North and Far North Queensland businesses operating in the screen industry are now eligible to apply for up to $75,000 in funding from the Queensland Government via Screen Queensland.
NQ Enterprise is a total fund of $250,000 to support active screen businesses with a strong track-record in production, post-production, production services, game development or distribution.
Screen Queensland CEO Kylie Munnich said the new support package is a significant pillar of the North Queensland Regional Program, which focuses on growing the local screen industry.
“The film, television and games sectors are significant contributors to economic growth and employment in our state, engaging a number of businesses that not only create productions, but provide valuable services such as catering, legal, accountancy, transport, construction and more,” said Ms Munnich.
“Our goal is to grow the north of the state as a hub of screen production and game development, and this fund will further enable screen businesses to expand, diversify and innovate, to support a robust production ecosystem in the region.”
Eligible screen businesses may wish to apply for funding toward hiring new team members, engaging expert consultants, purchasing equipment and infrastructure, investing in innovation, exploring new revenue streams or executing marketing strategies.
Far North Queensland Screen Champion and Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt MP said the fund responds to the growing slate of high-profile productions being secured into the region.
“With Screen Queensland Studios: Cairns due to be operational by the end of 2022, supporting local screen businesses is how we are delivering a holistic strategy to attract more production, with a focus on building deep, long-term local capabilities in the industry.
“Far North Queensland has been the backdrop for such productions as upcoming U.S. series Irreverent, Netflix’s Puff: Wonders of the Reef, rom-com flick This Little Love of Mine, teen series Dive Club, and SBS/NITV food and culture show Strait to the Plate, which recently wrapped on season two.”
A precursor to NQ Enterprise was the 2020 SQ Enterprise initiative which, among 10 other state-wide recipients, awarded Cairns-based cinematographers Biopixel additional funds to purchase a cutting-edge Canon CINE-SERVO 50-1000mm ultra telephoto zoom lens.
Biopixel’s Hannah Robertson said that further to using the lens to expand their popular stock footage library, the technology has enabled the company to capture animal behavioural sequences for several blue-chip documentaries, safely and ethically from great distances.
“The Canon long lens achieves the long focal ranges needed to capture animals in their natural habitat, without compromising the optimal resolution performance,” said Ms Robertson.
“Screen Queensland’s support has been invaluable in surmounting this obstacle and with the lens available for hire through our ProCam Hire website, we are pleased to share this highly specialised piece of equipment with the local industry.”
Applications for NQ Enterprise are open now at www.screenqueensland.com.au and close 6 May 2022.
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