Australia’s International Co-production Program

 

Australia’s International Co-production Program was established:

• to facilitate cultural and creative exchange between co-production countries
  
  
• to allow co-production countries to share the risk and cost of productions; and
  
  
• to increase the output of high-quality productions.

A film or television program approved as an official co-production is regarded as a national production of each of the co-producing countries. This means it is eligible to apply for any benefits or programs of assistance available.

In Australia, projects approved as official co-productions are eligible to apply for investment from Screen Australia. They are also eligible to be treated as projects with a significant Australian content and may therefore access the Producer Offset.

An official international co-production must be made under the terms of one of the arrangements in place between Australia and the co-producing countries.

Australia has treaties with the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, Ireland, Israel, Germany, Singapore and China; Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with France and New Zealand.

How does it work?

Producers must apply to Screen Australia for approval as an official co-production. There must be a producer from each country, and the Australian financial equity in the project should equate to the level of Australian creative components (generally a minimum of 30 per cent under the treaties and 20 per cent under the MOUs).

Creative equity is determined by:

• a points system for key cast and crew
  
  
• an equivalent percentage of other cast and crew
  
  
• an equivalent percentage in the amount of money spent in Australia or on Australian elements within the production budget.

The co-producers from each of the countries concerned must between them contribute 100 per cent of the cost of a proposed co-production, although they may obtain their contribution from any source, from their own or any other country.

Each treaty or MOU also includes specific terms of production which must be satisfied.
See Eligibility for more information on these points.

We recommend that you seek the advice of Screen Australia staff before making a formal application. See Contact Us.