Screen NSW has opened applications to a $200,000 fund designed to encourage producers to option intellectual property rights from underrepresented NSW creatives, with the hope of seeing novels, non-fiction work, plays, and podcasts created in the state turned into screen and games content.
The IP in Motion Fund will wholly or partly reimburse, up to $5,000, a screen or digital games producers’ cost to option IP created by people who are included in the Screen NSW Priority Areas, including First Nations people, people living in Western Sydney and regional NSW, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disability, and LGBTQIA+ people.
Eligible formats for the fund include both narrative and documentary feature film, television series and children’s content, extended reality projects and digital games.
An IP fund was first flagged in October last year as part of the three-year NSW Screen and Digital Games Strategy.
“The screen and digital games industries are essential to the cultural fabric of NSW. It’s vital that our local stories are shared with the world and that these stories are reflective of everyone in NSW – including those who have been traditionally under-represented on screen,” said head of Screen NSW Kyas Hepworth.
“I’m thrilled that this Fund will provide opportunity for more stories from voices that we may not often see represented in screen or gaming content, as well as creating an exciting pipeline of work in NSW, contributing to a sustainable future for these industries in our state.
“The IP in Motion Fund will give more opportunities for local stories, which have found success through other channels to be developed into groundbreaking TV series, films and digital games so that we see ourselves, and our breathtaking locations in NSW, reflected on our screens.”