This incentive program is open to all Australian and international producers, production companies and studios with screen projects that:  

• spend more than $500,000 of Qualifying Regional Expenditure (QRE) in North Queensland and Far North Queensland   
• film in North Queensland for a minimum of 10 business days (i.e. physical production not pre or post)  
• employ North Queensland Resident(s) (as many above-the-line and below-the-line screen practitioners on the project as practicable)
• contract to hire Screen Queensland Studios, Cairns facilities, if practicable 
• offer a substantial on-set training attachment opportunity to emerging North Queensland Resident screen practitioner/s above and below the line .
  • up to $150K incentive = 1 Attachment, or similar; $151-300K incentive = 2 Attachments, or similar

Eligible projects include scripted feature films or series, documentary feature films or series, factual entertainment series (including reality).   

Ineligible projects include sports and current affairs programs, short films (less than 60 minutes), community television and student films.  

Projects must be fully financed at the time of application.   

The incentive is designed as an uplift (or ‘top up’) to other Screen Queensland funding programs including Screen Finance, and the Production Attraction and the Post Digital and Visual Effects (PDV) incentives. However, eligible applications for stand-alone funding through the North Queensland Production Incentive will be accepted.

It is only applicable to productions filming in the North Queensland region as strictly defined by the following regions:  

Cairns Regional Council, Townsville City, Charters Towers, Palm Island Aboriginal Shire, Burdekin Shire, Hinchinbrook Shire, Douglas Shire, Torres Shire, Torres Strait Island Regional, Cook Shire, Mareeba Shire, Cassowary Coast Regional, Tablelands Regional, Etheridge Shire, Croydon Shire, Carpentaria Shire and Burke Shire.  

See this map for assistance.

The incentive amount will be at the discretion of the Screen Queensland Board and is subject to the availability of funding at the time of application. The incentive is calculated as a percentage of the North Queensland Qualifying Regional Spend (NQ-QRE) and will be capped at $300,000.  

Funding is in the form of a grant and will be paid over milestones on a case-by-case basis.  

Applicants also applying for funding through Screen Queensland’s Screen Finance Fund, PAS Incentive or PDV Incentive must ensure NQ-QRE expenditure is not included in their application for these programs.  

What is Qualifying North Queensland Regional Expenditure?  

For the purposes of this Incentive Pilot, “North Queensland – Qualifying Regional Expenditure (NQ-QRE)” is defined as project expenditure in North Queensland that demonstrably supports the region, with all QRE to be retained in North Queensland.   

QRE refers to the direct economic and employment impact that productions have while filming in North Queensland.   

Note: the requirements of NQ-QRE are different and not the same as the definition of Regional Spend under Screen Queensland’s Regional Incentive program.  

NQ-QRE is comprised of:  

•  fees paid to people (including Above-the-Line (ATL) talent and/or Below-the-Line (BTL) crew) who have been residents of North Queensland for at least six months prior to application  
• regional expenditure with suppliers and business based in North Queensland (e.g. catering, accommodation, etc.) incurred during the physical production period 
• fees for hire of Screen Queensland Studios, Cairns, facilities. 

Note that for this incentive, transportation costs such as flights for cast/crew travelling into the region from elsewhere are excluded from NQ-QRE.

Funding is competitive within a limited and highly targeted program. Applications will remain open until 1 June 2025 or funds are exhausted in this one-off program, whichever comes first.  

Applications will be assessed in accordance with these guidelines and will focus on the following:   

• Economic benefits – will the project deliver economic benefits to the region? 
  • for example, inward investment (qualifying NQ-QRE) and the onward economic benefit to the region 
• Industry benefits – will the project deliver industry benefits to the NQ Region? 
  • what are the opportunities for business and screen practitioners to secure work, to promote growth and success, for training and skills development? 
• Tourism benefits – will the project deliver tourism benefits to Queensland? 
  • for example, destination profiling and potentially publicity initiatives 
• Community benefits – will the project deliver community benefits to Queensland? 
  • what are the opportunities for community engagement and cultural engagement? 

Screen Queensland encourages applications from teams that will use the production facilities at Screen Queensland Studios, Cairns.   

The program aims to deliver benefits to people from all backgrounds with a focus on diversity and inclusion to provide opportunities to all. Screen Queensland encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people from diverse backgrounds.    

Data collection requirements  

This stimulus initiative has been designed to achieve set objectives and outcomes (as outlined above) to benefit North Queensland and grow the screen industry in the region. Successful applicants will be required to collect specific data (to be detailed at contract stage) and include this information in the Producer’s Report at time of acquittal.  

During the submission process applicants will be required to provide the following:  

• Screen Australia A-Z Budget (or equivalent) showing itemised QRE–NQ spend as a separate column  
• a schedule showing itemised shoot days in North Queensland   
• an application proposal including:   
• one-page synopsis, including details of the project and any market interest  
• summary of benefits to North Queensland (as defined), including number of jobs created and total amount of North Queensland Qualifying Regional Expenditure (NQ-QRE)   
• details of all North Queensland residents employed on the project in above-the-line and/or below-the-line roles  
• details of on-set training opportunities for North Queensland screen practitioners     
• details of all North Queensland suppliers and businesses that will be engaged by the production  
• a list of all the Queensland locations to be utilised and specifically in North Queensland   
• evidence of at minimum ten business days of principal photography in North Queensland   
• details of the applicant’s track record and those of the key creative team, demonstrating the team’s ability to deliver the project   
• outline of potential publicity opportunities that demonstrate the positive regional impact of the production  
• Provisional Certificate for projects applying for the Federal Government offsets  
• Completion guarantee (where applicable)  
• evidence that the project is fully financed.  

Applicants will also need to demonstrate they have clear rights to the story including:  

• life rights (where applicable)   
• option agreement and/or the approval of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owners of the story  
• writers/key creatives agreements   
• supporting documents for the finance plan.  

Applicants applying for the North Queensland Production Incentive will be required to submit a separate application via the Smarty Grants application portal, in addition to other funding request submissions.   

Apply online by clicking the application link.   

https://screenqueensland.smartygrants.com.au/nqproductionincentive2024

Screen Queensland can only accept applications made online through the Smarty Grants system. The application form is available to preview.   

 Applications must be made and approved before the start of production and cannot be sought retrospectively. An application will be considered retrospective if production has already begun.   

 Within 30 minutes of submitting the application you’ll receive an automated application email confirming that it has been received. It is the responsibility of the applicant to contact Screen Queensland if you don’t receive an application receipt email.   

Decision timeline  

Once you have submitted your application, it will be assessed against these guidelines. A recommendation will be made following the assessment. The Screen Queensland Board may also consider the overall diversity and range of projects supported through the program to date.  

Applications will be notified of the outcome as soon as reasonably possible following CEO or Board approval. 

What happens if I am successful?  

Successful applicants enter a formal agreement with Screen Queensland outlining delivery, reporting, acquittal, and legal requirements including insurances for the production. Funding is in the form of a grant payable over milestones on a case-by-case basis with the final payment on delivery of a full audit of expenditure and acquittal of contracted delivery items.   

Successful applicants will be expected to assist Screen Queensland and the Queensland Government in relation to publicity and media opportunities prior to and during the productions filming in Queensland.  

Successful applicants agree to register the production to The Everyone Project and with appropriate consent, provide, names, roles and contact details of the production, cast and crew so that they may be invited to participate in voluntary de-identified demographic surveys.   

Submission of an application constitutes an acceptance of these Guidelines and the application terms and conditions.   

Your information will be used in accordance with Screen Queensland’s Privacy Policy which you hereby agree to by submitting this application.   

Applicants must notify Screen Queensland in writing if they have an actual, perceived, or potential conflict of interest in applying for the Funding and, if so, the manner in which they propose to deal with the conflict.   

The Applicant retains all intellectual property rights in its submission. The Applicant grants an irrevocable, non-exclusive royalty and fee free license to Screen Queensland to use, adapt, and modify its intellectual property rights in its submission for the purposes of Screen Queensland analysing and evaluating the applicant’s submission.   

Screen Queensland’s liability in relation to the application process is limited to $1.   

Screen Queensland reserves the right to change any element of the funding, these guidelines or the application process at any time and in its absolute discretion.   

Confidentiality   

The application and any incentive approved by Screen Queensland are commercial in confidence and Screen Queensland and the applicant must maintain confidentiality.    

Terms of Trade  

QPE Definition   

Screen Queensland Strategic Plan 2023–25  

Screen Diversity and Inclusion Network Charter  

Screen Australia Pathway and Protocols