Record $1.7 Billion Australian Drama Production Boosted by International Demand

Australias drama production sector reached a historic AUD$2.7 billion ($1.78 billion) in 2024/25, representing a 43% surge from the previous year, according to Screen Australias latest Drama Report. This unprecedented growth was largely driven by high-budget feature films and subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) content.

International projects played a major role, contributing AUD$678 million ($448 million) to the increase, with foreign productions significantly boosting overall expenditure.

Out of 174 productions started during the period, 71 were Australian-made, accounting for AUD$1.1 billion ($727 million) in domestic content spending, up 14% from 2023/24. Despite this growth, Australian productions share of total expenditure declined from 50% to 40%.

These results highlight the creativity and dedication of our screen practitioners in a rapidly changing market, said Screen Australia CEO Deirdre Brennan. While local drama spending has grown moderately, fewer TV titles were commissioned for free-to-air, SVOD, and childrens content, reflecting shifts in production trends.

The international segment experienced notable expansion, with 20 overseas feature films shot in Australia generating AUD$1 billion ($661 million). International television and SVOD projects contributed an additional AUD$458 million ($303 million). Ausfilm CEO Kate Marks credited this surge to the reformed Location Offset incentive program, emphasizing its role in supporting crews, training, and screen businesses.

Theatrical feature film spending climbed 76% to AUD$379 million ($250 million), led by a handful of productions exceeding AUD$50 million ($33 million). Most films continued to fall in the AUD$1-5 million ($660,000-$3.3 million) range.

Television spending presented a mixed picture. SVOD and subscription TV projects spent AUD$492 million ($325 million) across 18 titles, a 5% increase from the previous years 28 titles. In contrast, free-to-air television expenditure fell 14% to AUD$162 million ($107 million) across 14 titles. Overall, Australian general TV/VOD drama spending remained flat at AUD$654 million ($432 million) across 32 titles, with fewer hours and titles produced.

Childrens content saw a steep drop, with spending falling 41% to AUD$34 million ($22.5 million). Streaming platforms now account for 73% of TV/VOD drama investment, despite reduced title counts and hours. Rising cost-per-hour reflects demand for premium production and broader industry pressures.

Queensland emerged as the leading state for screen production, reaching a record AUD$925 million ($611 million), capturing 34% of the national market, a 32% increase from its 2022-23 record. The states growth was fueled by high-budget projects such as Godzilla x Kong: Supernova, Voltron, and the second season of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. International productions in Queensland more than tripled compared to the previous year.

New South Wales and Victoria accounted for 31% and 27% of spending, respectively. Government support remained strong, totaling AUD$430 million ($284 million), including AUD$317 million ($209 million) from the Producer Offset. Post-production and visual effects spending rose 33% to AUD$762 million ($504 million).

Brennan emphasized the importance of data in guiding industry decisions. Screen Australias 2025-2029 Corporate Plan includes expanded research efforts, such as an updated Production Infrastructure and Capacity Analysis in 2026 and a Screen Currency report to assess the economic, social, and cultural impact of Australian screen and games production.

Author: Zoe Harrison