31 10 2019 - Media release Drama Report 2018/19: spend on Australian titles hits all-time high True History of the Kelly Gang, Content, Total Control
Screen Australia's annual Drama Report released today shows expenditure on drama production in Australia has exceeded $1.17 billion, made up of a record $768 million spend on Australian stories including Official Co-productions, and increased foreign production spend of $410 million.
The expenditure on Australian titles was the highest in the report's 29 year history, driven by an all-time record spend on Australian television and a five-year high spend on Australian features.
The Drama Report measures the health of the Australian screen industry by detailing the production of local and foreign feature films, television, and online programs plus PDV (post, digital and visual effects) activity. Drama' refers to scripted narratives of any genre and the report tracks productions from the commencement of principal photography, with some titles yet to be released. PDV is reported using two different methods.
The 2018/19 record expenditure on Australian titles included 37 TV dramas such as The Hunting, Five Bedrooms and Total Control and their combined spend was $334 million, up 13% on last year and above the five-year average. Spend on Australian feature films was up 15% on last year to $299 million. 33 Australian feature films were made including True History of the Kelly Gang and I Am Woman which recently had their world premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival.
15 Australian children's television programs went into production with $95 million spent on the likes of Bluey series 2, Alice Miranda Friends Forever and The Unlisted. This is the highest spend on children's drama since 2008/09, and a 95% increase on last year.
28 Australian online drama titles with durations of half an hour or more went into production (up from 21 in 2017/18), collectively spending $40 million.
New South Wales accounted for the largest share of total expenditure in Australia (31%), closely followed by Victoria (30%), and then Queensland (24%). South Australia and Victoria set new records for expenditure in their states.
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Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts the Hon Paul Fletcher MP said, Australia has a successful film and television industry that is undertaking significant business in the production of both local and foreign drama content. These excellent results are no accident, and are a reflection on the talent of our local film and television industry, the appeal of Australian filming locations, the Australian Government incentives available, state government support and direct funding from Screen Australia. The value of the Drama Report is that it now builds on 29 years of data, giving the Government and industry excellent insight into the health and trends of screen production in Australia.
Of the titles featured in this year's report that have already released, there have been a string of hits including The Hunting which became SBS's most successful commissioned drama of all time, Disney's acquisition of Bluey series one and two for international release and Channel Seven's Ms Fisher's MODern Murder Mysteries which has sold into 26 international territories. Web series Robbie Hood received wide critical acclaim, and was described as the most perfect piece of TV you'll see this year. Feature True History of the Kelly Gang was snapped up by a US distributor IFC before it had even premiered at TIFF.
Michael Brealey, Chief Operating Officer of Screen Australia said, To have 65% of total expenditure driven by our home grown stories is remarkable and illustrates the immense demand for Australian content.
It's fantastic to see titles showcasing the diversity of landscapes and depth of talent from around the country. In the past 12 months H is for Happiness filmed in Western Australia's Great Southern region, The Gloaming in Tasmania, Robbie Hood in Alice Springs, The Dry in regional Victoria, Stateless in Adelaide, Total Control in Canberra and Winton in Queensland, not to mention a second series of fan favourite Bluey being created in Brisbane.
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TELEVISION
Australian TV drama production had a record high $334 million spend, with 37 titles generating 441 hours of content produced. Hours were up on last year due to the production of longer-running mini-series such as My Life is Murder (10 episodes) and Les Norton (10 episodes). Across the total TV drama slate the hours, budgets, spend and average cost per hour for all titles increased year-on-year.
New titles in production included the forthcoming Upright for Foxtel, Stateless for ABC and The Secrets She Keeps for Network 10.
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CHILDREN'S TELEVISION
15 children's TV dramas entered production in 2018/19, including two Official Co-productions. Of the 15, seven were for the ABC, one for NITV, six for the commercial broadcasters and one for Foxtel. The 15 titles generated a five-year high of 132 hours of content at a total cost of $105 million. The number of titles, hours, budgets and spend for the total slate were all above the five year averages, and live action production significantly increased to 61 hours, the highest level since 2012/13.
As a first release broadcaster, the ABC commissioned nearly half of the 15 children's TV titles in production including five live action titles Hardball, The Inbestigators, Itch, Mustangs FC series 2, and The Unlisted and two animations 100% Wolf and Bluey series 2. NITV was the first release broadcaster for the second series of Little J & Big Cuz. The series was also financed by the ABC.
Nine was the first release broadcaster for three titles including Alice Miranda Friends Forever. Seven was first release broadcaster for two titles,
