Australia's Film & TV Production Industry: Investment & Growth Trends

Introduction

Australia's film and television production ecosystem has become a vibrant source of creative output, economic activity, workforce development, and global engagement. Over the last few years, the industry-led growth has been fueled by Australia stories, collaborations overseas, government incentives, and investment in infrastructure. The production component is central to the media landscape since, without it, there would be no streaming services, broadcasters, or distributors. Great stories excellently produced draw audiences, provide work for many creative and technical people, and strengthen the concept of a national cultural identity in the home country and on the world stage.

Such a sector is nurtured by a combination of public and private investment, incentive schemes, access to studio facilities, educational supply chains, and relationships with international partners. Government support in the form of production rebates, content funding schemes, and strategic partnerships enables Australia to stand shoulder to shoulder with the other leading global production hubs.

The presence of world-class studios in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria enables large-scale feature films, television series and format-based productions to be shot locally. These facilities often combine traditional sound stages with postproduction services and technology such as virtual production workflows. Together with an experienced local workforce, these assets elevate Australia’s attractiveness as a production destination for major international projects.

To understand evolving trends across the media ecosystem of Australia, check out the Australia Media and Entertainment Market report.

Major Drivers and Trends

Based on the official Drama Report from Screen Australia, drama production spending hit a record high of AUD 2.7 billion in the 2024/25 period, representing a 43% increase over the previous year. It was a time when local creators and international production companies, especially those working on large feature films and subscription video on demand series, were significantly engaged. Overseas productions made up AUD 678 millions of total spending, a figure that confirms how Australia is not only a hub of domestic productions but also a location that draws in global content investment. Infrastructure usage, employment, and talent development are among the areas that are experiencing growth because of this expansion.

The provision of production incentives and the launching of new funding initiatives have been instrumental in increasing the volume and diversity of content. When an agency like Screen Australia invests in a creative project, it is a sure way of advocating the representation of local voices in different mediums. In May 2025 Screen Australia announced an AUD 7.6 million investment into a slate of projects, including feature films, animated series, and digital content. Among the projects funded in this announcement are the feature film It’s All Going Very Well No Problems at All and the animated series Jidoo & Ibis, which vividly depict the range of creative genres that the public funding can support.

These funding commitments produce a multiplier effect that goes far beyond just production budgets. They help secure jobs for creatives, technicians, and post-production professionals, and at the same time, they improve the skills and capacity of local companies to compete on global stages. With funding, producers can also afford to take creative risks that would not be possible in a purely commercial setting.

Strategic government support contributes to elevating Australia's status as an attractive production hub. In June 2025, the New South Wales government declared a comprehensive arts package worth AUD 380 million, which includes a targeted capital fund of AUD 100 million to look for a second major film studio site in Sydney. This boost is intended to reduce capacity constraints at existing facilities, encourage new investments, and support long-term industry growth.

Table of Contents

1. Overview of Australia’s production landscape
2. Growth in production expenditure and international investment
3. Role of Screen Australia and public funding
4. Government incentives and studio infrastructure expansion
5. Impact of funding on creative diversity
6. Employment and skills development ecosystems
7. International collaborations and co productions
8. Challenges and constraints in production capacity
9. Future outlook for local and global project activity

Related Resources

Video Streaming Software Market

Digital Video Content Market

Workforce Analytics Market