Australia’s film and television incentives, including the Location Offset and the Post, Digital & Visual Effects (PDV) Offset, have generated a total of $16.5 billion for the country’s economy in the four years up to the 20201/22 financial year.
Released this week, the Olsberg SPI report has found that the incentives underpin Australia’s status as a major production hub, with total production expenditure in the country reaching more than $2.2BN in 20201/22, a 91% increase over the four-year period.
High-profile productions that have shot in Australia in the past four years include Disney’s Thor: Love and Thunder, Universal’s Ticket to Paradise, Woody Woodpecker and Metropolis.
Television titles to benefit from the schemes include series including Heartbreak High and Pieces of Her plus Shantaram, La Brea, Nautilus, Metropolis, Clickbait, Young Rock, Joe vs Carole, The Tourist, God’s Favorite Idiot and Irreverent.
The Location Offset, aimed at offshore film and TV productions, resulted in a return of A$5.89 for every A$1 invested, according to the report. Australia also offers a 30% PDV Offset for inbound productions and a 30-40% Production Offset, which is subject to an Australian cultural test and geared more towards local productions.
The Location Incentive Program offers a merit-assessed grant of up to 13.5% of qualifying production expenditure, which was boosted by an additional A$400m in 2020.
The report was launched at Parliament House in Canberra by the Australia New Zealand Screen Association (ANZSA) and the Motion Picture Association (MPA).
Producer Jon Kuyper, who has worked on several productions in Australia, highlighted the need for “certainty around the location offset” in order to achieve the country’s full potential as a leading production hub. Ausfilm CEO Kate Marks stressed the importance of a “permanent 30% Location Offset” to ensure a consistent pipeline of both physical production and PDV activity.
Meanwhile, Schuyler Weiss, Managing Director at Baz Luhrmann’s Bazmark Films, said the Producer Offset generates “economic value” for Australia. ANZSA announced plans to add three new studio facilities in Western Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland in the near future.
