Co-production guidelines, now “more flexible”

Screen Australia presented the revised co-production guidelines at MIPCOM, with an expanded points test now including heads of department previously ignored such as VFX supervisor, costume and sound designer, and, in animation, key model designer.

Further changes include scope to recognise writers from outside the partner countires, a new non-binding letter of preliminary compliance to support producers trying to access finance, and a greater expenditure flexibility in terms of finance.

According to Screen Australia:

Subject to the terms of the relevant treaty, a writer from outside the co-producing partner countries may be able to contribute to a screenplay without invalidating the film’s status as a co-production.

This is as long as the writer is not a credited screenwriter (as that term is understood by the Australian Writers’ Guild or equivalent organisation).
Previously, Screen Australia’s current guidelines made a project ineligible for co-production status if a non-party writer had worked on the script in any way.

The points test used to assess the Australian creative contribution has been revised.

The total number of points has been increased (now 15 for drama, 13 for animation and 10 for documentaries) which recognises the creative contribution of Heads of Department which were not previously allocated points (such as VFX Supervisor, Costumer Designer and Sound Designer).