Eligibility: The Points System

The equivalence between the percentage of a co-production budget contributed by the Australian producer and the percentage of Australian key participants is assessed by calculating the latter on a ‘points’ system.

    • While some leeway is allowed, the Australian producer's financial contribution must not exceed the percentage of Australian key participants by more than 5 per cent. For example, where the Australian producer contributes 55 per cent of the budget, the Australian points should not be less than 50 per cent.

    • A person who contributes to the Australian creative point score calculations must be an Australian national or permanent resident at the time the work is undertaken. Proof of citizenship or residency status may be required. In certain circumstances, New Zealand nationals may be included in the point system. For more information, see NZ Nationals or contact Screen Australia staff.

    • An individual cannot be treated as two nationalities in one application.

    • Screen Australia may approve ‘splitting’ the points on a project-by-project basis. (For example, in the case of a television series where half of the episodes are written by an Australian, Screen Australia may allocate half of the available points to the Australian writer and half to the writer from the co-producing country, ie they would each receive 1 point.)


Live action drama productions

  • Each co-production is allocated 12 points. Points are scored as follows:

 

Director 2 points

 

Writer 2 points

 

Director of Photography 1 point

 

Composer 1 point

 

Editor 1 point

 

Production Designer 1 point

 

Each of the four major cast roles 1 point each

 

TOTAL 12 points
  • Producers do not attract points because there must be, by definition, one from each of the co-producing countries.

  • An additional point may be approved by Screen Australia on a project-by-project basis (eg for model builders in the case of science fiction films or choreographers in the case of musicals).


Documentary productions

  • Each co-production is allocated 10 points. Points are scored as follows:

 

Director 2 points

 

Researcher/Writer 2 points

 

Film or Off-line Editor 2 points

 

Director of Photography 1 point

 

Sound Recordist 1 point

 

Composer 1 point

 

On-screen Presenter 1 point

 

TOTAL 10 points

  • Off-screen narrators and commentators do not generally attract points because they are likely to be re-voiced for foreign sales.

  • An additional point may be approved by Screen Australia on a project-by-project basis (eg for specialist cinematography such as underwater filming or a graphic designer where his or her contribution is demonstrably significant).


Animation productions

(The key element to the definition of animation is that it is shot frame by frame.)

  • Each co-production is allocated 12 points. Points are scored as follows:

 

Director 2 points

 

Writer 2 points

 

Layout Director/Artist 1 points

 

Storyboard Artist 1 point

 

Charactor Designer 1 point

 

Key Animator/Animation Director 1 point

 

Composer 1 point

 

Each of the three lead voices 1 point each

 

TOTAL 12 points
  • If co-productions are to be voiced in the language of each co-producer, lead voices will generally not be included in the points calculation. In such cases, the percentage of creative participation will be determined as a proportion of 9 points.

  • An additional point may be approved by Screen Australia on a project-by-project basis (eg for a voice director, sound recordist/designer or production designer).