INCENTIVES

Melbourne is an extremely cost-effective film making city and its attractive financial incentives make it an appealing production destination.

Both the State Government of Victoria and the Australian Federal Government vigorously support the film and television industry through various financial incentives.

Film Victoria Incentive Programs

Our incentive funds encourage filmmakers to bring their projects to Melbourne. These incentives are a simple grant system, provided in the form of a cash rebate at the end of production. All funds are negotiated on a project by project basis.

Production Investment Attraction Fund (PIAF)
PIAF is designed to attract interstate or offshore productions to film or post produce/vfx feature films, television series, mini-series, telemovies, animation series and documentaries in the state of Victoria. To be eligible, your project must be footloose (ie. projects with qualified interstate and/or overseas alternatives).

Regional Location Assistance Fund (RLAF)
RLAF is designed to encourage productions to use locations outside metropolitan Melbourne. RLAF assists projects by offsetting some of the additional costs incurred when filming in regional areas such as accommodation, living overheads and travel.

Head of Department (HoD) Incentive
Our HoD incentive encourages footloose productions to employ Victorian Heads of Department. A grant of up to AUD$50,000 is accessible and eligibility requirements are available upon request.

Federal Government Incentives

The Australian Government provides tax incentives for film and television in Australia through the Australian Screen Production Incentive scheme. The incentives are available in three mutually exclusive strands.

Location Offset
The Location Offset provides a 16.5% rebate on qualifying expenditure to large budget film and television productions which film in Australia. The Location Offset is available to productions with a minimum qualifying Australian expenditure of AU$15 million.

Post/Digital/VFX Offset
The Post Production, Digital and Visual Effects Offset provides a 30% rebate to projects that spend a minimum of AU$500,000 on post, digital and VFX works in Australia regardless of whether the production was shot in Australia.

For further information about the Location Offset or the Post/Digital/VFX Offset click here.

Producer Offset
The Producer Offset is designed to encourage the production of Australian film and television projects. A 40% rebate on qualifying expenditure for feature films and a 20% rebate of qualifying expenditure on all other formats is available.

Eligible projects must have Significant Australian Content in order to be entitled to this incentive.

Screen Australia considers the following when assessing Significant Australian Content:

• The subject matter;
• Where the production was made;
• The nationality and place of residence of those making the project;
• The details of production expenditure incurred; and
• Any other matters that Screen Australia considers to be relevant.

Official co-productions automatically meet the significant Australian content test however joint ventures may also be eligible for this incentive.

Further details about the Producer Offset can be found on the Screen Australia website at http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/producer_offset/