Hello

The Australian Government has had a busy week with the announcement of a suite of changes to its Australian Production Screen Incentives: the Producer Offset is to be standardised to 30% for film and TV and there are guideline changes to this Offset, the PDV Offset and the Location Offset and Incentive. See our top story below for all the changes you need to know today.

On Sunday, the Australian Government also announced its support, in partnership with the Queensland Government, through Screen Queensland of three high-end NBCUniversal and Matchbox television series filming in Queensland later this year. We look forward to welcoming the NBCU team to Australia soon.

This month Victoria treats your eyes to some TLC with their beautiful locations on the Mornington Peninsula in our monthly Location Spotlight. Victoria also updates us on how one of their productions managed during lockdown and COVID-19 restrictions.

We have stacks of news to keep you inspired, from our members Blackbird, Cutting Edge, FinILMKOJO, Rising Sun Pictures and XM2 Pursuit.

Grab yourself a cuppa and enjoy an industry pick-me-up from your mates Down Under. 

Our very warmest wishes to you all.

The Ausfilm Team 

CHANGES TO AUSTRALIA'S SCREEN TAX OFFSETS

The Australian Government announced changes to Australia's Screen Production Incentives and guidelines. A snapshot of some of the main changes to the Australian Screen Production Incentives are:

  • The Post, Digital and Visual Effects (PDV) Offset minimum qualifying Australian production expenditure spend will be increased from AU$500,000 to AU$1 million. These amendments will come into effect for productions that commence post, digital and VFX activity on, or after 1 July 2021.
     
  • The rate of the Producer Offset will be standardised at 30 per cent for eligible film and television production, regardless of the release platform (currently it is 20% for TV and 40% for theatrical feature film).​These amendments will come into effect for productions that commence principal photography on, or after 1 July 2021.

​The main changes to the Location Offset & the Location Incentive Program guidelines are:

  • the Location Incentive seeks to encourage international production companies and studios to commit to film multiple productions over multiple years in Australia to support continued employment and investment.
     
  • to be eligible for the Location Offset & Incentive projects must genuinely be ‘footloose’, that is not already locked in to undertaking production in Australia.
     
  • to be eligible projects must commit to undertaking training and skills development activities; and
     
  • state/territory government support is required to be commensurate with the benefits that the production will bring to that state or territory.

These amendments will come into effect for productions that commence principal photography on, or after 1 July 2021 and the changes have been implemented to clarify the objectives of the Location Incentive Program and help the Australian Government continue to achieve the strongest outcomes for the government, production studios and the production industry.

Access the revised Location Incentive Program Guidelines here.

As noted in the Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety & the Arts' announcement, the Australian Government has made the decision to pursue changes to the Australian Screen Production Incentive in response to the feedback received during the Government's Supporting Australian stories on our screens Options Paper consultations.

Read the Minister's Press Release.

Ausfilm has outlined what these changes are in further detail here.

As the Australian Screen Production Incentive is underpinned by the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and changes will be implemented through legislative amendments before they come into effect.

LOCATION SPOTLIGHT: VICTORIA

VICTORIA’S MORNINGTON PENINSULA

Just an hour’s drive south of Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula has rolling hills, seaside villages, vast coastlines, picturesque wineries, and diverse period and modern architecture. Victoria’s experienced location managers will tell you ‘whatever look you need, you’ll find it on the peninsula’.

Read More

FILMING DURING COVID

BEST PRACTICE COVID-SAFE FILMING IN MELBOURNE

After many hours of discussions and detailed planning the cameras were rolling once again, in line with Victoria’s public health restrictions for workplaces, on the second season of Five Bedrooms in Melbourne.

Read More

XM2 PURSUIT'S NEW TOOLS FOR COVID-SAFE SHOOTING

XM2 PURSUIT has developed Whiskey Wheels, a first-of-its-kind method of camera control which allows DPs and Camera Operators to operate a remote head on a mobile platform from a fixed position. You have to watch this awesome video on how it works.

WATCH IT NOW

SCREEN AUSTRALIA: ADVICE FROM ISOLATION

During the peak of Australia’s COVID-19 lockdown, members of the Australian screen sector shared their career learnings and firsthand experiences in Screen Australia's Advice from Isolation series.

Read More

VFX IT IN AUSTRALIA

BLACKBIRD CREATES VFX MAGIC

Watch Blackbird VFX's breakdown reel and see their awesome skills in action!

Watch Now

 

CUTTING EDGE, YOUR PARTNER FOR DAILIES AND DIT

Cutting Edge’s maestros, Creative Technology Specialist, Simon Alberry and Head of Color, Adrian Hauser discuss digital dailies, DIT services and what to expect when filming in Australia.

Read More

FIN DELIVERS VFX ON THE EIGHT HUNDRED

In collaboration with award-winning director Guan Hu and Huayi Brothers Media, Fin has brought to life the grim, visceral story of The Eight Hundred.

Read More

ILM TO BUILD 3 NEW STAGECRAFT STAGES

Industrial Light & Magic announced the next phase of its global expansion plan for the company’s virtual production and StageCraft LED volume services.

Read More

30 YEARS OF KOJO HIGHLIGHTS

Watch some rare scenes in KOJO's 30 year anniversary showreel.

CHECK IT OUT

SOUTH AUSTRALIA'S RISING SUN PICTURES DELIVERS EXPLOSIVE VFX

South Australia’s Rising Sun Pictures produces VFX for Chinese box office smash hit The Eight Hundred

Read More

AUSFILM MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

CUTTING EDGE TALKS I AM WOMAN AND INVISIBLE MAN

Screen NSW chats to Cutting Edge's Head of Feature & Television, Marcus Bolton about the key differences in VFX approaches for each film spanning very different genres.

Read More

FOCUS ON SOUTH AUSTRALIA

WHY ADELAIDE? VFX EXTRAORDINAIRE!

RSP is proud to be a multicultural mix of crew from around the world as well as local Aussies. We are often asked ‘why Adelaide?’ by many who haven’t visited... so we asked some of our staff why living and working in Adelaide appeals to them; their response? Check out what they said & stay tuned for more.

WATCH now

WHAT'S UP IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

South Australian shot and produced children’s series First Day has received rave reviews internationally after its recent international premiere and sci-fi feature 2067 and drama Chasing Wonders are set to premieres at the 2020 Adelaide Film Festival in October, one of the first film festivals in the world to return to cinemas this year.

Read More

ICYMI

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS THREE INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS

Young Rock, Joe Exotic and Irreverent will receive AU$19.5 million under the Australian Government's recently replenished Location Incentive program of AU$400 million.

Read More