International PITCHING Forums AND TALENT LABS

International Pitching Forums and Talent Labs provides support to:

• producers selected for competitive overseas pitching forums in order to enable them to secure finance, production and marketplace partners for Australian projects; or
• key above the line creatives invited to attend premium overseas talent labs to enable professional development and to build international industry networks.

Available Funding

Applicants can apply for an amount:

• up to $6,000 (or $12,000 for a team of two or more) for any eligible pitching forum or talent lab of up to 14 days duration.
• up to $10,000 (in total for both individuals and teams) for any eligible talent lab/ fellowship of more than 14 days and less than 12 months duration.
• up to $20,000 (in total for both individuals and teams) for any eligible talent lab/ fellowship of more than 12 months.

Applicants (both individuals and companies) may only receive one grant to attend eligible events in a 12-month period other than in exceptional circumstances.

Inclusive Storytelling

For Australian screen content to effectively deliver cultural and economic benefits it must speak to, and be for, all Australians. A diversity of ideas and a diverse workforce will enhance the Australian screen industry, making it more relevant to Australian audiences and more competitive internationally.

Screen Australia is committed to building equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility into its programs and into our engagement with the community.

Screen Australia encourages applications from applicants from all backgrounds, cultures and experiences. In particular, the agency welcomes applications from under-represented groups.

Screen Australia strives to make its funding programs accessible by removing barriers for people who are d/Deaf, and disabled and/or those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Eligibility 

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 these guidelines.

Applicant Eligibility 

This program is open to companies and individuals (either alone or as part of a team as co-applicants).

To be eligible, an applicant company must:

• be an incorporated company carrying on business in Australia, with its central management and control in Australia;
• have an Australian Business Number (ABN); and
• be registered for the purposes of GST if required by law.

To be eligible, an individual applicant (or each individual co-applicant) must:

• be an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident (holding a permanent visa); and
• have an Australian Business Number (ABN).

Eligible Opportunities

Eligible opportunities have been chosen to ensure that Screen Australia’s support is as strategic as possible and that the agency makes the best use of its limited funds. The opportunities have been based on the outcomes and reports of previous Australian attendees.

International pitching forums for producers/ creators:

• Asian Project Market and Platform, Busan
• Asian TV Forum and Market, Pitch, Singapore
• Berlin Co-Production Market
• Cannes Frontiéres Platform, Cannes
• C21 Drama Series and Scene by Scene Pitch, London
• Film Independent Fast Track Market, Los Angeles
• Frontiéres International Co-Production Market, Montreal
• Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), Hong Kong
• Hot Docs Forum and Dealmaker, Toronto
• IDFA Forum, Amsterdam
• JAFF Future Project, Jakarta
• MIFA Pitches, Annecy
• MIPJUNIOR Pitch, Cannes
• NFDC Film Bazaar, Co-Production Market, Goa
• Realscreen Summit Showdown, Miami
• Red Sea Project Market, Jeddah
• Series Mania Co-Pro Pitch, Lille
• Sunnyside of the Doc Global Pitch, La Rochelle
• Tasveer Co-Production Market, Seattle
• TCCF Pitching Project, Taipei
• TIFF Project Market and Pitch Forum, Toronto
• Venice Gap-Financing Market
• Visions du Reel, VdR Pitching, Nyon

International talent labs and other premium professional development opportunities for producers, directors or screenwriters:

• Academy Nicholl Fellowship
• AFI Conservatory, Los Angeles
• Berlinale Talents, Berlin
• Churchill Fellowship
• CineStory Writers Retreat, Idyllwild
• Film Independent Project Involve and Documentary, Episodic and Narrative Labs, Los Angeles
• IDFAcademy and IDFA Project Space, Amsterdam
• Inside Pictures, London/ Los Angeles
• Oxbelly, Messinia
• Realness Institute AuthenticA Series Lab, CPI, Screenwriters’ Residency, South Africa
• Red Sea Feature Films Program, Directors’ Program, and SeriesLab, Jeddah
• Series Mania Writers Campus and Series Makers, Lille
• Square Peg Social, Austin
• Sundance Institute, USA
• The Residence, Cannes Cinema De Demain, Paris
• TIFF Directors, Writers, Producers, Showrunners, Story Innovators Labs, Toronto
• Torino Film Lab and Series Lab, Torino
• Union Docs Lab, New York
• Biennale College, Venice

If you have been selected for an opportunity not mentioned above, or are not a producer, director or screenwriter, please contact us via [email protected] to discuss before applying.

See our full list of Festival, Market & Pitching Forum profiles for information on domestic and international event dates.

Important: Applications cannot be made retrospectively.

Application Process

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

How to Apply

Applications can be made at any time through the Application Portal after receipt of the invitation for the relevant opportunity. Applications must be submitted at least three weeks before the start date of the event.

Application Form

• Complete and submit the online application form through Screen Australia’s Application Portal 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.

Required materials

Applicants are required to provide information on or upload the following supporting materials with their application form:

• Proof of selection / invitation by the event (mandatory)
• A proposal that includes:
  • Information on the event and its standing, details of number of attendees selected for the particular strand, and any relevant success stories from recent years.
  • Meeting and/or activity list for the event with strategy and desired outcomes.
  • If applicable, details on project/slate of projects being pitched. This should include for each title: the stage of development or production; the budget and the currently secured finance; and any secured key creative and marketplace attachments.
  • If applicable, details on your professional development and career goals and your proposed strategy to achieve them via this opportunity.
• One page CV, including recent credits. Please include details of any commercial, major festival or awards success for completed work. For more emerging creatives, it can be helpful to also include a letter of support from an Industry Leader that has worked with you.
• Budget that covers the costs of the international travel, accommodation, registration, per diems and any other applicable costs of active participation. The budget should show the amount being requested from Screen Australia, as well as any inclusions provided by the event or any contributions from other parties.

Assessment

Process

• Once submitted, Program Operations will review each application to determine eligibility and ensure that required materials have been submitted. A member of the team may contact the applicant if there are questions regarding submission materials or eligibility.
• If any application materials have not been submitted, a ‘missing materials’ email will be sent, and the applicant is required to supply the ‘missing materials’ in the specified timeframe. No extensions will be granted. On provision of ‘missing materials’, the applicant will receive an email advising that their application has moved to assessment.
• Once eligibility is confirmed, the applicant will receive an email advising that their application has moved to assessment which will take approximately four (4) weeks. 
• Applications are assessed against the published criteria by Screen Australia delegates, with industry specialists consulted as required.

Criteria

Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:

• Opportunity. The standing of the opportunity for the applicant to achieve their proposed strategy, and how it aligns with the aims of the fund.
• Suitability & Viability. The suitability and viability of the applicant’s meeting and activity list, and the proposed project(s) pitching strategy, and/or the proposed professional development strategy.
• Experience. The strength of the applicant’s CV, including relevant and recent credits and industry experience and their experience pertinent to the event and the intended outcomes.

Other factors may be considered including the:

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

Decision & Notification

• Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application within approximately four weeks of receiving the ‘moved to assessment’ email.
• Screen Australia will advise applicants in writing of the outcome.
• Decisions on applications are final.
• We receive many more applications than we can support. Inevitably, some applications will be unsuccessful and applicants will be disappointed by this result.

Successful applicants

Contracting

• If an application is approved, the applicant will receive an email detailing the level and type of Screen Australia’s approved contribution, as well as information about the contracting process and any applicable conditions.
• Successful applicants will enter into an Activity Grant Agreement with Screen Australia.

Terms of funding

• Funding through this program is provided as a grant.
• Recipients are required to provide a written report detailing the outcomes of the funding.

Other Resources

Further information about Screen Australia funding and resources to assist with submitting an application is available on Screen Australia’s website:

• Terms of Trade
• Information for Applicants
• Information for Recipients

Contact

• If applicants have any further questions contact Screen Australia’s Program Operations at [email protected] or on 1800 507 901.
• Please note that Screen Australia is unable to provide creative advice or review any materials that may form part of an application.

Privacy

Screen Australia collects personal information from individuals in different ways, including via funding applications, acquittal reports, or supporting material supplied with forms. Screen Australia will handle any personal information provided in connection with a funding application in accordance with its Privacy Notice relating to funding applications and its Privacy Policy.