Call for Entries: ABC Factual Formats Initiative

Screenwest and the ABC have partnered for a new Western Australian joint initiative, the ABC Factual Formats Initiative.

Designed to discover the next great returnable factual series from WA the initiative will provide funding support to Western Australian producers to develop factual programs for ABC iview and the ‘family friendly’ 8pm Tuesday primetime slot on ABC TV.

Up to three ideas will be selected for development with at least one going into production in Western Australia later this year.

ABC Head of Factual and Culture Jennifer Collins says, “Western Australia has a long track record of producing high quality documentaries for the ABC. This is an exciting opportunity to develop closer ties with the local production community and I’m looking forward to seeing the ideas being dreamt up for our ABC audiences”.

“The documentary sector is the bedrock for the screen industry in WA. We have a long history of producing world class factual programming. This initiative will continue to build on the pipeline of original, local documentary projects being produced in WA with strong Western Australian creative and industrial outcomes.” said Rikki Lea Bestall, Screenwest CEO.

The ABC produces high quality, award-winning, factual programs that feature Australian voices, places and stories. This initiative aims at developing new relationships that will deliver entertaining and distinctive factual content from Western Australia to a national audience across ABC platforms. This initiative also supports the ABC’s strategic priority to strengthen local connections and tell stories from more places outside of Sydney and Melbourne.

The organisation’s strategic priorities include supporting talent development, diversity and innovation across all aspects of the screen industry, promoting Western Australian stories, talent, culture, and Country, and growing the economic contribution of the screen industry in Western Australia.

Western Australia is home to some groundbreaking documentaries including feature documentary Under the Volcano, ratings smash hits such as Every Family Has A Secret, Outback Truckers, Aussie Gold Hunters and Outback Opal Hunters, as well as the upcoming Ningaloo with Tim Winton – a major three-part series for the ABC and Shipwreck Hunters Australia – the first Australian documentary for Disney+.

Applications close Friday, 3 June 2022 at 5:00pm AWST at ScreenWest