Press release from Film Victoria
The Minister for Innovation, Gavin Jennings, and Film Victoria today announced a new programme that would give Victorian games developers access to critical development and investment funding.
Designed to support the local games sector, Games Investment will enable developers to create a full game for distribution on any platform, including consoles, online or iPhone and iPad apps. Developers may also use the funding to create a prototype to show potential distributors or publishers a projects merit, to access higher levels of investment.
Mr Gavin Jennings was pleased to announce a programme that would stimulate innovation and productivity in the games sector.
“The Victorian Government leads the way in support of the digital media sector, providing substantial funding to practitioners over the last decade,” Mr Jennings said. “We are focussed on stimulating the development of world-class digital content and enabling some of Victoria’s smaller studios to compete in this lucrative global marketplace.”
Sandra Sdraulig, CEO of Film Victoria was thrilled that Victoria’s digital media sector would have access to the new fund, developed through the Victorian Government’s Victorian Screen Industry Strategy.
“Our local games community is world renowned for its innovation and capability, and Victoria has long been the home of some of the most successful companies in Australia.
“It’s invaluable for Victorian games developers to access funds to develop original IP in a high growth global market, and the Games Investment programme will provide that critical support.
“With up to $100,000 available per project, this programme will ensure the development of ‘market driven’ projects that can find an audience and are capable of attracting further investment.
“Funding from Games Investment will enable our digital media practitioners to take advantage of the ever-growing opportunities present for downloadable and online games, specifically accessing the higher revenues, audience numbers and IP retention associated with these high growth platforms,” Ms Sdraulig said.
Games Investment is one of several Film Victoria initiatives that support the digital media sector. Other programmes focus on skills development (Internship with a Company programme) and audience engagement with digital culture and marketing (Public Screen Engagement programme).
The Games Investment guidelines are available online at www.film.vic.gov.au/game. Film Victoria looks forward to receiving exciting, innovative, market-focussed applications by the first deadline of October 29 2010, with the recipients to be announced in early 2011.