B1.2 Matched Primetime Television Production Fund

Please note: The supplemental Production Fund Summary document that must be completed and submitted with your application can be found here.

Purpose and Scope:

As part of its Ignite the Arts package, the State Government of Western Australia has approved funding of up to $3.2 million to create the ScreenWest/ABC Matched Primetime Television Production Fund.

The Fund is intended to promote, enhance and expand the Western Australian independent production sector. It provides finance for primetime projects produced in Western Australia, by independent producers, with a broadcast commitment from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation ("the Broadcaster").

Under the Fund ScreenWest will accept applications for investment production funding which, in most cases, will match the funding offered to the producer by the Broadcaster.

The Fund aims to:

• Provide production funding in order to generate significant independent primetime drama and documentary production in Western Australia;
• provide support to Western Australian resident production entities;
• contribute to a critical mass of independent production needed to assist sustained industry growth in Western Australia;
• support primetime project development to selected productions (of up to $25,000 per application), where this is matched in amount by the Broadcaster and adequate funds are available.

Applications for production and development funding will be assessed by ScreenWest on the basis of the development outcomes for the Western Australian film and television industry resulting from the proposed production.

Eligibility:

ScreenWest will consider applications to the Fund at any time, provided the applicant has obtained a commissioned presale from the Broadcaster, and has provided an application that includes the items sought by ScreenWest for the assessment.

The provision of financial assistance under this Fund is dependent upon the availability of funds. The level of assistance from ScreenWest remains at the discretion of ScreenWest, its Board and the Minister for Culture and the Arts (the Minister).  

It is important to note that in most cases applications are assessed competitively. Therefore an applicant cannot be guaranteed of success, even if an application substantially meets the criteria.

For applicants who have previously received ScreenWest support, compliance with previous agreements, track record of repayment, and the amount of committed funds still outstanding are taken into account in considering a new application.

ScreenWest will take into account the following criteria in making its decisions:

1. The Producer must have obtained a commissioned presale from the Broadcaster, and the Broadcaster must have proposed in writing that the Producer approach ScreenWest to apply for funding from the Fund.
2. The Producer must provide documentation detailing the amount offered by the Broadcaster for rights in the production. The provision of matched funding from the ABC shall be by way of commissioned presales composed of standard industry licence fees commensurate with the rights required by the ABC and cash equity investments.
   ScreenWest will match the ABC's cash licence and/or investment amount to a cap of $600,000 or 25% of the total cash production budget, whichever is less.
   In addition, the ABC may provide equity investments by way of resources, facilities or stock footage deals (costed at co-production rates) and/or distribution advances/guarantees recoupable from gross receipts for the Selected Project. In-kind resources, facilities and stock footage deals are not to exceed 25% of the total ABC funding package unless agreed with ScreenWest.  
3. The production must be intended to deliver a significant national and potentially international prime time television audience.
4. The proposed full budget and production plan. If the producer has or intends to obtain additional distribution or production funding, this should be detailed in the application.
5. The potential for cross platform digital production and where relevant is included into the production budget (e.g. 360 degree digital production such as website material, games or other ancilliary interactive material).  
6. The applicant must be a Western Australian company or a company working under a genuine co-production arrangement with a Western Australian company. A definition of a genuine co-production arrangement is included in the General Guidelines. In drama productions a producer/associate producer arrangement will be considered under special circumstances.
7. In respect of the crew and cast:
   In accordance with ScreenWest's commitment to foster the development and employment of Western Australian screen practioners, ScreenWest will normally require that at least two-thirds of the key personnel (producer/co-producer, director, writer) plus at least two-thirds of Heads of Department (production manager, director of photography, production designer, editor, sound recordist, sound mixer, 1st assistant director, composer, lead cast (one only) be WA residents.
   Strong emphasis will be placed on this by assessment panels.
   However, where a strong case exists, approval may on occasion be granted for lower levels of WA personnel.
   (a)    For drama productions: one-third of the key personnel  (producer/co-producer, director, writer) plus at least one-third of Heads of Department as listed above are WA Residents will be considered.
   (b)    For documentary productions, the principles in 7(a) also apply (acknowledging that only some of the listed Key Personnel and Heads of Department will be relevant to certain documentaries), however the production company or co-producer must be a WA resident.
8. Development of the local industry practitioners (and where relevant, of the Western Australian resident production company) that will result from the production.
9. The level of Western Australian spend and employment resulting from the production.
10. Projected sales estimates from the proposed distribution of the production which demonstrate the likelihood of returns on the financial assistance provided under the Fund.  (The Funding Assessment Panel will determine whether the level of likely returns is satisfactory in the context of the potential development outcomes for the Western Australian film and television industry resulting from the proposed production).
11. The majority of the production should be shot in Western Australia and post-produced in Western Australia, using Western Australian products and services where possible, provided that such use does not contravene the Broadcaster's Editorial Policies. In the case of documentaries exceptions may be made where the subject matter is located outside WA.
12. Other Market Partner(s) should have a strong track record and provide a level of financial commitment that is likely to enhance the production's chances of success.

Note: It is acknowledged that the number and value of Western Australian elements (including locations, crew, facilities and post-production) utilized in an approved production will depend upon the subject matter of the production and will also be subject to the approval of the completion guarantor, the Broadcaster and other financiers such as Federal and other State agencies (if involved as financiers).

Financial Assistance:

The Fund will normally match the amount of funding provided by the Broadcaster, with the following caps. It is expected that production finance from the Fund per production will be up to a maximum of $600,000 or 25% of the total cash production budget, whichever is less.

The Fund will invest in primetime documentary and drama production, with a notional allocation of the fund of 40% to documentary / 40% to drama and 20% for either genre at the discretion of ScreenWest and the ABC.

Development funding of up to $25,000 per application is also available for selected projects, where this amount is matched by the Broadcaster.

The Decision Making Process:

A Production Funding Assessment Panel (the Panel) will be convened as soon as practically possible on receipt of applications which meet the application requirements (see application requirements below), which have been commissioned by the Broadcaster and where the Broadcaster has provided the Producer with a written recommendation to apply for the Fund.

The panel will comprise the following members:

• The Chief Executive of ScreenWest (or his nominee) as Chair, plus;
• One representative of the ScreenWest Board;
• One representative of ScreenWest Management;
• Two independent screen industry members.

Panel members are disallowed from any involvement in projects that are submitted to that Panel.  

Decisions will be made by simple majority.

Recommendations for funding approved by the Panel will be provided to the ScreenWest Board then the Minister for Culture and the Arts for consideration.

The Minister for Culture and the Arts has the discretionary power to accept or reject recommendations of the Panel or return the recommendations to the Board for further consideration.  At the Minister's discretion, further enquiries can be made and other parties may be consulted in reaching a decision.

Decisions on development funding from the Fund will be made by ScreenWest Management.

Notification of Decisions:

Applicants seeking funding of up to $25,000 will be notified in writing of the funding decision within five business days of the assessment.

Funding between $25,000 and $50,000 requires Board approval and applicants will be advised in writing of the Board's decision within five business days of the ScreenWest Board's approval.

Where funding in excess of $50,000 is sought, decisions are made by the Minister for Culture and the Arts.  Applicants will be notified of the Minister's decision within five working days of notification of that decision to ScreenWest.

All decisions may be made conditional on the applicant meeting specified requirements.  Unsuccessful applicants will be advised of the decision within five business days of the decision being made.

How to Apply:

Applications for production funding are invited from independent Western Australian production companies.

All applicants must submit an application form. They must also complete a Production Fund Application summary .

Applications for development funding need to meet the terms of ScreenWest's Matched Development Investment Funding Guidelines (A1.1) .

Applicants are encouraged to discuss proposals with ScreenWest personnel prior to submission of applications.

Legal and Administration Costs:

ScreenWest legal and administration fees are repayable as outlined in the Production and Investment Agreement with ScreenWest. An administration and legal fee at a flat rate of 2% of the ScreenWest Investment, with a cap of $15,000, will be charged to the production company and will be payable from the first drawdown of the ScreenWest funds.

Financial Assistance and Conditions:

Successful Applicants will enter into a formal legal agreement with ScreenWest. It will include financing arrangements acceptable to ScreenWest (consistent with Australian screen industry practice), performance milestones, reporting requirements and any other information the Minister for Culture and the Arts may require. All productions must have a completion guarantor to ensure completion and delivery of the production within budget and according to schedule. Applicants must be willing to participate in promotional aspects of the Fund and respond to a client survey if requested.

Applicants who receive funding of $125,000 or more under the Fund will be obliged to fund filmmakers seeking further training and experience on the production, in consultation with ScreenWest.  The costs of these Professional Attachment/s must be included in the budget.  The number of Professional Attachments that are required to be funded by the Production Company will be determined by the amount of funding, as listed below.  

• $125,000 to $299,000 - at least one Professional Attachment;
• $300,000 or more - at least two Professional Attachments.

Applicants may apply to ScreenWest for a financial contribution towards more Professional Attachments (See ScreenWest's Professional Attachments guidelines).

Tax information for Applicants:

Funding provided under this scheme is regarded as payment for a supply. GST-registered recipients will therefore be liable for GST in connection with funding provided by ScreenWest.

Where a successful applicant to the Production Fund is registered for GST, the amount of funding will be increased by the amount of GST payable. GST-registered grant applicants must provide ScreenWest with a tax invoice for the GST inclusive value of the investment unless ScreenWest and the applicant have agreed in writing to the issue of a Recipient Created Tax Invoice. Payment will not be made until ScreenWest receives a tax invoice or an agreement to issue a Recipient Created Tax Invoice. The applicant acknowledges that the investment provided is in consideration for a supply to ScreenWest and that the GST component will be included in the applicant's next Business Activity Statement lodged with the Australian Taxation Office.

For applicants not registered for GST ScreenWest will not include GST, nor will it reimburse an unregistered grantee for GST paid or payable to a third party. Unregistered grant applicants must provide ScreenWest with an invoice for the amount of the investment.

Freedom of Information Act:

Applicants are informed that Western Australian Government Agencies are subject to the Western Australia Freedom of Information Act which provides a general right of access to records held by State and Local Government agencies.

Applicants should also be aware that information pertaining to the receipt of State Government financial assistance will be tabled in the Western Australian Parliament. This information could include the name of recipients, the amount of the assistance, the name of the production/activity and, possibly, a brief description thereof. This could result in requests for more detail to be released publicly.

Should you require any further information in relation to this issue, please contact ScreenWest on (08) 9324 7340.

Further Information:

For further information, please contact ScreenWest Director of Production Development Harry Bardwell (Ph: 08 9224 7340).

Applications will be considered on receipt by ScreenWest of full documentation from the producer, addressing the criteria outlined above. Applications should be sent to:

Harry Bardwell
Director, Production Development
ScreenWest
PO Box 8349
Perth Business Centre
Perth, Western Australia 6849

These guidelines must be read in conjunction with the General Guidelines.