A new $1 million Island Screen Incentive program is now open for applications.
Minister for the Arts, Madeleine Ogilvie, today launched the new program at local production company Oi Studios, and said she was thrilled to see this Tasmanian-first incentive get off the ground.
"The Island Screen Incentive is aimed at attracting large-budget interstate film and TV projects like recent Tasmanian-filmed shows such as Amazon Prime's Deadloch, Netflix's upcoming The Survivors and SBS's Alone Australia," said Minister Ogilvie.
"An important part of the Tasmanian Government's 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania's Future, the new grant program is designed to provide a boost to the local economy and support regional jobs, while attracting more creativity to Tasmania.
"Screen Tasmania has projected that this $1 million program will deliver in excess of $15 million additional expenditure into the local economy – much of it in regional Tasmania – and provide hundreds of job opportunities on film sets for Tasmanians.
"Financial support is provided as a grant at the rate of 10% of the expenditure on Tasmanian goods and services while producing the project, capped at $500,000 (excluding GST).
"Projects are eligible if they are long-form live action that expend at least $1.5 million in Tasmanian spend, and are substantially based in Tasmania.
"This is expenditure on not just filmmakers and actors, but on construction, accommodation, hospitality, retail businesses, catering, transport and local councils and residents.
"The incentive is going to drive our screen production industry into the next phase of its growth and ensure that we have enough new and qualified crew members for more and bigger projects.
"We're very excited by this new, Tasmanian-first program. It will export Tasmanian stories, talent and locations around the world, while providing invaluable work and cashflow to Tasmanians and Tasmanian businesses."
Applications for the Island Screen Incentive are now open via Screen Tasmania's website: www.screen.tas.gov.au/funding/island_screen_incentive
