A Torres Strait-filmed TV series has narrowly escaped shutting down due to the global pandemic, but its producer has warned that Indigenous productions face a bigger threat in years to come.

The Federal Government last week suspended content quotas for free-to-air and subscription services in 2020, with fears already emerging that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmakers would be hit the hardest.

Far north Queensland actor-producer Aaron Fa'aoso had just wrapped filming new series Strait on the Plate on six remote islands in the region last month when strict new social distancing measures were introduced.

But while the coronavirus had shut down productions around the country, the Black Comedy star said getting rid of content quotas would hit Indigenous projects even harder.

"If you're going to have a reduction in quotas, that's going to adversely affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmaking straight off the top," he said.

"In the Indigenous sector of the industry we are only now beginning to have the skill sets in terms of filmmaking, producing, and writing.

"That's only poked its head through in the last 15 years and it's really generating momentum.

"It goes back to 'where do we see and preserve our cultural content? What is that saying about our cultural content?'"

The Australian film and television industry employs about 25,000 workers and pumps about $3 billion into the economy annually.

But Mr Fa'aoso believes the local industry will struggle to compete against international heavyweights who can deliver content at a cut-price rate.

Aaron Fa'aoso (right) says Indigenous content will be hit hard by the local content quota suspension. ( Supplied )

"In this country we simply don't produce the same volume as the Bollywood of India, and the United States. We need more support," Mr Fa'aoso said.

"I think it's total rubbish to expect our industry to stand on its own."

Screen Producers Australia (SPA) CEO Matthew Deaner was also concerned the suspension of quotas could reduce Indigenous representation on mainstream television as networks shelved drama production for cheaper alternatives like reality television.

Screen Producers Australia CEO Matthew Deaner is deeply concern by the suspension of Australian content quotas for 2020. ( Supplied )

"If you don't have obligations on platforms, then you don't have any storytelling, and you certainly won't get any Indigenous stories told through that medium," Mr Deaner said.

"You may get Indigenous people represented on other formats of programming, but I think the most powerful ways we've communicated the complexity of Indigenous stories have been through the dramas that we've created so successfully.

"I'd never want to see that diminished, because that has been one of the very unique things to come out of our industry."

Major networks favoured, producers say

SPA is concerned the Federal Government's coronavirus assistance package could cripple Australia's entire production industry, both Indigenous and mainstream.

Mission Beach-based producer Hal McElroy, whose credits include Aussie favourites such as Sea Patrol, Water Rats, and Blue Heelers, said the emergence of digital services like Netflix, which did not have quota obligations, had allowed broadcasters to lobby harder for changes.

"The networks have long opposed content provisions, but these regulations have been in place for nearly 50 years and are central to the success of the Australian television industry," he said.

"We fought back in the 70s to get Australian networks to play our content, and now 50 years later the Government is protecting the networks but not the people who make the content.

"That's hard to take."

Despite the production quota cuts, free-to-air channels still must air 55 per cent Australian content between 6:00am and midnight, something Mr Fa'aoso said regional Queensland filmmakers could use to their advantage.

"We've been lucky in far north Queensland in terms of the number of COVID-19 cases and looking at how its affected the major cities," he said.

"Taking that into account, we could potentially get film productions up-and-going quicker than our counterparts in major cities.

"So, due to the pandemic, it could provide more opportunities in the near future."

Strait to the Plate, a food documentary series for SBS' NITV network, is slated to air later this year.

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