Screenwest has announced changes to its Post, Digital and Visual Effects (PDV) incentive, positioning Western Australia as the leading destination for post-production work in the country.
From 1 July, the state will apply a flat 20% rebate to all qualifying post-production expenditure, replacing the previous tiered system.
The updated incentive is aimed at drawing more national and international PDV projects to Western Australia by offering the highest state-based financial rebate in Australia.
The program, backed by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, complements the existing 30% Federal Government PDV Offset available for expenditure of at least AU$500,000.
Red Dog
The competition
Screen NSW provides a 10% rebate on qualifying PDV expenditure over AU$500,000.
Screen Queensland offers up to 15% for projects spending at least AU$250,000.
VicScreen administers the Victorian Screen Rebate, granting up to 10% for general applicants and up to 15% for majority Victorian-owned companies, with a minimum spend of AU$500,000.
The South Australian Film Corporation offers a 10% PDV rebate for projects with at least AU$250,000 in qualifying expenditure.
All these state incentives can be combined with the Federal Government’s 30% PDV Offset, enhancing the financial attractiveness of undertaking post-production work in Australia.
Making WA competitive
Rikki Lea Bestall, Chief Executive Officer of Screenwest, said the enhancement is designed to build a more robust post-production industry in the state.
“This is the most competitive post-production incentive in Australia and is squarely aimed at encouraging more post-production projects to Western Australia to do business with our skilled practitioners, from editors to sound designers, VFX artists and animators,” Bestall said.
Rikki Lea Bestall
She noted that while WA has a growing volume of scripted and documentary productions being filmed across the state, many projects undertake their post-production work elsewhere. The incentive aims to address that gap.
The announcement comes ahead of the opening of Perth Film Studios in Malaga next year, which is expected to further boost the local screen industry.
Funding under the new incentive is assessed upon project delivery and is not automatically guaranteed even if eligibility criteria are met. Full guidelines are available on the Screenwest website.
Top image: Nicholas Cage in The Surfer