About the Report

The Drama Report covers Australian domestic and Official Co-production drama titles, as well as international drama titles that commenced work in Australia over the last five years. It includes analysis of theatrical feature films and TV and Video-On-Demand (VOD) drama by financial year. Eligibility for inclusion in the Drama Report is based on year of production, budget thresholds and total duration. See Methodology for further details. The report incorporates data gathered through surveys and publicly available sources to provide a holistic view of drama production activity within Australia. Data is presented for the past five years, 2020-21 to 2024-25. International titles are included if they are shot (or substantially shot) in Australia, or have post, digital or visual effects (PDV) work carried out in Australia without shooting here.

The report has been issued by Screen Australia and its predecessors for 35 years, and its approach has been revised as required, to ensure that it remains relevant to government and the sector. In this report, Australian drama has been analysed by first-release platform in the following categories:

  • Australian theatrical features
  • Australian general TV and Video-On-Demand (VOD) drama
  • general Free-To-Air (FTA) TV drama
  • general subscription TV and Subscription Video-On-Demand (SVOD)
  • Australian children's TV/VOD

See Key Terms and Notes on Methodology for definitions of the first release categories listed above, as well as other terms used in the report.

Drama Report 2024/25

Drama Report 2024/25: Key Findings (.pdf)

Overview

In 2024/25, drama production in Australia amounted to a record $2.7 billion in expenditure, an increase of 43% from 2023/24 with a $678 million uplift in international production. There were 174 titles in total, with $1.1 billion expenditure coming from 71 Australian titles, a 14% increase in expenditure from 2023/24.

This year's result points towards a robust, adaptive local industry with holistic sector growth driven by high-budget features and Subscription Video-On-Demand (SVOD) production. The significant increase in international activity was driven primarily by the Location Offset increase to 30% from July 2023. Strong overall expenditure reflects the nature of Australia's interconnected screen ecosystem, where both local stories and global production contribute to the overall health of the sector, providing economic benefits, infrastructure, training and employment opportunities.

The 2024/25 Drama Report highlights the following:

  • A significant increase in expenditure from international TV/VOD, amounting to $458 million, more than four times the spend in 2023/24.
  • A record spend of $1.0 billion from 20 international shoot features.
  • Australian titles accounted for 40% of overall expenditure in 2024/25, down from 50% last year.
  • A $379 million spend on 34 Australian theatrical features, up from $215 million on 38 titles in the prior year.
  • A $492 million spend on 18 Australian general subscription TV and SVOD titles, up from $471 million, on 28 titles in 2023/24.

The Australian screen production industry continues to feel the impact of global economic conditions and multi-faceted disruption to distribution platforms and business models, underpinned by evolving audience behaviour and media consolidation.

While total drama production expenditure in Australia increased, growth in local production was conservative and indicative of notable shifts in commissioning, including the continued decline of TV/VOD titles entering production across FTA, SVOD and children's content.

Expenditure on Australian Titles

Overall expenditure on Australian drama content increased from last year, largely driven by investment in a number of high-budget theatrical features and subscription TV and SVOD titles.

The overall volume of titles produced declined from 89 to 71. Higher cost-per-hour in the subscription TV and SVOD category was indicative of ongoing demand for premium production and an increase in related high-end TV budgets.

  • Total expenditure was 14% up on last year.
  • $1.1 billion of total expenditure came from 71 Australian titles — in particular, subscription TV and SVOD titles (46%) and theatrical features (35%).
  • Australian production accounted for 40% of total expenditure in 2024/25, down from 50% the previous year.
  • In the total TV and VOD drama category, titles, hours and spend all decreased from 2023/2024.

Australian Theatrical Features

Despite a decrease in the number of titles (38 last year to 34 this year), total expenditure on Australian theatrical features rose 76% to $379 million in 2024/25. This result was driven by a limited number of high-budget films over $50 million.

Historically, the number of titles within each budget range remains relatively consistent year on year, with the main concentration in the $1-5 million range — 14 of the 34 — two down on last year.

The number of features produced for over $20 million increased from one to four. Fewer titles were made in the $10-20 million range (five compared to last year's eight) and the $5-10 million range increased from seven last year to eight in 2024/25.

While the number of features made for under $1 million was half the number of last year, more titles will become eligible for inclusion in the year ahead, as they achieve a theatrical release or major festival screening, and will be captured retrospectively.

  • $379 million in expenditure on Australian theatrical features — up 76% on last year.
  • The number of titles decreased from 38 titles to 34 this year.

Australian General TV/VOD

The Australian general TV/VOD category (which includes both FTA and subscription-based platforms), saw a decline in the number of titles, total hours, and overall spend in 2024/25.

The FTA TV category experienced a 14% decline in spend, dropping from $189 million in 2023/24 to $162 million in 2024/25. Production output also fell, with 14 titles delivered compared to 16 the previous year, and total hours decreasing from 276 to 191. The average cost to produce an hour of FTA TV drama was $860,000. The scaled-back production of the long-running series Neighbours impacted both the overall hours and contributed to a higher average cost per hour.

Expenditure on subscription TV and SVOD increased by 5% to $492 million across 18 titles, up from last year's $471 million (28 titles). The number of hours fell from 135 to 105 this year. Conversely, the average budget per hour rose 44% from $3.6 million last year to $5.1 million this year. The increased cost of producing subscription TV and SVOD titles was driven by a limited number of high-end series and feature-length titles, indicative of a continued focus on premium content.

  • $654 million on 32 Australian general TV/VOD drama titles — 1% down on the previous year's expenditure:
    • $162 million on 14 Australian FTA TV titles, representing a 14% decrease on last year's expenditure (on 16 titles).
    • $492 million on 18 Australian subscription TV and SVOD titles — up 5% from last year's $471 million across 28 titles.

Australian Children's TV/VOD

Note: Australian children's TV/VOD drama encompasses all titles created for FTA TV (including BVOD), subscription TV and SVOD release.

Expenditure on children's content declined further this year, with five titles entering production in 2024/25. Shifting audience behaviour, platform diversification, tightening global investment, and reliance on one consistent source of support for children's content production have all contributed to this continued decline over the period.

Of the five titles that entered production in 2024/25, four were commissioned by the ABC, and one by Stan. Four titles received funding from Screen Australia and three from the Australian Children's Television Foundation (ACTF). Two Official Co-production titles entered production in 2024/25, one co-partnered with Canada, the other with Canada and Singapore.

  • $34 million in expenditure on Australian children's TV/VOD titles — 41% below last year.
  • The number of children's titles reduced from seven to five this year, and hours produced declined by 38% to 21 hours.

Finance Sources: Australian Theatrical Features

Finance sources for Australian features vary considerably year to year. Finance accessed via the Australian Producer Offset, the Australian screen industry (distributors and production companies) and international investment, all increased in 2024/25. High-budget titles, primarily financed internationally, can cause significant fluctuations.

Total Government Sources $179 million (44% of total funding)

  • Australian Producer Offset1 – Contributed $137 million to Australian theatrical features that commenced production in 2024/25. This accounted for 34% of total finance.
  • Other Australian government sources2 – Contributed $41 million, accounting for 10% of total finance.
    • Screen Australia invested $12 million in 12 titles. Investment figures remained on par with 2023/24 ($12 million), while the number of titles decreased from 14.
    • State government agencies invested $28 million in 27 titles. Investment increased from last year ($19 million) and the number of titles decreased from 28.
    • Other government invested $1.8 million in eight titles, down from $2.2 million in 12 titles last year.
  • International investment3 – Contributed $146 million, accounting for 36% of total finance.
  • Australian screen industry4 – Contributed $59 million, accounting for 14% of total finance.
  • Australian private investment5 – Contributed $23 million, accounting for 6% of total finance.
  • 1 The Producer Offset amount is taken from the finance plan of each title. See 'Key Terms' on the Drama Report website for more information on the Producer Offset. For Screen Australia funded projects, the agency only requires 90% of the anticipated Producer Offset to be included in the finance plan for drama features and TV/VOD projects. A producer is entitled to retain the difference for their own purposes, but many producers still include it in the finance plan. For this reason, the Producer Offset amounts given above may be lower than what is eventually received from the Australian Taxation Office for each project.
  • 2 Other Australian government sources includes all forms of direct (grants and investments) and indirect (various rebates and incentives) funding from Australian federal, state and territory agencies and government departments for titles that commenced principal photography during a given financial year. Does not include the Producer Offset, loans and underwriting.
  • 3 Includes international broadcasters, production companies and producers, distributors, and private, government and other sources.
  • 4 Australian screen industry includes finance provided by Australian-based producers and production companies, post-production companies, distribution companies, FTA broadcasters (public and commercial), subscription TV networks and channels and SVOD platforms. The Producer Offset, cashflowed in various ways, is listed separately.
  • 5 Australian private investments include non-industry individuals or companies (e.g. sponsorship).

Finance Sources: Australian TV/VOD

Note: This section reports on the financing of all titles produced for Australian FTA broadcasters, subscription TV providers and VOD platforms.

The proportion of total finance sourced from the Australian screen industry continued to increase, primarily driven by streaming platforms.

The Australian screen industry contributed $342 million, or 46%, of total investment, with broadcasters and streaming platforms accounting for $332 million. In 2024/25, 37 TV/VOD titles were produced, down from 51 last year, (a 27% decrease). The value of investment was up from $734 million to $749 million, representing a 2% increase and indicating higher budgets in 2024/25. The combined share of investment from total government sources was 34% ($251 million), which is consistent with prior years.

  • Australian screen industry – Contributed $342 million, accounting for 46% of total finance. Investment was made in 36 titles, down from 50 last year. Broadcasters and streamers accounted for the majority of investment, with $332 million in 36 titles.
  • Total Government sources $251 million – (34% of total funding).
    • Australian Producer Offset – Contributed $180 million to Australian TV and VOD titles that began production in the 2024/25 financial year. This accounted for 24% of total finance.
    • Other Australian government – Contributed $68 million, accounting for 9% of total finance. Investment was made across 35 titles, down from 48 last year.
      • Screen Australia invested $19 million in 21 titles, down from $30 million in 27 titles last year.
      • State government agencies invested $44 million in 32 titles, down from $49 million in 48 titles last year.
      • Other government invested $5 million in four titles, down from $6 million in seven titles last year.
  • International investment – Contributed $155 million, accounting for 21% of total finance, on par with last year. Investment was made in 25 titles, down from 32 last year.
  • Australian private investment – Contributed $1 million, accounting for <1% of total finance. Investment was made in three titles, down from five last year.

Finance Sources: TV/VOD by First Release Platform

Note: This section of the report covers Australian drama production activity6 by first release broadcaster or streaming platforms in Australia (i.e. first release 'platform'')7.

The number of titles first released on public broadcasters fell, driven by a reduction in SBS/NITV content. While the number of SVOD titles and streamed hours were almost half last year's result, investment in those titles increased by 42%, suggesting a focus on premium content. Subscription TV increased across all metrics, although this was from a low base in the previous year.

Australian and global streaming platforms continued to contribute the largest share of investment (73%) in TV/VOD drama. While the investment value increased this year, the number of titles and hours produced decreased. In 2024/25, Stan contributed to six titles, Netflix to three titles, Apple TV and Paramount+ to two titles each, Acorn and Adult Swim to one title each.

Commercial FTA TV investment declined further, with the number of titles on par with 2023/24. In 2024/25, Network 10 and the Seven Network each contributed to two titles. Investment from subscription TV increased from last year, with Foxtel contributing to three titles.

Public broadcasters commissioned fewer titles, with a corresponding decrease in investment compared to the prior year. ABC is responsible for 94% of investment by public broadcasters. In 2024/25, the ABC contributed to 13 titles, on par with the previous year, while SBS invested in one title, down from last year's five.

  • Public FTA broadcasters (ABC, SBS and NITV) – Contribution of $38 million, representing 11% of first-release platform financing. This reflects a 25% decline compared to the previous year. The investment supported 14 titles, down from 18 last year.
  • Commercial FTA broadcasters (Seven Network, Channel 9, Network 10) – Contribution of $36 million (11% of finance), down 17% on last year. The investment in four titles is on par with last year.
  • Subscription TV broadcasters (Foxtel) – Invested in three titles, an increase from one last year.
  • Australian/global streaming platforms (Stan, Paramount+, Netflix, Binge, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV) – Contribution of $238 million (73% of finance), representing a 42% increase on the previous year. Investment was spread across 15 titles, down from 27 last year.
  • 6 Financial contributions provided outside finance plans, or for subsequent release rights, are not accounted for here.
  • 7 Some businesses share ownership with entities across various platforms, including Channel 9 and Stan, Network 10 and Paramount+, and Foxtel and Binge. Each business is grouped by the following categories, rather than by ownership: public broadcasters, commercial FTA broadcasters and BVOD platforms, subscription TV broadcasters, and Australian and global online streaming platforms.

International Shoot

International shoot productions recovered with unprecedented levels of activity, a record $1.0 billion was spent on 20 international features shooting in Australia.

  • $1.3 billion expenditure in Australia across 22 international projects, representing a 163% increase on the previous year.
  • $1.0 billion across 20 international feature films, representing a 113% increase on the previous year.
  • $302 million from two international TV/VOD titles, up from $23 million on two titles in 2023/24.

Expenditure by Location

The distribution of expenditure by location is influenced by a range of factors, including production timing, studio and crew resources and state-based incentives. 2024/25 saw strong growth in expenditure for Queensland, much of which can be attributed to a number of high-budget international titles that accounted for 85% of the state's total expenditure; and Victoria, where four titles accounted for 62% of total expenditure. NSW experienced a contraction following three strong years.

  • Queensland — Expenditure was $925 million, accounting for 34% of total spend in Australia, up from 16% last year.
  • New South Wales — Expenditure was $832 million, which accounted for 31% of total spend in Australia, down from 51% last year.
  • Victoria — Expenditure was $731 million, a new record for this state, which accounted for 27% of total spend in Australia, up from 18% last year.
  • South Australia — Expenditure was $94 million, which accounted for 3% of total spend in Australia, down from 5% last year.
  • Western Australia — Expenditure was $88 million, which accounted for 3% of total spend in Australia, down from 4% last year.
  • Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory and Tasmania8 — Combined expenditure was $20 million, which accounted for 1% of total spend in Australia, down from 6% last year.
  • 8 Data for the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory and Tasmania is combined to preserve the confidentiality of data for titles produced in those locations.

PDV Services for Features and TV/VOD

Note: This section explores Australian expenditure from PDV services for domestic, international shoot and international PDV-only feature film and TV/VOD titles. A title's total PDV spend has been apportioned across each financial year in which the work occurred9.

2024/25 saw increased international activity in PDV, predominantly in PDV-only features, and a simultaneous decline in PDV spend for local productions.

This year's PDV expenditure increased by 33% on the previous year. 67% of PDV expenditure was on international PDV-only titles, 24% on Australian titles and 9% on international shoot titles.

When broken down by format, 62% of PDV expenditure was allocated to theatrical features and 38% to TV/VOD titles. While the distribution was relatively balanced in 2023/24, it shifted toward features in 2024/25.

The PDV spend on Australian features was 15% of total PDV spend on features in 2024/25, down from 46% on the previous year.

  • $762 million in PDV expenditure from Australian and international projects, reflecting a 33% increase on the previous year. This comprised:
    • $510 million on 118 international PDV-only titles — up 65% on last year.
    • $181 million on PDV for Australian productions — down 22% on last year.
    • $70 million on PDV for international shoot titles, more than double the expenditure in the previous year.
  • 9 This provides a more accurate representation of the PDV work being conducted in each year. However, this is different from the approach taken in previous sections of the Drama Report, which attributes the entire spend to the year in which work commenced. As a consequence, the findings in this section will differ from PDV data presented in previous sections of the Drama Report (e.g. 'International shoot and PDV-only').

Titles 2024/25

Drama Report 2024/25: Titles (.pdf)

Key Terms

Drama

Drama includes the following:

Theatrical feature is a film made for first release in cinemas that is at least 60 minutes in length.

Free-To-Air (FTA) TV and Broadcaster Video-On-Demand (BVOD) drama is a 'drama' program according to the Broadcasting Services (Australian Content and Children's Television) Standards 2020 (Cth),16 including series/serials, mini-series and telemovies. FTA TV and BVOD drama is content made for first release on Australia's FTA broadcaster TV networks, channels or online platforms, including ABC iview, SBS On Demand, 7plus, 9Now and 10 Play. Titles must have total durations of 30 minutes or more.

Subscription TV and Subscription Video-On-Demand (SVOD) drama is drama made for first release on subscription TV (including Foxtel) and SVOD services (including Stan, Paramount+, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+). Titles must have total durations of 30 minutes or more.

General drama is drama made for adult and/or family audiences. It does not include children's drama, which is made specifically for child audiences.

Formats

Series/serials have an unlimited number of episodes (more than 13 in total) and include multi-part programs with episode durations less than one commercial broadcast hour.

A mini-series is a limited series of drama, normally 13 hours or less in length. Each episode is usually a commercial hour in duration.

A telemovie is a single-episode drama made for TV that is a commercial hour or more in length. Series of or related telemovies are counted as individual titles, as set out in a broadcaster's licence agreement.

A single-episode title is a drama made for a VOD platform. Single episodes can be of any length and are measured by actual running time.

Budget/spend

Total budget reports on how much it actually costs to make projects. Total budget is reported for all projects that started shooting during the financial year, with the full budget allocated to the date principal photography (or PDV work in the case of PDV titles) started, rather than allocating a project's budget across years according to the year in which the work took place.

Total spend/expenditure reports on how much of the total budget was spent in Australia. This measure is particularly relevant for co-productions and international productions. Again, all expenditure is allocated to the date principal photography or PDV work in Australia began, rather than allocating spend across years according to when the work actually took place. Note: this is not the same as 'qualifying Australian production expenditure' (QAPE) for the purpose of the Producer Offset. Some expenditure in Australia is not QAPE, and QAPE can include some expenditure on Australian elements outside of Australia. QAPE is not reported here.

Australian productions

Australian productions include the following:

Domestic productions are projects (other than co-productions) under Australian creative control (that is, where the key elements are predominantly Australian, and the projects were originated and developed by Australians). They include projects under Australian creative control that are 100% internationally-financed.

Co-productions are Official Co-productions (that is, projects made pursuant to an agreement between the Australian Government and the government of another country).

As Official Co-productions don't have to pass the 'Significant Australian Content' test to be eligible for the Producer Offset, and may be classified as 'Australian' for the purposes of Australian content obligations applying to broadcasters, the report mainly focuses on domestic and co-production projects as a combined 'Australian' slate.

Other types of production

International productions are projects under international creative control (that is, the projects were originated and developed by non-Australians). These include international projects with an Australian production company operating in a service capacity. A test of creative control and key roles is applied for projects with Australian elements.

Government tax incentives

The Producer Offset is a refundable tax offset (rebate) for producers of Australian feature films, television and other projects.

The Location Offset is a rebate for the production of large-budget film and television projects shot in Australia.

The PDV Offset is a rebate for work on PDV production in Australia, regardless of where a project is filmed.

For more information on these programs, please see the Australian Taxation Office website.

Other key terms

Post, digital and visual effects (PDV) refers to those activities that create audio and visual elements for film, TV or online drama other than by principal photography, pick-ups or physical elements such as sets and props, and includes animation. It also refers to the manipulation of those elements, and includes sound and visual editing, digital effects, creation of computer-generated images (CGI), film laboratory work and duplication services.

As such, it includes a variety of activities that take place not only after the shoot but also during the earlier stages of a project's overall production.

See also Notes on Methodology for more details.

  • 16 See Broadcasting Services (Australian Content and Children's Television) Standards 2020 (Cth), s8.

Notes on Methodology

Faster internet access, advanced screen options and international competition are changing audience behaviour and content production and distribution. Over time, the following methodology changes have been made to the Drama Report to ensure that it remains relevant to the sector. It is advised that these be taken into consideration when undertaking any analysis of time-series datasets.

Log of changes to Screen Australia's Drama Report

2015/16 and prior

Revision

Detail

Duration

Eligibility for inclusion was 60 minutes or longer.

Online drama

Titles made for either subscription TV, an SVOD platform or ABC iview were counted as TV drama.

Projects were excluded if they were:

  • exclusively released on dedicated websites
  • exclusively released on online platforms such as YouTube or Vimeo
  • only available via TVOD services such as iTunes.
2016/17 to current

Revision

Detail

Duration

Eligibility for inclusion for TV and online titles was revised to 30 minutes or longer to accommodate a growing number of short-form drama series, particularly comedy.
2016/17 to 2020/21

Revision

Detail

Duration

Eligibility for inclusion for TV and online titles was revised to 30 minutes or longer to accommodate a growing number of short-form drama series, particularly comedy.

Online drama

The online drama category was introduced, encompassing single-episode or series programs with total durations of 30 minutes or more that have premiered in Australia online via:

  • BVOD (e.g. ABC iview)
  • SVOD (e.g. Stan)
  • AVOD (e.g. YouTube)
  • TVOD (e.g. iTunes).

Titles with a simultaneous TV broadcast and online release were accounted for as TV drama.
2021/22 to current

Revision

Detail

Australian broadcaster and online drama

Australian drama titles were reclassified. New categories were introduced for TV and VOD titles (see About the Report for further details).

  • Australian general FTA TV and BVOD
  • Australian general subscription TV and SVOD
  • Australian general AVOD, TVOD and other online services
  • Australian children’s TV and VOD drama.

Additionally, the 'Australian feature' category was retitled 'Australian theatrical features', clarifying that it includes films made for first release in cinemas.
2023/24 to current

Revision

Detail

Online drama

Analysis of AVOD, TVOD and other online titles discontinued due to the high risk of under-reporting.

TV & VOD

The 'General FTA/BVOD TV drama' sub-category was retitled 'General FTA TV drama'.

'FTA/BVOD' was replaced with 'FTA'.

Finance sources

The All Australian government sources category was relabelled Other Australian government to clarify that this does not include the Producer Offset, Location Offset or PDV Offset, which are represented in separate categories.

PDV-only

Analysis of the PDV-only sector is limited to reporting companies only. Estimates of activity by non-reporting companies are not included.

Notes on Screen Australia's Drama Report

  • The Drama Report is compiled by Screen Australia using production data gathered by Screen Australia's Strategy and Insights unit through contact with production companies and from publicly available sources. PDV data is gathered through surveying PDV companies.
  • Decisions to classify titles into various datasets in this report are made by the Strategy and Insights unit, and should not be interpreted as reflecting any decision from Screen Australia's Producer Offset unit.
  • Every year, a small proportion of titles do not provide information to Screen Australia on finance sources. This makes it difficult for Screen Australia to ascertain their commissioning platforms, and this task has become increasingly challenging in recent years because in some cases multiple commissioning platforms are owned by the same entity.
  • 'Release platform' indicates intended release platform. In some instances, the first release platform/service may not have commissioned titles, even though they obtain first release rights.
  • For a small number of titles, the first release platform/service will not generate the majority of funding or audiences for a particular title. For example, there are a small number of instances where SVOD platforms have been involved with the production of titles alongside FTA TV and BVOD platforms, and these titles are then first released on FTA TV and BVOD platforms. These titles are therefore included in the FTA TV and BVOD category and not in subscription TV and SVOD.
  • The following federal, state and territory government funding agencies have provided data on titles they have funded and, in the case of state and territory agencies, titles shot and/or post-produced in their state or territory: Screen Australia (including the former Film Finance Corporation Australia and the Australian Film Commission), Screen NSW, VicScreen, South Australian Film Corporation, Screen Queensland, Screenwest, Screen Tasmania, Screen Canberra and Screen Territory.
  • In some cases, estimates have been made where data was not available. These include projects where work is yet to be finalised at the time the report is drafted. Total budgets, amount spent in Australia and finance sources reflect data available at the time of production and may change as titles near completion.
  • Data is updated on an ongoing basis, when possible, with the result that some discrepancies with previously published reports may appear. The discrepancies reflect new information or adjustments to methodology. For example, some titles in the previous year's dataset were yet to finalise production and post-production at the time of the compilation of the respective Drama Report, and revisions have been made where possible in this report.
  • International projects are included in the report when a substantial amount is shot in Australia or when PDV work is undertaken in Australia. International shoot figures exclude those titles that spend less than 10% of their total budgets in Australia.
  • Features with budgets under $500,000 are only included if they have had a cinema release or screening at a major festival. These titles are often added to the relevant production year data in future Drama Reports.
  • Spend in Australia may include some expenditure on international production elements; for example, fees for non-Australian actors or other individuals while working in Australia. Likewise, spend in a particular state or territory may include fees for elements from outside the state or territory, such as international or interstate cast or crew.
  • When analysing sources of finance, the ABC and SBS are categorised as screen industry, rather than as government sources. This reflects industry perception of the public broadcasters as part of the broadcast sector rather than government screen agencies. In addition to the federal, state and territory screen agencies, government sources may include direct finance from other government agencies and departments, including the Australian Children's Television Foundation, and the Adelaide and Melbourne Film Festival Funds.
  • Funding figures from government agencies may not correlate with the figures in this report because this report includes projects according to the start date of principal photography, rather than contract dates.
  • Data in the Drama Report regarding contributions to drama by content platforms may not correlate with expenditure reported by the ACMA in the Program Expenditure Information (PEI), Broadcasting Financial Results (BFR) or Spending by Subscription Video-On-Demand (SVOD) providers' reports. The Drama Report analyses finance sources in place at the start of production. The PEI reports expenditure by the commercial FTA broadcasters on screened programs during the year, and includes amortisation costs for programs purchased in previous years and programs purchased after completion. For subscription TV, the ACMA reports annual expenditure by drama channels on 'eligible Australian drama', including licence fees, production expenses and limited pre- production costs. Expenditure on features may be apportioned across financial years. Data on spend by SVOD providers reports expenditure in a given year, including on acquisitions of older content, and also includes spend on non-drama programs such as documentaries, light entertainment and reality TV. The Drama Report also differs from the ACMA's reports on commercial TV compliance with Australian content requirements, which classify titles based on their broadcast date on commercial networks – as opposed to the Drama Report, which classifies titles on the date they commenced production. Readers should also note the ACMA's treatment of indexation, and that ACMA data can include expenditure on New Zealand programs. Public broadcasters are not required to report Australian content information to the ACMA.
  • Sketch comedy programs are included in line with ACMA's definition of TV drama under the Broadcasting Services (Australian Content and Children's Television) Standards 2020 (Cth).
  • In categorising titles as either mini-series or series, Screen Australia has followed the definitions set out in Division 10BA of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Cth).
  • Series of, or related, telemovies are counted as individual titles, as set out in a broadcaster's licence agreement.
  • Durations for individual FTA and BVOD programs have been rounded to the nearest commercial broadcast hour (15, 30 or 60 minutes as appropriate) including commercial breaks. Subscription TV and SVOD programs report actual running time, or as provided by survey respondents.
  • Figures may not total exactly due to rounding.
  • Release strategies for titles reflect information available to Screen Australia at the time of publication.
  • The listing of Screen Australia funded titles reflects information as at November 2025.

Additional tables

Drama Report 2024/25: Additional Tables (.pdf)

User Guide and FAQs

Dashboard User Guide (.pdf)

1. Where can I access the full Drama Report?

The full Drama Report is published as a webpage, which presents this year’s results and key findings together with new interactive dashboards.

While we no longer publish a full PDF version of the Drama Report, you can access a summary of the key findings by downloading the Key Findings PDF.

2. Where can I access the Drama Report as a PDF?

We no longer provide the full report as a PDF. However, you can download the Key Findings PDF, which gives you a concise summary of the key insights and data.

3. Where can I find the data and analysis that I’m looking for?

The Drama Report is organised by topic areas. We recommend you navigate to the topic you are interested in using the menu on the webpage (e.g. ‘Finance Sources’), which will take you to the analysis and commentary for that section, followed by the relevant data dashboard.

Drama Report (webpage): Using the webpage menu (on the right of the page), click on Drama Report for a drop-down menu to access the topic you are interested in. For example, 'Finance Sources'.

Data Dashboard: within the dashboard, you can click on the ‘Home’ button to access the navigation panel for the dashboard. See the Dashboard User Guide for a walkthrough.

4. Where can I get help to use the data dashboards?

Please see the Drama Report Dashboard User Guide.

5. How did you generate the analysis and insights in the Drama Report?

We provide a summary of data collection and methodology in About the Report. For further details, see Key Terms and Notes on Methodology.

6. How can I share the Drama Report with my network?

Copy this link to the Drama Report and share it via your preferred platform. Or you can visit our LinkedIn page and share our post about the report directly to your feed.

If your query is not addressed by the information here, please contact [email protected]

Report Downloads

Drama Report 2024/25: Key Findings (.pdf)

Page header image credit: Wolfram (behind the scenes)