

Expenditure in Western Australia is mainly related to the local and co-production slate, with children’s productions comprising a significant proportion of activity, including Foreign Exchange and Parallax in 2003/04, Lockie Leonard and Sleepover Club in 2005/06, and Stormworld in 2007/08. Activity in Western Australia during 2013/14 included domestic features Kill me Three Times and Paper Planes.

Production activity in the Northern Territory, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory in 2013/14 included TV series 8MMM Aboriginal Radio (Northern Territory), Buzz Bumble (Tasmania) and The Code (ACT).

Notes:
Foreign productions undertaking only PDV in Australia have been included since 2006/07.

Figures preceded by '+' are for foreign productions undertaking only PDV work in Australia.

Source: Screen Australia.

Notes:
Figures may not total exactly due to rounding.
Spending in Australia may include some expenditure on foreign production elements – for example, fees for non-Australian actors or other individuals while working in Australia. Likewise, spending in a particular state may include fees for elements from outside the state, such as foreign or interstate cast or crew.
Figures preceded by '+' are for foreign productions undertaking only PDV work in Australia. Foreign productions undertaking only PDV in Australia have been included since 2006/07. Foreign shoot and PDV-only figures have been combined from 2010/11 onwards due to confidentiality reasons.
1. Figures for the ACT, Tasmania and the Northern Territory have been combined for confidentiality reasons.
2. Figures for WA, ACT, Tasmania and the Northern Territory have been combined for confidentiality reasons.