All land in Australian is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land. It is essential that proper respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culture, heritage and Country is upheld in every stage of your process.  

What do you need to know? 

• All land in Australia is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land. 

• When working in Australia, filmmakers need to understand and respect that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the Traditional Owners of the land. They have been connected to and caring for the land for over 60,000 years. 

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have cultural responsibilities and rights in relation to the land of which they are the Traditional Owners. 

• There are many different and distinct Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups within Australia, each with their own culture, language, customs and lore. Click here for a map of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia. 

• Establishing who the local Traditional Owners are prior to filming and creating a good working relationship with them, will assist you to understand what places and objects may be restricted for cultural reasons and what the appropriate protocols are for access or filming. 

• ‘No stories about us, without us.’ If your project contains Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content, concepts or cultural elements, it is essential that you have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmakers or consultants on your team. If you don’t, are you the right person to be telling this story? 

• You should identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander elements as early as possible to ensure you implement the correct filmmaking protocols throughout the life of your project. 

• If you are filming on lands controlled by the Aboriginal Lands Trust or vested in the Aboriginal Affairs Planning Authority, you will need to obtain a permit through the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage. 

• Screenwest requires its funding recipients to comply with Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights (ICIP) protocols. ICIP refers to the rights that Indigenous people have to protect their traditional arts and culture. Visit the Arts Law website for more information.  

For more information read:

• Screen Australia’s Pathways and Protocols: A filmmakers guide to working with Indigenous creatives, content and communities.
• Creative Australia’s Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts.

We’ve partnered with Support Act to provide access to their industry-specific Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Support Act works across the music and creative industries, with the services designed with our sector in mind. 

Through this program, anyone working in the Western Australian screen industry has access to: 

• Free, confidential counselling through the Support Act Wellbeing Helpline (1800 959 500) 

• Support with work or personal challenges, including stress, burnout, or difficult situations 

• Access to additional services such as mediation, critical incident support, and manager guidance if needed 

• A range of practical resources and mental health tools through the Support Act website. 

The Helpline service is completely confidential – Screenwest does not receive any information about who accesses it. It’s there for anything affecting your mental health or wellbeing, whether work-related or personal and you don’t need to wait until things feel serious – it’s just as valuable for early support or a check-in. 

For more information, including how to use the service and what’s available visit the Support Act website. 

The National Guidelines for Screen Safety have been developed to support screen industry workplaces to manage safety and comply with relevant state and federal workplace health and safety legislation. 

Visit Worksafe Western Australia for more information in operating a safe workplace in Western Australia. 

The Australian Screen Industry Code of Practice is a best practice guide for employers in the Australian screen industry and has been developed by Screen Producers Australia (SPA) and the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA). 

Film and Television Productions

The Australian Government supports screen production through globally competitive screen grants and tax rebates that can be combined with Screenwest’s funding and incentives. 

Australian productions and official co-productions can access the Producer Offset, which entitles production companies to a 40% rebate on eligible feature films and 30% rebate of other eligible formats for productions with significant Australian content. Visit Screen Australia to learn more. 

Footloose film and television productions can access the Location Offset, a 30% tax rebate for large-budget film and television projects. The PDV Offset is a 30% tax rebate that supports work on post-production, digital and visual effects production. Explore the Ausfilm website for fact sheets and more information.  

Digital Games

The digital games tax offset (DGTO) is a refundable tax offset which allows eligible companies that develop digital games in Australia to claim 30% of their total qualifying Australian development expenditure. For more information, see the Office for the Arts website.

Passionate about a career in the screen industry?  

Western Australians have access to a range of screen related study options across film, television and digital games.  

For information about study options in Western Australia to support a career in screen, visit the FutureNow website. 

Ready to start working in the screen industry?  

There are plenty of ways to start to build your experience and credits.  

• Screen Australia’s Getting Started in the Screen Industry guide provides useful industry insights, resources and advice that can help you get started in the screen industry.  

• Our Industry and Skills Development program offers attachment and placement opportunities on professional screen productions. Opportunities are promoted on Screenwest’s social media and through our eNewsletter. 

• You can subscribe to industry publications including ScreenHub, GamesHub and Inside Film (IF) to stay up to date with job opportunities in the screen industry. Note that subscription fees may apply.

A great way to build your professional network is to join your relevant guild or association. Industry organisations include: 

• Australian Cinematographer’s Society (ACS) 
• Australian Directors Guild (ADG) 
• Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC) 
• Australian Location Managers Guild (ALMG) 
• Australian Production Design Guild (APDG) 
• Australian Screen Editors (ASE) 
• Australian Screen Sound Guild (ASSG) 
• Australian Writers’ Guild (AWG) 
• Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA) 
• Professional Crew of Western Australia 
• Screen Producers Australia (SPA) 
• Screen Voice
• The West Australian Animation Association (WAnimate)
• WA Games Industry Council (WAGIC)
• Visual Effects Society (VES).

Membership fees may apply. 

Attending Screenwest networking events is another way to meet people. Events are held at various times during the year and are advertised via our eNewsletter or socials.

The Arts Law Centre of Australia and Australian Copyright Council offer resources, sample legal agreements and legal advice relating to screen production and copyright in Australia.

Creative Workplaces supports fair, safe and respectful workplaces for artists, art workers and arts organisations – including the screen industry. The website provides information, resources and referral information on pay, workplace safety and respect for employees and employers.

Games Workers Australia‘s website provides information about wages and pay rates guides for games workers.

The Games Accessibility Guidelines’ website offers information to help developers create games that people with motor, sensory, or cognitive disabilities can play.

Screen Australia supports Australian screen content through funding for:

• Development, production and marketing of film, television, online and documentary projects.
• Talent and business development for Australian creatives and screen companies.
• First Nations programs supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practitioners.
• Digital games.

Click here to visit the Screen Australia website and explore the funding opportunities on offer.