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Screen Australia Awards $8.1M in Production Funding for 15 New Projects

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Screen Australia announces $8.1 million in 2024 production funding for 15 new projects across film, TV, and online.

Screen Australia has announced $8.1 million in production funding to support 15 new projects across feature films, television series, and online content.

This latest investment reflects the agency’s continued dedication to fostering original Australian storytelling that resonates both locally and internationally, with a diverse array of genres and formats set to benefit from the funding.

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Among the prominent projects receiving funding are the animated family film Zac Power, a collaboration between Flying Bark Productions and Cheeky Little Media based on the well-known children’s book series, and the horror feature Leviticus, from Causeway Films, the production company behind the critically acclaimed film Talk to Me.

Other titles include the romantic comedy Love Adjacent, Stan’s psychological thriller series Watching You, and the online documentary series Hoops, which follows the journey of transgender basketball player Lexi Rodgers.

The announcement also included over $1.7 million in development funding for 27 television dramas, 23 feature films, and six online projects. These include new family-friendly offerings such as the feature film Piano Mums, about a teenage pianist and her family’s love for music, and the second season of Sextistics, a TikTok docuseries exploring gender, sexuality, and identity in Australia.

Screen Australia CEO Deirdre Brennan highlighted the depth of talent in the projects being funded.

“These latest projects reflect the depth of creative storytelling that defines the Australian screen industry,” she said. “We support projects that entertain and resonate with audiences. Our aim is to champion authentic local voices and ensure our sector remains at the forefront of global storytelling.”

In the 2023/24 financial year, Screen Australia allocated more than $85 million across 57 funding initiatives, including over $5.5 million through the First Nations Department. Additionally, the organisation issued 205 final certificates under the Producer Offset program, with a combined value of $413 million. Despite high demand for support, the agency was only able to fund about one-third of the applications it received.

Brennan reaffirmed the organisation’s priorities moving forward: “We’ll continue to seek ways to provide impactful support within our limited capacity, prioritising audience connection, industry value, and cultural relevance.”

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The past year has seen Australian productions attract substantial international attention, with 61 titles selected for global film festivals and events. Notable successes include the online series Videoland, which won Best Comedy Series at the prestigious Festival Series Mania, and Shayda, which took home the Sundance Audience Award. High-profile projects like Furiosa and the Australia/Ireland co-production The Surfer, starring Nicolas Cage, also held world premieres at the Cannes Film Festival.

Screen Australia’s commitment to funding stories that reflect diverse local perspectives remains a core focus. Recent and upcoming projects span various genres and formats, including children’s programming, such as DO NOT WATCH THIS SHOW, an animated adaptation of comedian Andy Lee’s book series, and drama series like Top End Bub and JIMPA.

Brennan expressed her excitement for the year ahead, particularly about projects set to release in late 2024. “I’m thrilled by the international recognition of our stories and excited for the pipeline of projects set to release before the end of the year, including films Memoir of a Snail and The Moogai, along with series Thou Shalt Not Steal, Four Years Later, and Plum.”

Among the latest slate of funded productions is Chasing Millions, a crime drama set in 2004 Belfast, where an ambitious Australian police officer teams up with a veteran Northern Irish detective to investigate the largest bank heist in Irish, British, and Australian history. The series is an Irish-Australian co-production, directed by Stephen Burke, and co-produced by Jane Doolan and Michael Wrenn.

Other notable projects include Displaced, a six-part YouTube comedy sci-fi series about a physicist who accidentally travels back in time, and Posthumous, a horror-drama feature film that explores grief and supernatural forces through the discovery of a mysterious videotape.

The psychological horror Saccharine, which tells the disturbing tale of a medical student haunted by a ghost after participating in an obscure weight-loss craze, is also set to receive funding. Additionally, Watching You, a six-part thriller for Stan based on the novel The Last Guests by J.P. Pomare, is expected to draw significant attention, given its gripping storyline and major production investment from Screen NSW.

As Screen Australia continues to build a sustainable and innovative screen economy, the investment in these diverse projects underscores the organisation’s role in elevating Australian voices in the global entertainment industry.

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Kevin Perry
Kevin Perryhttps://perryexcav.com/
Senior Editor and Co-Owner of the TV Blackbox website, Kevin Perry is an experienced media commentator focused on TV Production, Consumer Tech, SVOD & Sports Broadcasting. Media enquiries please Call or Text 0428-275-111
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