FIRST NATIONS
feature development

The First Nations Department’s feature development program aims to provide opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmakers with demonstrated experience to extend their craft and their ideas in the longer feature format.

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.

What funding is available?

Any amount up to $30,000, or up to $45,000 if a producer is attached (other than in exceptional circumstances).

Funding is available for the first or subsequent draft feature screenplay, including, where appropriate, fees for writer, producer, director, story consultant.

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:

• Can be a producer, writer or writer/director.
• The director (where attached) and writer must be Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Australian and must have at least three ‘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 First Nations Australian 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’.

Outstanding applicants or projects that emerge through the First Nations Department’s Special Initiatives may be invited to apply to this program. This provides the opportunity for Indigenous practitioners to access single-project development funds even where minimum credit requirements are not satisfied.

What is the process?

Applications can be lodged via the Application Portal. Turnaround time for decisions after deadline is approximately six weeks.

Applications are assessed by Screen Australia executives and/or industry specialists as required. Screen Australia will advise applicants in writing of the success or otherwise of their application.

Funding decisions will be made against the following equally weighted criteria:

• The strength of the concept and underlying premise
• The quality of the cinematic storytelling and potential of the film to reach its target audience
• The development notes, and the degree to which they articulate the issues to be faced in the next stage of development and outline the strategies to address them
• The skills and experience of the writer and, where appropriate, other members of the team, and the likelihood that their experience will advance the project.
• The viability of the project and whether it can be realised for an appropriate budget relative to its audience.

Terms of funding

Funding through this program is provided as a grant.

If a project has received development funding from Screen Australia and proceeds to production investment with Screen Australia finance, the previous funding must be recognised in the production budget (as an above-the-line cost) and will become part of Screen Australia’s total investment in the project.

• Where the project goes into production without Screen Australia funding, Screen Australia may require the producer to repay the development funding previously provided by Screen Australia in order to acquire any copyright interest held by Screen Australia.

See Terms of Trade for more information.