First Nations Documentary Production

Applicants and their projects must meet the general eligibility requirements set out in Screen Australia’s Terms of Trade in addition to the following:

• Applicants
  • An application must be from a producer on behalf of a team, including a writer and director, or writer/director.
  • The director and any co-directors must be Australian Aboriginal or a Torres Strait Islander practitioner.
  • In the case of co-writing teams, made up of Indigenous and non- Indigenous writers, the original concept must come from the First Nations Australian writer. This must be shown in the application.
  • The producer or the director must have at least one ‘eligible documentary credit’.

An ‘eligible documentary credit’ under this program must be either:

• a linear documentary, is 30 minutes or longer in duration, and has:
  • been broadcast by a recognised broadcaster or channel or Commissioning Platform, or
  • had a commercial theatrical release, or
  • been invited to screen at IDFA, Hot Docs or equivalent, OR
• an interactive linear documentary project which has been publicly released.

Projects:

• can be a one-off or series linear documentary of at least a commercial half hour in duration, or a series of any number of episodes at least a commercial half hour in total duration
• must be a documentary as defined by ACMA. Screen Australia does not invest in reality or magazine television, light entertainment, panel shows, infotainment, current affairs, cooking, ‘how to’, sports, corporate, training, games, extensions to film or TV, or community access programs or projects whose primary market is the education sector.
• must be intended for distribution via a Commissioning Platform with the required presale confirmed (noting that minimum licence fees apply). See below.
• have been developed by Australian production companies/producers and creatives, not sub-contracted from a Commissioning Platform;
• if applicable, must be independent of the nominated local Commissioning Platform for the first release of a program in Australia. In addition, Screen Australia expects key creatives (producer, writer, director, cinematographer, editor) to be sourced from the freelance market and not from the staff of the Commissioning Platform;
• must not be more than 26 broadcast hours of any one project, which may include multiple series.
• Other than in exceptional circumstances, preference will be given to projects that, at the time of application, are no further than six months from the start of pre-production.

Applications are by invitation only. Contact a First Nations Investment Manager to discuss your project or the Program Operations team if you are unsure who to speak with: 1 800 507 901 or [email protected].

If you are invited to apply you will be asked to submit your application using the Application Portal.

Turnaround time for decisions is approximately eight weeks.

Funding decisions will be made against the following equally weighted criteria:

• Script/treatment/outline: The script, treatment, outline and project materials according to: (i) the strength and distinctiveness of the idea; (ii) the quality of the writing; (iii) readiness of the script or treatment to proceed into production.
• Creative team: The producer, director, writer according to: (i) evidence of skills, relevant experience and achievements which demonstrate either an established successful track record or exciting new talent; and (ii) their demonstrated creative, technical and managerial capacity to deliver the project.
• Project: The project’s potential in relation to: (i) the creative team’s demonstrated understanding of the intended audience; (ii) the creative team’s vision for the project; (iii) the proposed participants.
• Viability: Screen Australia will consider (i) the viability of the proposed budget in relation to achieving the creative team’s stated goals and vision for the project; (ii) the viability of the proposed financing structure including the amount requested from Screen Australia as a proportion of the total budget; and (iii) the production schedule.