To attract feature film and television projects to Queensland in recognition of the significant economic and industry benefits they provide, particularly in the areas of employment, training and professional development, and infrastructure development.

How to apply

What will we support?

Productions that demonstrate significant economic benefit to Queensland and provide professional development opportunities for Queensland practitioners.

Support is provided in three forms:

1. Locations Scouting;

2. Production Incentive;

3. State Payroll Tax Rebate.

Who may apply?

Any business or production company that produces a project in Queensland.

Projects are eligible for a Production Incentive where they spend a significant amount of Queensland Production Expenditure (QPE), generally not less than A$12M or A$8M for animation.  Projects that are intended as pilots for a long-running television series, and with a lower QPE for the pilot, may be eligible and producers are encouraged to contact Screen Queensland to discuss the project.

Projects in receipt of equity investment from Screen Queensland are ineligible to apply for a Production Incentive.

Applications should be made on the standard application form that can be downloaded by visiting www.screenqld.com.au.

How will we select projects?

Assessment will be made of the economic and cultural benefit to Queensland and for Queensland practitioners through the professional engagement of Queensland based practitioners and/or the creation of enduring infrastructure in Queensland.

Eligible productions may include feature films, feature documentaries, telemovies and television series (including reality, drama, animation and mini series), and similar digital productions.  Short films, short documentaries and television commercials are not eligible to apply.

How much will be provided and in what form?

1.  Locations Scouting – a grant up to a certain amount based on the anticipated QPE. Support through the Locations Scouting programme is available for projects prior to commencement of pre production and prior to or during financing. Speak to Screen Queensland for further information on applying.
2. Production Incentive – a grant up to a maximum amount based on the anticipated QPE, the engagement of bona fide Queensland practitioners and/or the creation of infrastructure in Queensland. Speak to Screen Queensland for further information on applying.
3.  State Payroll Tax Rebate – Australian and international projects are eligible for the Queensland State Payroll Tax Rebate according to the terms of that rebate.  This rebate is administered by Screen Queensland on behalf of the State Government’s Office of State Revenue. Eligible projects must have QPE of $3.5M, unless bundling projects.

Screen Queensland's definition of QPE is contained in the Terms of Trade available on the website.

For the Production Incentive, applicants are invited to contact Screen Queensland prior to making an application to discuss the amount of the incentive that could be offered, which will be capped and determined in light of the following criteria:

(a)   the amount requested and the budgeted cost;

(b)   anticipated QPE;

(c)   whether or not the applicant is a bona fide Queensland resident and whether the project has been created and developed in Queensland;

(d)   the number and level of proposed Queensland key creative roles and Heads of Department and the extent to which postproduction will be carried out in Queensland;

(e)   the overall percentage of cast, crew and extras that are bona fide Queensland residents;

(f)    whether a portion of the production will occur in region/s outside South East Queensland, and the anticipated proportion thereof;

(g)   the extent to which productions engage Queensland post-production and VFX facilities;

(h)   any enduring infrastructure created in Queensland by the production;

(i)     the extent to which the production provides opportunities for training and career development [see also Professional Attachments programme];

(j)     availability of funding at the time of the application.

Definitions

Bona fide Queensland residents are:

(a)   individuals who are currently enrolled on the Queensland electoral roll and have been for a minimum of six (6) months; or

(b)   individuals who have been bona fide Queensland residents within the previous three years and are now resuming Queensland residency by changing their status on the electoral roll; or, if not,

(c)   individuals who can substantiate proof of residency in Queensland for at least six (6) months prior to the production commencing; or, if not,

(d)   individuals who sign a statement to the effect “I warrant that I have resided in Queensland for a minimum of six months prior to my engagement on [name of production] at the following address/es  “ “; and

(e)   where salaries are paid by the production company and not through production company suppliers or contracting firms.

Screen Queensland’s definition of QPE is contained in the Terms of Trade available on the website. 

Other conditions

For applications seeking a Production Incentive, the production office must be based in Queensland and the applicant production company or production services company must have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and be registered for the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Applications (other than for the State Payroll Tax Rebate) must be made upon commencement of pre-production and Screen Queensland approval for the Production Incentive must be in place prior to the commencement of production.  An approved Production Incentive will be paid after the completion of the production and following full acquittal of contracted delivery items and an audit, including a statement of the QPE incurred in the production of the project.

Other conditions relating to State Payroll Tax Rebate

Claims should be made after completion of the production.

The claim form is on the Screen Queensland website.

Claims will be processed by Screen Queensland on receipt of all necessary supporting documentation and when all contractual obligations to Screen Queensland have been acquitted.

Claims must be provided to Screen Queensland within 12 months of completion of the production in Queensland.  Claims made outside this period are ineligible.

Conditions relating to the bundling of productions for State Payroll Tax Rebate

Where productions are bundled the following conditions apply:

(a)   each production must be produced by the same production company or the same production services company on behalf of the same production company;

(b)   where the production companies for bundled productions are separate special purpose companies, and where the shareholding and directorship of each company is common, those companies will be treated as the same production company.  The intent is that bundling supports the “packaging” of projects from one company;

(c)   a claim for the rebate in respect of each bundled production may be made at any time following completion of the final project in the bundle (see point g below);

(d)   a claim must include all productions intended to be bundled; the intent is that companies apply at one time for more than one production as an incentive to make a bundle of projects in Queensland;

(e)   once a claim is made in respect of a bundle of productions, the 4-year period ends and future productions will be treated as falling within a new 4-year period.  Claimants should consider when to make a claim where the expenditure threshold is reached before the end of a 4 year period;

(f)    claims will be processed by Screen Queensland on receipt of necessary supporting documentation in respect of all productions and when all contractual obligations to Screen Queensland have been acquitted;

(g)   a claim must be provided to Screen Queensland within 12 months of completion of production in Queensland of the final project in the bundle.  Claims made outside this period are ineligible;

(h)   a 4-year period for expenditure of the minimum $5M starts from the date of commencement of official pre-production of the first bundled production;

(i)     once a production has been bundled, it may not be bundled with any other production/s for the purposes of the Payroll Tax Rebate.

Visit ‘The Vault’ for more information including the application form.