The latest news.

“We’re here to audit your accounts.” Is that a sentence that sends a shiver down your spine? It doesn’t need to be! At Above The Line Accounting, we know that audits can feel overwhelming, but they are an integral part of the film production process. In this blog, we’re going to walk you through what’s […]

The production accountant plays a fundamental role in film and television productions. However, their presence on a film set extends far beyond merely reconciling accounts or maintaining the books. Instead, their role is an intricate part of the film-making process, starting from pre-production and continuing until the final wrap-up in post-production, often lasting years. We […]

What is the producer tax offset? Before we dive in, a quick refresher. A tax offset normally reduces the amount of tax you actually pay. A refundable tax offset can actually generate a tax refund where no tax has been paid. The Producer Tax Offset – sometimes referred to as just the Producer Offset – […]

There will come a time in the life-cycle of your business when you may need to reconsider the legal structure under which your business operates. Such considerations and restructuring can be prompted by new business opportunities for growth and development, or you may wish to take advantage of lower company tax rates, perhaps you want […]

COVID-19 has presented all industries with unprecedented challenges and the arts industry in particular has faced major upheavals. With limits to people gathering, physical distancing requirements, and disruptions to the supply chain whole productions have had to be delayed or simply cancelled. The challenges of filming during a pandemic are not just logistical and emotional, […]

Starting and managing your own business is a steep learning curve, and all the bureaucracy involved is often overwhelming. As a creative, all the paperwork can feel like a frustrating distraction from what you want to be working on. But, once registering a company with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, otherwise known as ASIC, […]

Don’t feel left out if you haven’t heard of this before. This is a very specialised aspect of tax. In fact, your accountant (unless they specialise in creative industries, like us!) might not even know about it. And if you regularly prepare your tax returns yourself it’s unlikely to be on your radar. So what’s […]

Numbers aren’t for everyone. Which is why the benefits of using a production accountant can be obvious to many. But when should you call us in? While we can get started at any stage, it is best that we come in as early as possible, at least during production. And here’s why: It’s cheaper.   […]

We’ve previously written about the different ways you can fund your production. Most common are loans, a distributor advance or through equity. Alongside grants and any money borrowed against the Producer Offset, equity also includes independent investment. Now, Australian legislation allows you to give equity on crowdfunding, opening up the doors on ‘independent investment’ to […]

When you look to access your Producer Offset, you usually have two options. Get your Producer’s Offset with your Tax Return. This can be almost a year later, leaving a large gap (especially if you’re looking to fund your next production). Or Liquidate your production company. This is a reason why people often set up […]

When you’re involved in production you need to be comfortable with a range of accounting terms and business structures. None more so than ‘Special Purpose Vehicle’. No, it’s not a car. If you’ve ever asked, ‘what is a Special Purpose Vehicle and do I need one for my next production?’ then this resource is for […]

If you’re planning a future in Australian film and television production, then you’ll need to get to know the Producer Tax Offset. Why? The Producer Tax Offset – or just the Producer Offset – is a refundable tax offset for money spent in Australia or by Australian companies to make Australian films. Usually, if you […]

Money makes the world go around – and it makes productions happen. With each potential funding option, there are a few distinct things you should look out for. Make sure you go into any project with your eyes open to First things first. No matter how you intend to fund your next project, it’s important […]

If you’re reading this, you’re probably asking yourself “what do I do to better manage the money of my next – or current – production?” This is our third and final post in this series, all geared toward answering that question. In the first two posts of this series, we walked through the ‘pre-pre’ and […]

You’ve made it through all the ‘pre-pre’ stages, and we’re ready to say this is a real project, greenlit and 100% ready to go ahead. It’s time to really get started. It’s time to dive into pre-production. If you read Part 1 of this series, you already know all about the ‘pre-pre’ production stages. If […]

What is the lifeblood of filmmaking? Is it the story? The craft? The magic that happens when a group of skilled individuals come together to make something great? I really wish it was any of these things. But here’s the sad reality: it’s money. Money is the thing that enables us to bring our ideas […]

When setting up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to use in the Producer Offset, you need to give some thought as to how you get the Offset out of the SPV to a relevant entity once it is paid. The Producers Offset comes back to the SPV in the form of a tax rebate, and as such there is no tax payable on it. The issue is how to get the rebate from the SPV to an entity where you can actually make use of the rebate.