First Nations TV Drama Development

This program seeks to provide practitioners with the opportunity to create appropriate written and/or visual materials to ensure that projects are as strong as possible when competing for production finance.

We are looking for striking and engaging storytelling that will connect with audiences.

Screen Australia reserves the right to require the attachment of a story consultant where appropriate.

Emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander producers are encouraged to apply.

WHAT FUNDING IS AVAILABLE?

• One-offs: Up to $30,000, or up to $45,000 if a producer is attached
• Series: Up to $65,000 (other than in exceptional circumstances).

Funding is available for the further development of a treatment and/or script for a telemovie or TV drama series, including, where appropriate, script, series bible and project development, research, securing production financing.

WHO CAN APPLY?

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

• Can be a producer, writer or writer/director.
• The director (where attached), any co-directors and the writer must be Australian Aboriginal or a Torres Strait Islander practitioner and must have at least two ‘eligible drama credits’ in their respective roles.
• In the case of co-writing teams, made up of Indigenous and non- Indigenous writers, the original concept must come from the Indigenous writer. This must be shown in the application.
• An eligible writer or writer/director may receive a maximum of two tranches of funding as a solo applicant without a producer attached as above.
• The producer (where attached) must be either:
  ​– an ‘experienced producer’, or
  – a producer who has at least two ‘eligible drama credits’, or
  – an emerging producer applying in conjunction with an ‘experienced producer’.

For more information, visit Screen Australia