Update on screen funding guidelines

Screen NSW has made changes to guidelines across the Regional Filming Fund, Made in NSW – Local Fund (previously known as Made in NSW – TV Drama) and Production Fund (previously known as Production Finance). Screen NSW is committed to supporting sustainable growth in the industry and ensuring our guidelines remain fit for purpose and clear.

These updates ensure:

• These program guidelines provide greater clarity and transparency around eligibility, assessment criteria, contracting arrangements, funding conditions, publication obligations and program administration, ensuring a more consistent applicant experience
• NSW funding remains competitive while supporting the long-term sustainability of program resources
• NSW remains a premier destination for filmmaking
• Encourages production activity to ensure regional communities share in the economic, workforce and industry development benefits generated by the screen sector.

Updates to the funding programs are outlined below.

Regional Filming Fund

The Screen NSW Regional Filming Fund offsets costs associated with filming in regional areas of NSW to ensure regional communities share in the economic benefits of the screen sector. These include narrative feature films (including telemovies), scripted drama series (including children’s television), all documentary productions, direct-to-audience series and commissioned online series. Key updates: 

• Applications are to be made concurrently with applications to the Made in NSW – Local Fund or Production Fund programs; the Fund will no longer be a standalone program
• The Fund has transitioned to a capped, competitive rounds-based model aligned with Production Fund and Made in NSW – Local Fund
• Introduction of minimum Qualifying Regional NSW Production Expenditure (QRPE) thresholds for narrative projects and doubled the minimum number of required regional filming days to ten days to strengthen regional economic outcomes. This aligns the Fund more closely with comparable regional screen funding initiatives in other states while maintaining a model tailored to NSW’s needs
• Increasing the maximum funding cap per project to $200,000 alongside refining the funding model from a percentage-based rebate, to provide support of up to 10% of QRPE
• Advice that the Regional Film Fund may close prior to the end of financial year, if the Fund is exhausted.

For full guidelines and updated FAQs, please visit here: Regional Filming Fund.

Made in NSW – Local Fund

The Screen NSW Made in NSW - Local Fund, which was previously known as Made in NSW – TV Drama Fund, supports both high-end feature film and television drama productions (including children’s content), produced by Australian production companies, which are genuinely footloose and can shoot in NSW. Key updates:

• Updated fund name to better reflect the formats supported under the program, which includes narrative features and television
• Now incorporates the updated Regional Filming Fund. Any applications for the Regional Filming Fund must occur concurrently with an application to the Made in NSW – Local Fund. However, the Regional Filming Fund retains a separate budget and assessment criteria relevant to the program guidelines
• For projects requiring a First Nations assessment, undertaken by a First Nations consultant to help inform decision making, the guidelines now reflect that this assessor may be the Screen NSW First Nations Development Lead as they are qualified to conduct First Nations Content Assessments when appropriate, resources allow, or an external assessor is not available
• Updates that clearly set out the minimum number, duration and payment conditions for NSW-based paid production attachments based on the level of Screen NSW funding.

For full guidelines and updated FAQs, please visit here: Made in NSW – Local Fund.

Production Fund

The Screen NSW Production Fund invests in NSW production companies, NSW screen projects and NSW creatives to produce or post produce in NSW – narrative feature films (including telemovies), scripted drama series (including children’s television), all documentary productions, direct-to-audience series, commissioned online series and interactive online screen entertainment. Key updates:

• Updated fund name to distinguish the overall program from the Production Finance stream within it
• Now incorporates updated Regional Filming Fund. Any applications for the Regional Filming Fund must occur concurrently with an application to the Production Fund. However, the Regional Filming Fund retains a separate budget and assessment criteria relevant to the program guidelines
• Increased the funding cap for direct-to-audience series where budget is $500,000 and under, moving from 10% to 15%
• For projects requiring a First Nations assessment, undertaken by a First Nations consultant to help inform decision making, the guidelines now reflect that this assessor may be the Screen NSW First Nations Development Lead as they are qualified to conduct First Nations Content Assessments when appropriate, resources allow, or an external assessor is not available.
• Advice that the Production Fund may close prior to the end of financial year, if the Fund is exhausted.

For full guidelines and updated FAQs, please visit here: Production Fund.

These changes will take effect from the next funding round, R99, which opens on 19 October 2026.