Olsberg SPI report into Aussie screen sector urges treaty revamps, new infrastructure and business models
The Olsberg report issues a clear call to action
The Australian screen sector has been urged to address key structural concerns including skills gaps, studio capacity limitations, career progression blocks and business scalability issues in order to remain globally viable and competitive.
The conclusions come from a new study from creative industries consultant Olsberg SPI commissioned by Screen Australia.
The 2026 Production Infrastructure and Capacity Analysis (PICA) study follows Olsberg SPI’s comprehensive study commissioned in 2021 which addressed training and skills development shortages.
Five years on and the complexity of global factors, the emergence of AI and economic pressures have amplified the screen industry’s pressure points.
The Olsberg report issues a clear call to action and warns that if key issues remain unaddressed it “will constrain future growth and erode long-term capacity.”
“Strategic investment, enhanced collaboration and policy reform are essential to ensure the sector can manage demand, increase attractiveness, and fully realise its creative and economic potential,” the report states.
Targeted training programmes for business development, strengthening the links between academia and industry, forging stronger international partnerships, specifically in the Asia-Pacific region and stimulating private investment in local IP are recommended as central ways to remain competitive.
In key recommendations the report calls for a strengthening inter-organisational coordination, to address infrastructure challenges. This may include coordinating sound stage development and capacity planning, preserving access to industrial land for screen-related storage and re-establishing dedicated collaborative workspaces.
The report seizes on the global trend in television production which has seen the demise of long-running, high-episode-count series resulting in an average drop of 20-25 episodic seasons to roughly half that. “This has meant fewer total production hours per show and the loss of continuous, long-term productions that historically functioned as training grounds for new talent.”
The report states that creating a progressive, resilient screen sector requires, “partnership between industry, education providers and government, underpinned by clear accountability and a focus on measurable outcomes. This is a critical moment to align national ambition with practical reform and ensure the sector is equipped to thrive.”
A key recommendation is the strengthening of Asia-Pacific partnerships and global collaboration. Olsberg SPI urges Australian screen businesses to expand efforts in international collaboration in the areas of coproduction, financing, and audience expansion. It calls for the upgrade of a raft of long-standing policy frameworks, including coproduction treaties with a strong focus placed on the Asia-Pacific region.
“Strengthening formal frameworks with key regional partners could unlock access to new funding sources, diversified creative partnerships, and broader distribution networks”, the report states.
Beyond treaties, the report advises that industry should consider greater collaboration with Asian streamers, distributors, and investors through co-financing arrangements, pre-sales, and slate-based partnerships to help diversify Australia’s export base and reduce dependence on Western markets.
Additionally, stimulating private investment in local IP is paramount. “A stronger focus on original IP creation will also require new public/private financial mechanisms to attract and retain private capital within the Australian screen sector.”
Screen Australia COO Grainne Brunsdon said: “This study not only reaffirms Australia as a world leader in high value production, it also provides specific guidance on how the sector can navigate a dynamic, ever-changing landscape. The PICA study equips you with the necessary insights to collaborate, act and build a more flourishing economically sustainable industry.”
