Screen Australia

Screen Australia aims to inspire, inform and engage screen audiences through compelling Australian storytelling.

Documentary Production

The aims of the documentary production funding programs are to support: 

  • Australian documentary content for production and release for Direct-to-Audience, Television and Feature Film platforms; 
  • distinctive storytelling for a range of budgets and audiences across local and global platforms; and
  • content makers at different career stages who reflect the breadth of Australia in service of cultural, creative and economic benefits.

There are three (3) different documentary production funding programs that applicants can apply for. They all have four (4) application rounds per financial year.

Direct-To-Audience: 

  • Direct-to-Audience projects are those that have not been commissioned by any third party and for which the first and primary release window is Direct-to-Audience e.g. YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Virtual Reality (VR), Extended Reality (XR) or Augmented Reality (AR) platforms.
  • The content creators are in control of self-distributing the work and taking it to audiences.
  • The Documentary Direct-to-Audience Program replaces the Online Production Program.

Platform First

  • The Platform First Program supports content makers to produce features, series or single documentaries that have a confirmed Commissioning Platform i.e. market attachment for Free-To-Air (FTA) television broadcast and streaming platforms across Broadcast Video on Demand (BVOD), Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) and Advertising Video on Demand (AVOD).
  • The program supports projects that are at least a commercial half-hour in duration, with a minimum budget of $250,000 per hour.
  • All finance must be confirmed at the time of application.
  • Screen Australia is generally the last contributor to the Finance Plan.
  • Minimum licence fees apply.
  • The Platform First Program replaces the Documentary Commissioned Program.

Producer First

  • The Producer First Program supports content makers to produce features, series and single documentaries for theatrical, free-to-air television broadcast (FTA), streaming platforms across Broadcast Video on Demand (BVOD), Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) and Advertising Video on Demand (AVOD).
  • Applicants can apply for production funding, or post production funding only (if the project is at an advanced stage)
  • For projects in partnership with cultural institutions i.e.: museums, galleries and with a demonstrated pathway to audiences, applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
  • The Producer First Program provides content makers the flexibility to drive projects creatively and commercially. Screen Australia’s funding acts as the foundation for securing deals and partnerships, in the context of today’s evolving media and distribution landscape as well as the commercial realities of increasingly fragmented sources of finance.
  • Minimum licence fees apply for projects commissioned by a commissioning platform
  • Minimum licence fees do not apply if the application is an acquisition eg: enhanced or post production. 
  • The Producer First Program replaces the Documentary Producer Program.

Important note: The text on this webpage provides a snapshot of the relevant information for this program/initiative. Applicants must read all detailed documentation available for download at the bottom of this page, including the program guidelines, before applying.

Key Dates
Deadline

5pm AEST Thursday 16 April 2026

Decision & Notification

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application within ten to twelve (10-12) weeks from the submission closing date.

Fund Amount
Refer to Guidelines
Category
Documentary
Funding Type
Production
Enquiries
Email: documentary@screenaustralia.gov.auFreecall: 1800 507 901
More Information

Applicants must discuss project with an Investment Manager prior to applying.

Upcoming deadlines:
18 June 2026
24 September 2026

Apply now

The amount of funding provided will depend on the scale of your project, the first and primary platform and the amount of additional finance required or secured from other sources.

Screen Australia may decide to provide funding at a different level than that applied for based on the assessment of all projects submitted to each funding round.

 

Direct-to-Audience Production

 

Support from Screen Australia should account for no more than:

  • 80% of the total project budget, capped at $300,000, for projects with a budget of $500,000 or less; or
  • 65% of the budget (including the Producer Offset) for projects with a production budget of more than $500,000.

 

Platform First Production

 

Screen Australia’s maximum contribution per project is $500,000 (inclusive of any previous Screen Australia development funding).

Support from Screen Australia should account for no more than:

  • 35% of the budget for projects with a budget of $500,000 or less; or
  • 65% of the budget (including the Producer Offset) for projects with a production budget of more than $500,000.

 

Producer First Production

 

Support from Screen Australia should account for no more than:

  • 35% of the budget for projects with a budget of $500,000 or less; or
  • 65% of the budget (including the Producer Offset) for projects with a production budget of more than $500,000.

Applicants and projects must meet Screen Australia’s Terms of Trade, any general eligibility or other requirements listed on the agency’s website (see Information for Applicants and Information for Recipients), as well as the specific eligibility criteria set out in the guidelines.

 

Direct-to-Audience Production – Additional Eligibility Criteria

 

  • The team must include at least two key creatives covering the roles of writer, director or producer.
  • The application must have at least one key creative (writer, producer or director) with one credit on a comparable project which has been primarily released on a direct-to-audience platform.

 

Platform First Production – Additional Eligibility Criteria

 

  • For features, series or single documentaries that have a confirmed Commissioning Platform for FTA, BVOD, SVOD and AVOD, applicants must meet certain credit requirements as per the Guidelines.
  • For feature length, series or singles for which Television (including SVOD, AVOD or BVOD) is the first and primary window, applicants must meet certain presale requirements as per the Guidelines.

 

Producer First Production – Additional Eligibility Criteria

 

  • For feature length, series or singles for which Television (including SVOD, AVOD or BVOD) is the first and primary window, applicants must meet certain credit requirements as per the Guidelines.

 

For full eligibility information, please refer to the attached guidelines.

Before applying, applicants must read and understand the Guidelines, Screen Australia’s Terms of Trade, Information for Applicants, Information for Recipients, and preview the application form on SmartyGrants.

 

Through the application form, applicants must:

  • provide all the information requested and answer the application questions;
  • meet, where required, all eligibility criteria; and,
  • include all required supporting materials.

 

For full details on the application process, including required materials, please refer to the attached guidelines.

Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:

 

  • Story
    • Is the story strong, distinctive and entertaining and does it demonstrate storytelling craft?
    • Is the story suited to its platform and proposed audience?
    • Does the story contribute to the depth and diversity of Australian stories?​
  • Strength of Team
    • Does the previous experience of the team position them to execute the vision?
    • Does the team have authentic connection to the content of the story, contributors and subject they are exploring?
  • Audience and Budget
    • Does the project have the potential to resonate with Australian and/or global audiences?
    • Will the story have impact for audiences and/or reflect the depth of people and experiences from around Australia?
    • Does the project have the potential to reach the intended audience on its platform/s?
    • Is the project budgeted appropriately and can the project be successfully realised for its budget and methodology?
  • Marketplace and Finance
    • Is Marketplace and Finance compliant with industry standards and appropriate for the project and platform?
    • Does the marketplace and finance sit within Screen Australia’s Terms of Trade and Credit Policy?
    • Is the ask on Screen Australia’s direct funding appropriate to budget, audience impact and, where applicable, recoupment?

 

Other factors that may be considered during the decision-making process include:

 

  • availability of funds
  • range of projects in receipt of production funding from Screen Australia inclusive of scale, budget, intended audience, genre and themes
  • range of applicants in receipt of development funding from Screen Australia inclusive of applicant, company and geographic diversity
  • Extent to which a project is likely to effectively amplify equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility.

 

Preference will be given to:

 

  • projects that, at the time of application, are no further than six (6) months from the start of pre-production.
  • projects based on intellectual property created by Australians; and
  • Australian original formats over international formats.

 

For full details on the assessment criteria, please refer to the attached guidelines.

Downloads

Documentary Production Guidelines

Download Document

Documentary Production FAQs

Download Document

Crew Placement Scheme FAQs

Download Document