Screen Oz simplifies copro rules

Government-backed funding body Screen Australia has axed “complex and inflexible” guidelines to speed up the coproduction process for producers.

The organisation’s CEO Graeme Mason presented the new measures to Australian and international producers at Ausfilm in London this week.

“In an environment where we are all facing reduced funds to produce screen content, it is a logical step for us to make it easier for Australian screen practitioners to collaborate with international partners and vice versa,” said Mason, who is in the UK to encourage more coproduction ventures Down Under.

“The advantages of this for the industry will include access to support from both countries, increasing the ambitions of projects by aiming for bigger budgets, bigger returns and bigger audiences.”

Screen Australia has relaxed the application requirements for projects to gain provisional approval, enabling productions to be submitted for assessment without all financial agreements being finalised.

The new measure will remove the need for producers to seek a Letter of Preliminary Compliance, and will make the certification process “less onerous,” said the agency.

The organisation has also unveiled new tools on its website to supplement the guidelines, which outlines key terms of the various copro treaties.

“These initial changes are an important first step in capitalising on the great opportunities offered by co-production, with less red tape, reduced process and strong benefits to industry,” added Mason.

A total of 42 projects have been produced under Australia’s 25-year old treaty with the UK, including forthcoming BBC TV series Banished.

Australia has official coproduction treaty arrangements in place with Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Israel, Singapore, South Africa and the UK, as well as Memorandums of Understanding with France and New Zealand.

South Korea will also be able to operate as a coproduction treaty partner once the Korean-Australian Free Trade Agreement is in force.