Narrative Content Short Film Production Funding Program

Screen Australia’s Narrative Content Short Film Production Funding Program supports teams (must include a Director, Writer, Producer, and where applicable, Animator) to make a narrative short film intended for theatrical festivals. Successful applicants will also be assigned an industry director mentor engaged by Screen Australia. Funding Details: Live Action: Request up to $100,000 AUD (approx. $108,000 NZD). Animation or Hybrid: Request up to $125,000 AUD (approx. $135,000 NZD). Note: The minimum funding request is $50,000 AUD. Projects can add budget from other sources, provided the total production budget is no greater than $175,000 AUD (approx. $190,000 NZD). Project Eligibility: Maximum length of 15 minutes (inclusive of titles and credits). Must be a narrative project (documentary, factual, VR/AR/XR, and educational programs are ineligible). Must be intended for a first and primary window of a theatrical festival outcome. Pre-production must commence no sooner than 6 months after the application deadline. Team Eligibility: The applicant company or team members must be Australian citizens or permanent residents. Directors: Must not have directed a theatrically released scripted feature film. They must have at least one publicly screened narrative short film at an industry festival, OR two professional mainstage theatre directing credits, OR six narrative episodes on a direct-to-audience platform (min. 5,000 views each). Producers: Must have a producing credit on at least one publicly screened short film at an industry festival (non-student), OR a scripted feature film, OR six narrative episodes on a direct-to-audience platform (min. 5,000 views each). Writers: Do not require any prior credits. Application Requirements: Applicants must submit a draft script (max 15 pages), a production budget, project schedules, a Director/Animation Lookbook, a Finance Plan, and a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plan (if applicable) through Screen Australia’s SmartyGrants portal.