Screen Australia seeks to ignite digital understanding, expertise and activity within the Australian screen content sector.

Technology has changed the landscape and opened up many new storytelling possibilities. Digital Ignition will support screen practitioners to explore these new opportunities, including new tools for storytelling, new platforms for reaching audiences, evolving finance plans and revenue models, new professional collaborations, and lower barriers for new talent to break through.

The program offers project development support as well as an annual targeted workshop (see below).

It encourages (but does not demand) the formation of multi-disciplinary teams that embody convergence between traditional media and digital media, or other disciplines, for example, factual and documentary specialists collaborating with web developers, or experienced screenwriters and directors working with game developers.

Digital Ignition also aims to assist Australian digital practitioners to develop their own IP, and help experienced traditional media producers to work with digital media practitioners to scope the viability of exploiting existing successful Australian IP on digital platforms.

Projects funded for development under the Digital Ignition program would be eligible to apply for production support through All Media Production.

Browse the guidelines below, or download as a PDF at right.

 

Project eligibility

Digital Ignition supports innovative, non-linear, interactive storytelling or game content that has a significant narrative component. (Note that the program only supports games intended for digital distribution.)

Content will not be considered innovative simply by virtue of using a certain delivery mechanism, but by how it utilises the features of that mechanism. For example, ‘interactivity’ must go beyond the ‘point-and-click to play’ ability to choose which order to engage with the content.

Content may be intended for any platform that permits interactivity, including the web, games consoles, mobile and smart phone services.
Whatever the platform, projects must incorporate distinctive, dynamic and creative storytelling.

Marketplace attachments

Marketplace attachments are not expected at this stage. However, where they are in place they will increase the competitiveness of an application.

Co-funding partners and/or marketplace investment may be sourced from private investors, telcos, hardware or software manufacturers, distributors, broadcasters, game publishers, portal managers or any other appropriate entities. Co-funding with state film agencies, other government organisations, educational institutions or other partners is also encouraged.

Applicant eligibility

Applicants may be individual producers or teams, including from game studios. All teams must have a producer attached.

Key team members must have relevant credits in their chosen fields: for example, a filmmaker must have at least one project that has been theatrically released, broadcast on primetime national television, or screened at a recognised film festival; a game developer must have at least one produced and released game; and a web developer at least one major produced and released online project.

Available funding

Applicants may apply for up to $50,000 per development stage, to be used to develop effective materials to trigger marketplace investment and, where appropriate, production finance.

Funding decisions

Screen Australia will take the following considerations into account when assessing applications for this program:

• strength of the proposal, including its cultural significance and level of innovation in storytelling
  
• the project’s potential to connect with its target audience
  
• the appropriateness of the proposed development strategy and use of funds at this stage of development
  
• the project’s potential to deliver what it sets out to achieve (i.e., entertainment, commercial success), based on appropriate measurable indicators
  
• the potential of the project to provide ongoing benefits to the industry, such as through developing the team's skills, enhancing business sustainability, or growing audiences
  
• track record and capacity of the creative team
  
• strength of the marketplace (including level of any co-finance other than Screen Australia and the state agencies)
  
• diversity of slate.
  

Screen Australia will advise applicants of the success or otherwise of their application. Where an application is unsuccessful, the reasons will be conveyed to the applicant, with a written statement of reasons provided on request.

Terms of funding

Funding is in the form of a grant.

Funding recipients must deliver

• Final pitching materials such as paper-based screenplays, social media strategies, community-building strategies, transmedia bibles, game design documents, proposals or graphics on hard copy or via web-based presentations from an existing website.
  
• Where applicable, an electronic proof of concept (EPOC) or prototype.
  
• A revised strategy detailing how the development materials will be used to secure further development or production finance, and what the next stage might be.