Screen Australia Short Film Production 2027: Up to A$125,000 for Australian Animation — 18 March Deadline

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Screen Australia's Narrative Content Short Film Production programme offers eligible Australian filmmakers support to make short narrative films designed for a theatrical festival premiere. It includes animation and live-action/animation hybrid shorts, making it especially relevant to professional animators and screen-based storytellers.

APPLICATION TIMELINE — The next round opened on 29 September 2026 and is scheduled to close at 5pm on Thursday 18 March 2027. The Screen Australia programme page displays AEST; applicants should verify the time-zone label shown in the live application portal, particularly around Australian daylight-saving transitions.

AWARD LEVELS — The programme accepts eligible funding requests of at least A$50,000. An animated or hybrid live-action/animated narrative short can request up to A$125,000; the upper limit for a live-action short is A$100,000. A project's total production budget must not exceed A$175,000. These figures refer to separate production categories, not two grants that can automatically be combined.

CREATIVE TEAM — Applicants should have a functioning team including a director, writer, producer and, where applicable, animator. Individual applicants or co-applicant teams must be Australian citizens or permanent residents; a company applicant must be incorporated, conduct business and have central management and control in Australia. Applicants must have an Australian Business Number and control the rights necessary to make the work.

WHAT TYPES OF SHORT FILM FIT? — The programme's FAQ defines a short film for this purpose as a work of 15 minutes or less intended for first and primary exposure through theatrical film festivals. Digital animation and hybrid artistic approaches may be suitable where they satisfy narrative and festival aims. A short designed solely for a social media channel should instead be assessed against Screen Australia's other online/direct-to-audience programmes.

PROPOSAL MATERIALS — The official requirements include a script up to 15 pages, a production budget using Screen Australia's approved template, production and post-production schedule, an appropriate director's or animation lookbook and vision statement (up to 10 pages), and a finance plan. Relevant diversity and cultural consultation plans may also be required.

ASSESSMENT — Screen Australia highlights story, team, audience and budget, and the director's creative vision as assessment categories. A complete application should demonstrate how the artistic style, storytelling, schedule and budget fit together, as well as a realistic approach to film-festival presentation.

INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT — The current programme notes that successful applicants will be assigned a director mentor engaged by Screen Australia. The opportunity is support for the production of an actual film, not solely attendance at a film school, commercial motion-graphics commission or individual training scholarship.

ORGANISER — Screen Australia is Australia's national film, television, digital and games agency, providing public funding, production and professional opportunities. The programme's official page links the current guidelines, FAQ, funding dates and application portal.

OFFICIAL PROGRAMME — https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/fund/narrative-content-short-film-production/ . All-round deadline calendar: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/funding-deadlines/ . Verified 22 October 2026. Application rules, ownership, spending and any First Nations cultural protocols must be checked in the current guidelines.