Screen Australia Narrative Content Production: Australian Film, Animation and Online Series Applications Close 3 December
Screen Australia's Narrative Content Production programme is accepting applications for original Australian screen stories across feature films, television and online/direct-to-audience formats. Animation and digital-first narrative storytelling may be relevant where they meet the full programme rules. It is a production investment pathway, not a general gallery video-art commission or open international short-film competition.
2026 ROUND DEADLINE — The current deadline is 5pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) on Thursday 3 December 2026. The agency lists a subsequent round closing on 18 March 2027; those are separate assessment rounds. A team should not silently miss December assuming its work will automatically transfer to a later round.
WHO MAY APPLY — Applicants and projects must satisfy Screen Australia's Terms of Trade, programme-specific criteria and any required additional cultural protocols. Eligible Australian production companies and screen creative teams must hold or control necessary rights and demonstrate an appropriate production-ready plan. The precise entity, Australian content and applicant requirements are set out in the 2026 guidelines.
FORMATS — The programme includes direct-to-audience production, children's TV production, broader TV production and feature-film production, including a range of market-first and creative-first pathways. A project seeking funding should be matched to the applicable strand and format; the existence of online platforms does not mean every short personal video qualifies.
FUNDING — Unlike smaller scheme grants, the general programme page does not state one universal maximum. The amount depends on project size, primary platform, total budget, secured funding and business case. Do not infer that a single widely advertised budget cap covers TV, feature film, streaming and online narratives equally.
REQUIRED PRE-APPLICATION DISCUSSION — Screen Australia expressly tells applicants that they must discuss their project with an Investment Manager BEFORE applying. This is a material procedural step: a polished pitch and financial plan alone should not be treated as enough to submit without that discussion.
WHAT TO PREPARE — Read the current production guidelines, Screen Australia's Terms of Trade and its Applicant/Recipient instructions. Prepare a strong story pitch, writer and director vision, team track record, detailed production budget, project finance and distribution plan, marketing and audience pathway, proposed production start date and chain-of-title records.
ASSESSMENT — The programme identifies story, talent/team, audience/budget and marketplace/finance as four main criteria, each weighted at 25%. Applicants should show that their project is production-ready, culturally authentic, financially realistic and likely to connect with audiences on its intended platform.
ORGANISER — Screen Australia is Australia's national public agency for screen development and production and now administers consolidated narrative funding that replaces several older separate television, feature and online programmes. Its official site supplies up-to-date assessment dates and relevant programme documentation.
OFFICIAL FUNDING INFORMATION — https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/fund/narrative-content-production/ . Reviewed 22 October 2026. Use the current programme and linked SmartyGrants portal after discussing the project with an Investment Manager.