Screen Australia evolves Documentary Funding Programs to meet sector needs
Screen Australia has today announced its Documentary Funding Programs and guidelines are evolving to better align with industry needs and support screen practitioners.
Taking effect from 1 July 2025, the updates were announced by Screen Australia Chair Michael Ebeid, forming a key part of the agency’s new strategic direction.
Shaped using industry and market insights, the improvements respond to significant disruptions in the documentary sector and global screen industry, characterised by changing methods of production, financing, distribution and consumption. The new programs closely align with today’s content landscape, simplify applications and ensure all documentary projects are assessed in an equitable, competitive manner.
Screen Australia Head of Documentary Richard Huddleston said, “As the documentary landscape shifts, it’s critical that our funding programs are future-focused. When the existing programs were established, audience pathways, commissioning and distribution models were simpler. Today, with rapid shifts in distribution platforms, business models, and changes to audience behaviour, the marketplace is more complex.
“The revised funding programs are designed to ensure our funding models best support a documentary sector that is both innovative and resilient.”
Key Updates
The two existing production funding programs, the Commissioned Program and Producer Program, will close at the end of this financial year. From 1 July 2025, four funding programs will open:
- Documentary: Producer First – Features, series or singles that have no confirmed market interest but have a distinctive, compelling story with a well-defined pathway to market and audiences.
- Documentary: Platform First – Features, series or singles that have confirmed market interest through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that includes a first-window request and a commitment to the Screen Australia Minimum Licence Fee.
- Documentary: Direct-to-Audience – Online (e.g. YouTube or other platforms, AR, MR and VR) short- and long-form projects with or without market interest will be eligible to apply.
- Documentary: Development – Funding up to $30,000 (including time-critical filming and online projects) will be available.
The Producer First, Platform First and Direct-to-Audience programs will be assessed four times a year. Development will continue as an open and rolling deadline open for all practitioners.
Key Dates
To prepare for the rollout of the new programs and guidelines, Screen Australia will close the Commissioned Program and the Documentary Development Program on Friday 9 May 2025 (5pm AEST). The current Producer Program round will close on Thursday 26 June 2025 (5pm AEST).
Further information
Richard Huddleston will host a webinar at 12pm-1pm AEST on Tuesday 27 May 2025 to provide further detail on the updates and answer questions. All guidelines, application forms and templates and FAQs, will be released on 1 July. Eligibility requirements for the updated Documentary programs will remain the same as the those in the previous programs.
Any questions relating to existing applications, please contact [email protected].
Screen Australia has also announced changes to its Narrative Content funding programs.
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