Production
Incentives
Australia offers some of the most competitive production rebates in the world. Up to 40% back on qualifying VFX and post-production spend.
Ausfilm facilitates international productions accessing Australian incentives.
The Federal PDV Offset — 30%
The Producer's Digital Visual Effects (PDV) Offset is a 30% rebate on Qualifying Australian Production Expenditure, administered by Screen Australia under the Australian Screen Production Incentive (ASPI). It covers post-production, digital, and visual effects work performed in Australia.
Critically, this applies to international productions too. A US or UK production does not need to have filmed in Australia to access the PDV Offset — the VFX work simply needs to be performed here.
The NSW Screen Incentive — 10%
The NSW Screen Incentive adds an additional 10% rebate on qualifying spend on NSW goods and services, administered by Screen NSW. For productions working with a Sydney-based studio like Future Associate, this stacks directly on top of the federal offset.
Combined: 40% of your qualifying VFX budget comes back. On a $3M VFX package, that's $1.2M returned to your production.
What Qualifies?
Qualifying Australian Production Expenditure (QAPE) for the PDV Offset includes compositing, 3D animation, rendering, digital effects, and post-production services performed in Australia using Australian labour and resources. Future Associate's work qualifies in full.
Minimum spend thresholds apply. Ausfilm can provide current figures for your specific production and guide you through the application process.
How We Help
Future Associate is an Ausfilm member and is structured to maximise rebate access from day one. We work with your production accountants to ensure all spend is correctly classified and documented for both programs. We recommend engaging Ausfilm early — particularly for international productions unfamiliar with the process.
The incentives exist. The infrastructure exists. The certified pipeline exists. The work is Hollywood-grade. The economics are hard to ignore.
Can international productions access these rebates?
Yes. US studios, global streamers, and independent international producers can all access the PDV Offset for qualifying VFX and post work performed in Australia. The production does not need to be filmed here — only the post work needs to be. Ausfilm facilitates the process for international productions.
Does the project need to be filmed in Australia?
No. For the PDV Offset, only the post-production and VFX work needs to be performed in Australia. International productions regularly send their post to Australian studios specifically to access this incentive without relocating their entire shoot.
What's the minimum spend to qualify?
The PDV Offset requires a minimum of AUD$500,000 in qualifying Australian production expenditure. That threshold covers all post-production and VFX services combined — not VFX in isolation. If your total Australian post spend reaches $500K, you qualify. The rebate is calculated on that full spend: at $500K, 40% back is $200K returned directly to your production. Note: a threshold increase has been proposed; confirm current figures with Screen Australia or Ausfilm when scoping your production.
How does Future Associate help with the application?
We work with your production accountants from the start to ensure spend is classified correctly and all documentation is in order for both the federal and state applications. We've done this before. The process is manageable when it's set up correctly at the beginning of the engagement.
Where do I go for more detail on eligibility?
Ausfilm is the best first contact for international productions. Screen Australia administers the federal PDV Offset and publishes detailed eligibility guidelines. Screen NSW handles the state incentive. We're happy to connect you with the right people if you're scoping a production.
Why does this matter if I'm already in the US or UK?
Because 40% back on VFX spend is significant enough to change your production geography. Productions are increasingly structured around incentives — Australia's combination of federal and state rebates, a strong VFX talent base, and English-language production infrastructure makes it one of the most financially viable options outside the UK and Canada.