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State Budget 2021-22: SAFC welcomes State Government investment in the screen industry
23 June 2021
The SAFC welcomes the State Government’s investment in the South Australian screen sector, announced in the 2021-22 State Budget.
Post Production, Digital and Visual Effects (PDV) Rebate Scheme
Additional $22.8m over 5 years: To meet an increase in demand for the Post-Production, Digital and Visual Effects (PDV) Scheme and continuation of the scheme from 2022-23.
This additional funding dedicated to the PDV sector ensures the continuation of the very successful SA PDV Rebate, which has been an important driver of growth not just for the screen sector but the South Australian economy overall.
Since its launch in 2018 the SA PDV Rebate has cemented South Australia’s place as an internationally recognised centre of excellence for PDV and ensured the state’s position as a globally competitive destination for attracting high end visual effects work on blockbuster films.
In its first year the rebate hiked PDV spending in South Australia from $44m to $66m, and in the three years since it has supercharged the state’s post-production sector to become a thriving hub of major award-winning and internationally regarded studios, such as Mr X, which was nominated for a 2021 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for its work on Love and Monsters, and Rising Sun Pictures which has worked on multiple Academy Award nominated films including 2020 Best Picture nominee Ford v Ferrari.
This budget announcement recognises the importance of the PDV sector to the state’s economy. The extension of the scheme will continue to boost the growth of the sector and provide flow on benefits across the entire SA screen industry.
Screen Production Fund
$6.6m over 4 years: Top-up to the SAFC’s Screen Production Fund, funded by ceasing the payroll tax exemption and associated ex-gratia relief for film production.
This crucial top-up to the Screen Production Fund will enable the SAFC to take a more strategic and proactive approach to production incentive support and ensure that the SAFC can maintain its current levels of support for screen production activity.
This change will ensure the SAFC’s Screen Production Fund delivers maximum return on investment for South Australian state government funding, with a focus on industry development outcomes for South Australian businesses and “Greenlighter” talent, and commercialisation of South Australian owned Intellectual Property.
For productions that may be impacted by the cessation of Payroll Tax Exemption, we invite them to discuss their requirements with our Production and Development team via email at [email protected] or by calling +61 8 8394 2029.
The screen industry continues to be a major driver of Australia’s economy, and economic recovery from COVID-19.
The South Australian Government’s investment in the screen sector ensures that South Australia will remain a thriving centre of screen production, with flow-on economic benefits to the state.
These budget announcements will enable the SAFC to maintain a Business As Usual approach across its key production incentive programs – the Screen Production Fund and the PDV Rebate.
Main image (L-R): Director Zibeon Fielding on location for Running 62; behind the scenes of Closer Productions’ Are You Addicted to Technology at Adelaide Studios; on set of Mortal Kombat, photo by Mark Rogers, Warner Bros; X-Men Dark Phoenix, which accessed the SA PDV rebate for VFX work by Rising Sun Pictures, image supplied.