To support Queensland practitioners to create high quality screen projects with audience appeal that clearly identify their target markets, that are commercially focused, and that enhance their professional development.  To support Queensland business growth through increased production and partnership opportunities.

The Development Programme covers:

• Project and Business Development
  1. Television: Conceptual Development, Early Stage and Late Stage
  2. Theatrical: Early Stage and Late Stage
  3. Multiplatform: Early Stage and Late Stage
• Business Planning Development Grant
• The Writers’ Room
• Professional Attachment Programme
  1. Development Attachments
  2. Production Attachments

How to apply 

What will we support?

Australian projects in all formats excluding short films (short films are supported by other Screen Queensland activities). Development support is aimed at driving projects to market-ready stage and will be recognised as operating at two stages, each with different and clearly defined activities – early stage and late stage. Each application requires a development plan for that stage and Screen Queensland will work to assist applicants during these stages to implement their plans. Screen Queensland may also work with applicants to formulate their development plans prior to any recommendation for funding, although such consultation is not a guarantee of funding.

Television:

Conceptual development: reserved for projects where, although there is no demonstrable market interest, the strength of the core idea is recognised by Screen Queensland as a worthy development opportunity for the creative team. It is designed to bring the project to a standard where it will garner the interest and attachment of a broadcaster. This strand of development is capped at $10,000 and only applies at early stage. Generally, this will be provided for the creation of series projects rather than one-off projects.Early stage includes: writing drafts of the script, working with a script editor and/or director, workshops, etc., to take a project to a market-ready state. In the case of television projects (whether drama or factual) the application should contain demonstrated expressions of interest from the marketplace, and early stage in this instance includes, for example, working up a detailed treatment or proof of concept (or sometimes a sizzle reel) for which there is already initial marketplace interest for the purposes of securing an LOI or commission from a broadcaster.

Late stage includes: pitching, further drafts of the scripts, travel, marketing materials, finance plan, casting, budgeting, scheduling, etc. Whether television drama or television factual, there must be a broadcaster attached or a cash contribution for this stage of development from a distributor or sales agent. Screen Queensland will consider applications for matching the investment of a broadcaster.

Theatrical:

Early stage includes: writing drafts of the script, working with a script editor and/or director, workshops, etc., to take a project to a market-ready state. Generally, a maximum of two drafts and a polish may be funded per stage. Initial support will be provided at minimum full treatment stage (approx.30 pages). Screen Queensland does not invest in concept creation for theatrical features other than in relation to television projects (see above). Applicants seeking early stage support for development of feature documentaries should discuss the treatment with Screen Queensland.

Late stage includes: pitching, further drafts of the script, travel, marketing materials, finance plan, casting, budgeting, scheduling, etc. Screen Queensland will consider applications for matching the investment of a significant marketplace investor.

Multiplatform:

Early stage includes:, , workshops conceptual development, beta testing, content creation, to take a project to a market-ready state. Generally, a maximum of two drafts and a polish may be funded per stage.

Late stage includes: pitching, ,content creation, travel, marketing materials, finance plan,, budgeting, scheduling, etc. Screen Queensland will consider applications for matching the investment of a significant marketplace investor.

Business Planning Development Grant:

Five (5) business planning grants of up to $10,000 per year to Queensland production companies with a track record. One round will be held each year in October. Recipients of the grant will have up to three months to develop and produce a business plan for their company. Screen Queensland will advise and offer a list of industry consultants for the companies to work with to develop the plan.

The Writers' Room is included within this programme (see separate description).

The Professional Attachments programme is included within this programme (see separate description).

Who may apply?

Queensland based practitioners; interstate practitioners engaging Queensland writers.

Early stage applications need not have a producer attached, although it is encouraged.

Late stage applications will only be considered where there is a producer attached and there is demonstrated market interest in the project.

Writers without a production credit will only be funded for one project and will be expected to demonstrate their capacity to attach a producer and/or marketplace interest to their project before any additional projects are funded.

Writers may apply to the Writers' Room programme without a producer attached.

How will we select projects?

Strong emphasis will be placed on quality, judged by external assessors and Screen Queensland experienced personnel. The following criteria will be taken into account:

•  the strength and originality of the concept;
•  the quality of the project with regard to structure, characterisation and dialogue;
•  the quality of the writing and the team's understanding of the script's strengths and weaknesses;
•  the quality of the script notes in demonstrating the team's understanding of the script and plans for its improvement;
•  the specific development needs of the project;
•  the amount of Screen Queensland's investment as a percentage of the overall development budget;
•  the total development budget as a percentage of the anticipated total production budget;
•  the genre of the project and its likely reception in the marketplace;
•  the marketing and distribution strategy;
•  in the case of multiplatform or digital projects; the demonstrated potential of revenue streaming;
•  the creative team and its demonstrated ability to achieve a market-ready project and/or marketplace attachments;
•  the potential for the work to reach an audience, and the team's understanding of that audience;
•  the potential for the work to be commercialised;
•  the one pager and other marketing collateral being created for the project (how the project is being pitched into the marketplace);
•  the intended Queensland elements of the project;
•  the extent to which the application fits with the objectives and strategies of Screen Queensland in supporting the Queensland industry.

Unsuccessful applicants will be given constructive objective feedback where projects are judged to have potential to assist the overall development of those practitioners and projects and for ongoing engagement with practitioners.

How much will be provided and in what form?

1.Screen Queensland publishes a rate card as a guide for fees for development activity, with the amount to be provided determined on a case by case basis and paid in stages. Funding for travel, especially interstate travel, generally should be included in the application and will be required to be spent inrelation to the project before any other travel or marketing application may be made in relation to that project.

2.Each successful application by Queensland-based producers attracts additional support for the operations of their business related to that project and repayable only from that project when it is produced. This may take the form of a contribution to the producer's overhead set by Screen Queensland with discretion to vary according to a project's merit and budget. Generally, this is expected to be 10% of the amount funded or $1,000, whichever is the greater.

3.Where a Queensland production company is using a Queensland writer, Screen Queensland will add to the development budget a $2,000 bonus to the producer's overhead. This applies once only and only in early stage development.

4.Where a Queensland production company is using a Queensland director, Screen Queensland will add to the development budget a $2,000 bonus to the producer's overhead. This applies once only and only in late stage development. 5.Where a Screen Queensland development investment (+10% premium) is repaid on first day of principal photography, the premium will be held by Screen Queensland until the production concludes and the audit is delivered to Screen Queensland upon which time the premium will be rebated to the production company as a grant. This will only apply to Queensland producers/production companies (not the SPV) and is another strand of on-going business support. This will apply for projects going into production from 1 July 2012, regardless of when Screen Queensland invested in the development.6.Where a project has Screen Queensland development investment and commences principal photography Screen Queensland will commit to an early stage development investment in a new future project (within three months). Screen Queensland will work with the producer to identify the next project that will receive additional investment. The usual terms of trade and internal processes apply. This will only apply to QLD producers and will not apply to any projects that may be selected for the low budget feature initiative.
The amount available will be:
- up to $10,000 - documentary projects
- up to $20,000 - theatrical and television projects
Projects must be in the same genre and format as the previous development investment. This incentive will be capped at two (2) per financial year per company. A standard contract for 6-12 months of development will be issued.

7.Projects already in receipt of any Screen Queensland (or Pacific Film and Television Commission) development investment are only eligible to apply for late stage funding. Where a project has been rejected twice it will only be assessed for a third application under exceptional circumstances. Where a Queensland writer is working with an interstate producer certain aspects of development will not be funded (eg. additional business support, producer's overhead, producer's travel).

8.Screen Queensland will co-fund with other agencies but will not fund the same elements of any project.
Screen Queensland will only fund Queensland practitioners to travel.

Screen Queensland will not fund 100% of the development of any project.

Generally Screen Queensland would seek to co-finance for late stage development with a co-financier (eg broadcasters, another screen agency, distributor, etc.).