To be eligible, Applicants must:

• Meet the eligibility requirements in the Terms of Trade.
• Be applying as a Western Australian Resident Company as defined in the Terms of Trade; or
• Be applying as a Western Australian Resident Company in an Eligible Co-Production as defined in the Terms of Trade.

Where the Applicant is a Western Australian Resident Company in a Genuine Co-Production with a non-Western Australian Resident Company, the Western Australian Resident Company must hold at least 50% Copyright in the Project.

Projects must:

• Satisfy the documentary definition test outlined in the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) Documentary guidelines.
• Be a feature, single, series or large format (e.g. IMAX).
• Have not entered pre-production or production prior to our funding decision.
• Have confirmed Market Attachment via a current Letter of Intent, which includes intended financial commitments that align with the finance plan, from a bona fide distributor, broadcaster, or exhibition platform, for one or more of the following:
  • Australian theatrical release;
  • Australian television broadcast on free to air or pay/cable television;
  • International broadcaster with Australian audience footprint; or
  • Streaming platform with significant audience reach in Australia e.g. Netflix, Amazon, Google.
• Have a minimum Qualifying Western Australian Expenditure (QWAE) of $300,000.
• Reach a minimum of 10 points in the Western Australian Elements Table outlined in program guidelines.

Projects are expected to have applied for the Producer Offset. A provisional certificate will be required during the contracting process.

Where a Project is eligible for the Producer Offset, at least 85% of the projected value of the Producer Offset must be included in the Project’s finance plan and cash flowed alongside other production funding.

Read the program guidelines for more information. 

Funding of up to $400,000 per Project is available. 

• Screenwest will match cash funding provided by legitimate, at arms-length, market partner/s up to a maximum of $300,000, or 25% of the total Qualifying Western Australian Expenditure (1:4 ratio), whichever is less.  
• Additional funding may be available via funding incentives, capped at $100,000.   

Read the program guidelines for more information. 

Eligible applications will be assessed using the following criteria: 

• Team: Track record of the applicant(s) and key creatives. 
• Cultural and creative: Cultural and creative benefits of the Project to Western Australia (including as highlighted in the total points accumulated in the Western Australian Elements Table). Priority will be given to Projects that highlight Western Australia locations and talent. Projects that have a higher level of production in Western Australia will be more competitive than those that shoot outside of Western Australia.    
• Economic: Economic benefits of the Project to Western Australia, including the amount of QWAE and the employment of key Western Australian crew and post personnel. 
• Commercial: Strength of the Market Attachments (as appropriate to the market). 
• Quality and feasibility: Quality and rigor of the application materials including strength of the creative materials and statements, production methodology, and appropriateness of the finance plan. 
• Strategic alignment: How the Project aligns with the relevant strategic initiatives as set out in the Screenwest Strategic Plan. 
• Diversity: How the project supports our commitment to driving greater diversity, inclusion and equity in the Western Australian screen industry.  
• Funding: Availability of our funds. 

Read the program guidelines for more information. 

Read the SmartyGrants application form which lists the materials you will need to submit as part of your application. 

We recommend discussing your application with our team before applying. Let them know if you need accessibility assistance to complete your application. 

How to apply 

• Submit the online application form in SmartyGrants. 
• Upload all required documents and supporting materials. 

After you apply 

• Applications are reviewed to ensure they meet the eligibility requirements in the program guidelines and Terms of Trade. 
• Your application will be assessed by a panel of Screenwest management, a board director and experienced industry representatives who assess all eligible applications against the assessment criteria.  
• The panel funding recommendations are presented to the Screenwest board. 
• The Screenwest board makes the final funding decisions. 
• We will notify applicants of the outcome of their application by email or phone within 10 weeks after applications close.

Read the Qualifying Western Australian Expenditure (QWAE) Guidelines.