Download the complete guidelines and application form for Australia's International Co-production Program, or browse through the guidelines using the tabs above.
The Australian Government has entered into official co-production arrangements with the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, Ireland, Israel and Germany (Treaties) and France and New Zealand (Memoranda of Understanding or MOU). In 2007, co-production treaties were signed with the Governments of Singapore and the People's Republic of China. It is expected that these treaties will come into force in the third quarter of 2008. A co-production treaty is currently being negotiated with the Government of South Africa.
You can download the treaties and MOU under Legislation & Treaties.
A film or television program approved as an official co-production is regarded as a national production of each of the co-producing countries and is therefore eligible to apply for any benefits or programs of assistance available. In Australia, projects which are 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.
The International Co-Production Program was established to:
- facilitate cultural and creative exchange between the co-production countries
- allow the co-production countries to share the risk and cost of productions and
- to increase the output of high-quality productions.
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. There must be a producer from each of the countries and a balance between the Australian financial equity in the project and the Australian creative components (this is generally a minimum 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.
Screen Australia administers the International Co-production Program and can provide detailed guidelines on how to apply for co-production status.
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