ConverGent television:
general TV drama

In a convergent media environment, Screen Australia supports the creation of a diverse slate of quality, innovative, original, culturally significant small-screen storytelling that resonates with contemporary audiences.

A television broadcaster or channel must be attached to the project, and the content must also be made available on at least one digital media platform other than broadcast television; at minimum this could be a catch-up television service. As audiences are consuming content via an expanding array of platforms, the intention is to ensure accessibility to the content on those additional platforms to ensure the greatest opportunities for audience engagement.

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

PLEASE NOTE: These guidelines, released on 3 May 2011, take effect from the 14 October 2011 funding round. Applications were considered under the 2010/11 guidelines for the 3 June 2011 round.

Eligibility

Format and duration

Drama of any broadcast format is eligible for this program, including telemovies, telemovie packages and series (no distinction is drawn between series and mini-series).

However, more than 26 broadcast hours of any one project, which may include multiple series, will not be eligible for funding unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated. (This includes hours already funded as of 30 June 2011.)

Marketplace attachment requirements

A local presale for Australian free-to-air or subscription television rights is required, with a minimum licence fee of $440,000 per broadcast hour. This floor price must not include:

• any equity component for the broadcaster;
  
• broadcast rights for New Zealand or another Rest of World territory;
  
• subscription television or exclusive satellite rights (if the presale is to a free-to-air broadcaster), or free-to-air rights (if the presale is to subscription television).
  

Screen Australia expects that an appropriate holdback period between the first and any subsequent release will be negotiated case by case between the producers and broadcasters involved.

Screen Australia expects the project to be made available on at least one digital media platform other than broadcast television (free-to-air or subscription). At a minimum, this could be a catch-up television service, but producers are also encouraged to consider mobile or other online platforms as part of their release strategy.

In addition to the local presale, Screen Australia will require a sales agent for ROW to be attached on all projects financed under this program.

[Note: Screen Australia intends to review its marketplace attachment requirements in two years (i.e. for the 2013/14 financial year) with a view to increasing the minimum licence fees.]

Broadcaster involvement

Screen Australia will not finance drama where the project has been developed by a broadcaster and sub-contracted at a later stage to a producer, except where chain of title resides with the producer.

In addition, Screen Australia expects key creatives (producer, writer, director, director of photography, editor) to be sourced from the freelance market and not from the staff of a free-to-air or subscription television channel.

Project funding available

Screen Australia will not generally invest more than $2 million in a TV drama project, and will not exceed this threshold other than in exceptional circumstances.

Limits also apply to the level of direct funding as a proportion of the project's budget; these limits are set out in Screen Australia’s Terms of Trade.

Investment decisions

Applications are considered by Screen Australia executives, with industry specialists consulted as required. Investment decisions will be made against the following criteria, and in the context of the outlined investment and slate management principles:

• strength of the proposal, including its national and cultural significance,
  
• the project's potential to connect with its target audience
  
• track record and capacity of the creative team;
  
• strength of the marketplace (ie level of co-finance excluding Screen Australia and the state agencies);
  
• diversity of slate.
  

Preference will be given to original formats over programs based on foreign formats.

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.

[These guidelines were issued on 3 May 2011.]