Global Vision. Australian Legal Clarity.

Navigating the complexities of Official International Co-Productions between Australia and its treaty partners can be quite difficult. This pathway is the strategic key to unlocking substantial dual-market financing, expanded creative resources, and secured international distribution for your feature film, television series, or documentary.

The Strategic Power of Official Co-Production Status

Securing official co-production status is more than just a collaboration, it's a critical financial and legal manoeuvre that fundamentally changes your project's economics and reach.

Core Strategic Advantages

1. The Producer Offset Advantage (Bypass the SAC Test) Official co-production projects are immediately deemed "Australian" for the purposes of the Producer Offset (PO), allowing you to bypass the complex Significant Australian Content (SAC) test entirely. This provides direct access to up to 40% (for features) or 30% (for other projects) tax rebates on your Australian spend.

2. Dual National Status & Funding Access Your project is simultaneously considered a national production in both Australia and the partner country. This allows you to pool financial resources by accessing:

   • Screen Australia grants and state-based funding (e.g., Screen NSW, Film Victoria).

   • Corresponding government subsidies, tax credits, and grants from the partner country's Competent Authority.

3. Expanded Market & Distribution Official status grants you immediate access to two domestic distribution markets and ensures your project meets the crucial local content quotas for broadcasters and platforms in both territories, significantly boosting sales appeal and audience reach.

How can we help?

The promise of co-production is great, but the compliance is intricate. Ancora Lawyers are experts in transforming complex filmmaking guidelines into clear, executable legal strategies, ensuring your project meets the strict requirements of Screen Australia and its counterpart agencies.

Our Legal Focus: Compliance and Structure

• Financial Proportionality: We structure your contracts to ensure the financial contributions (equity) are reasonably proportional to the creative and technical contributions, the most common point of legal contention.

• Multi-Jurisdictional Compliance: We manage the simultaneous application processes for Provisional and Final Approval with Screen Australia and the partner's Competent Authority (e.g., Telefilm Canada, BFI).

• Multi-Currency Risk: We advise on the legal and accounting structures necessary to handle multi-currency cash flows, exchange rate fluctuations, and tax implications across borders, minimising financial risk.

• Rights and Ownership: We draft Co-Production Agreements that clearly define creative control, intellectual property (IP) ownership, distribution rights across all territories, and fair profit sharing.