Spend and cost are just one of several measures of drama production, but it is worth noting that spend on Australian SVOD drama has grown and that the combined spend on drama by FTA and SVOD platforms is at similar levels as that traditionally spent by the FTA sector alone.”
Over the past five years we have seen average production budgets for Australian SVOD drama expand from $800,000 in 2016/17 to $13.5 million in 2020/21.
Australia cemented its reputation as a leading destination for international productions in 2020/21, thanks not only to our world-class cast, crew, facilities and stunning physical locations and Australia’s lower rates of COVID-19 but also due to the incentive and investment framework supported by the Federal, state and territory governments.” “For the first time in this report we can see the specific role of SVOD investment, where spend on Australian titles reached $116 million in 2020/21. A mix of local and global talent and finance drove this extraordinary result.
From Chris Hemsworth starring in Thor: Love and Thunder and Escape from Spiderhead, to Bruna Papandrea, Nicole Kidman and others bringing the adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers to Australia. “It’s simply unprecedented to have 10 big foreign productions shooting here in Australia, and especially notable that so many had key Australian creative involvement. We were on track to break records in 2019/20, and what we are seeing now is the hard work of the Australian industry, who adapted and continued to work through COVID, paying off. Screen Australia’s CEO, Graeme Mason said, “It’s important to look at both of the production years that were hit by the pandemic. “This achievement reflects the hard work and skills of our screen professionals and the talent of our storytellers, along with the success of the targeted incentives with which the Morrison Government supports this key industry.” “It is pleasing that the production of local Australian content has had its biggest year, in addition to Australia’s notable success attracting foreign productions, which have provided valuable jobs and training opportunities to the industry,” Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said people working in the screen sector should be proud that despite the challenges of the pandemic, the sector enjoyed a record year in 2020/21. The unprecedented result – nearly double last year’s spend, and more than 50% above the five year average – was driven by a range of factors, including: projects postponed into the year by COVID shutdowns low levels of COVID-19, the attractiveness of Australia as a production destination, the strength of local production teams and infrastructure foreign titles encouraged into Australia by key Australian creatives and a strong slate of new Australian projects.
Screen Australia’s 31 st annual Drama Report released today shows a record-breaking level of expenditure on drama production in Australia in 2020/21 of $1.9 billion, made up of $874 million on Australian projects and $1.04 billion on foreign projects produced or post-produced in Australia.