IP in Motion Fund

Screen NSW is dedicated to promoting fairness and equality in its programs and its interactions with the community. Our priority is to support increased industry participation by people from underrepresented groups, including:

• Residents of Regional NSW
• Residents of Western Sydney
• First Nations people
• People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• People living with disability
• LGBTQIA+ people. 

Diversity encourages authentic storytelling and fosters inclusivity.

Screen NSW believes it is crucial for the narratives and characters in projects it funds to reflect the authentic, lived experiences of diverse communities. When evaluating applications, we consider the cultural authorship of the creative team to be a significant factor.

To strengthen the cultural and economic well-being of the state of NSW, screen content should resonate with and cater to our audiences. Embracing diverse ideas and fostering a diverse workforce will enhance our local screen industry and make it more competitive locally and globally.

For further information, please see Screen NSW’s Guide to Understanding Diversity and Creating Authentic Screen Content.

Applicants with projects containing First Nations content should refer to Screen Australia’s guidelines Pathways & Protocols: a filmmaker’s guide to working with Indigenous people, culture and concepts.

All applicants must fulfil the following criteria:

Be a NSW based screen or digital games production company or, if the applicant is a sole trader, they must be an Australian resident or citizen that is:

• An individual that has been a resident of NSW for more than 6 months or;
• A company that has been operating in NSW for more than 6 months that;
• Meets the requirements of Screen NSW’s Terms of Trade

Qualifying Credits

Film, TV and online content applicants must have a credit on a Qualifying Project, that is:

• Associated with the type of project that is being submitted for funding (e.g. narrative content; documentary/factual content); and
• In the same role as the application to hand (e.g. screen producer or digital games creative).

Digital games applicants must have a project team member with a credit on at least one Qualifying Credit.

Qualifying Credits are those that have fulfilled at least one of the following:

• Been commercially distributed or exhibited theatrically
• Been commissioned by a recognised commissioning platform with proof the project is, at minimum, already in production and has a release plan in place
• Been screened at a recognised Marquee Film Festival
• Online digital projects with demonstrated audience taking into consideration viewing levels such as Average Audience VPM (Volume per million).
• For Digital Games creatives, a game that has been released to the general public e.g. Steam, itch.io

Eligible applications must be:

• For IP created and owned by a person(s) identifying, and confirmed by a statutory declaration by the applicant, as belonging to one of the under-represented groups listed in the Screen NSW Diversity Commitment, and;
• For IP in the form of a literary work, published article, podcast, or digital game (unpublished works are eligible if the work will be published within six (6) months of the Option being signed and an agreement can be provided) and;
• Have a fully executed option agreement in place between the applicant and the IP creator that has been executed no longer than three (3) months prior to the date of application that proves they have exclusively optioned pursuant to an appropriate option the copyright in the underlying work, with an initial option period of 18 months with 2 extensions of 12 months each. 

Screen NSW will not review or approve the terms of the option agreement. However, the successful applicant must warrant in the Screen NSW funding agreement that the option agreement includes the following terms:

• Exclusive licence of all rights necessary to develop the screen or digital games project based on the underlying work during the option period/s,
• An option to purchase all underlying rights to produce, market and exploit the screen or digital games project based on the underlying work. The purchase price must be based on a fixed calculation or be a fixed amount.
• The option agreement must require the applicant to obtain any necessary third-party approvals or releases. For example, a book option will require a publisher’s release.
• The purchase of underlying rights should be a complete assignment of all rights in the underlying work, worldwide, in perpetuity. If applicable, any reserved or frozen rights may be negotiated where they are reasonably required by the IP rightsholder to exploit the existing underlying work (for example, publishing rights may be reserved for a book option; stage rights) and must not affect eligibility for, or limit access to, any Screen NSW funding or Screen Australia funding; please refer to:
  • Screen NSW’s Terms of Trade here and applicable program guidelines for development and production funding;

  • Screen Australia’s Terms of Trade here and applicable program guidelines for development and production funding.

The following projects are eligible formats:

• Narrative fiction including children’s, feature films and series for any release platform including cinema, video on demand, broadcast television and online
• Documentary and factual including children’s, feature films and series (as defined by ACMA) for any release platform including cinema, video on demand, broadcast television and online
• Extended Reality for narrative driven audience interaction and engagement across online, mobile applications, public screens and interactive displays
• Digital Games.

The following projects are not eligible formats:

• Short films under 60 minutes
• Lifestyle, Infotainment, Magazine, Sports, Game Shows and Current Affairs concepts
• Community television
• Reality television series
• Projects being developed as part of a course of study
• Video or screen content that are for art installations.

• Up to $5,000 per application.

• Option fee up to $5,000.

No other associated costs are eligible for consideration.

All funding is subject to availability of funds.

• Applicants may apply for funding under this program and under any other applicable Screen NSW funding program including Screen NSW’s Development Program and Screen NSW’s Digital Games Seed Development Program.
• Funding under this program is not development funding under the Screen NSW Terms of Trade.
• Screen NSW does not recoup funding under this program.

A preview of the application form can be viewed on the SmartyGrants portal.

Applicants are required to complete an application form and submit project documentation including:

• The executed Option Agreement
• The remittance advice to prove payment of initial Option Fee
• Proof the original work has been released to the public or there is an intention for it to be published to the public within six (6) from the date of submitting application
• Applicant and/or applicant company biography stating previous credits, including qualifying credits
• A declaration from the applicant stating the IP originates from a member of Screen NSW’s Priority Areas.

Once your application has been submitted, you will receive an email confirmation from our secure online grants system, SmartyGrants.

The grant is non‐discretionary, subject to availability of funds. Assessment following the application is limited to establishing eligibility, and confirming the initial option fee stated in the option agreement is the amount being applied for (up to $5,000).

Assessments are made by the Screen NSW Investment team based on the application meeting program guidelines, with approval from the Senior Manager Content Investment. In the case that the Senior Manager Content Investment has a Conflict of Interest (COI), approvals will be made by an alternative Senior Manager or the Head of Screen NSW.

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing.

Screen NSW aims to turnaround applications approximately 4-6 weeks from receipt of the application.

Successful funding recipients will enter into a standard non-negotiable agreement with Screen NSW, setting out the terms of the funding.