Documentary

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.

As of 20 February 2026, new minimum licence fees for all television production funding have come into effect. Read more here.

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.