Slate funding
Development and production of audiovisual works
Under this support scheme, the applicant submits a proposal with a view to developing a Slate of minimum 3 to maximum 5 projects (Slate Funding) for commercial exploitation, intended for cinema release, television broadcasting or commercial exploitation on digital platforms or a multi-platform environment in the following categories: animation, creative documentary and fiction. The scheme will also provide an entry point for emerging talent supported by the strong foundation provided by experienced production companies. To do so, applicants may add a short film by emerging talent to their Slate (optional).
The MEDIA Sub-programme supports European audiovisual production companies with proven experience interested in developing a Slate of projects presenting: high creative value and cultural diversity, wide cross-border exploitation potential, enhanced audience reach at a European and international level, based on strategies for marketing and distribution envisaged as from the development phase.
The support also pursues: greater cooperation between operators from different countries participating in the MEDIA Sub-programme, the strengthening of competitiveness by consolidating the companies’ capacity for investment in the development phase, the expansion of the companies’ activities and their innovation capacity to explore new fields and markets and providing support and an entry point for emerging talent with the possibility to produce a short film.
Eligible Applicants
This call for proposals is open to independent European audiovisual production companies which have been legally constituted for at least 36 months prior to the submission date and that can demonstrate a recent success.
A European company is a company owned, whether directly or by majority participation (i.e. majority of shares), by nationals of Members States of the European Union or nationals of the other European countries participating in the MEDIA Sub-programme and registered in one of these countries.
An independent company is a company which does not have majority control by a television broadcaster, either in shareholding or commercial terms. Majority control is considered to occur when more than 25% of the share capital of a production company is held by a single broadcaster (50% when several broadcasters are involved).
An audiovisual production company is a company whose main object and activity is audiovisual production.
A legally constituted company is a company which has been founded by a legal act compliant with the relevant legislation.
A company with a recent success is understood as follows: The applicant must prove that it has produced a previous eligible work, as described in section 6.2, in the five years preceding the submission of the application that has been released or broadcast in at least three countries other than that of the applicant in the period after 01/01/2016 and before the date of submission of the application. In case of linear broadcast, 3 different broadcasters are necessary.
Companies established in countries with high production capacity (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and United Kingdom) must prove that they have produced two previous eligible works, which had a commercial exploitation under the same conditions.
Concerning the production of an eligible recent success work, the applicant must prove in any case:
- that it was the sole production company; or
- that it was, in the case of a co-production with another production company, the major co-producer in the financing plan or the delegate producer; or
- that its Chief Executive or one of its shareholders has a personal onscreen credit on the work as producer or delegate producer.
The company must also own the majority of rights related to the projects.
Eligible Activities
Development activities for the following projects are eligible:
- Feature films, animations and creative documentaries of a minimum length of 60 minutes intended primarily for cinematic release;
- Fiction projects (one-off or series) of a total duration of minimum 90 minutes, animation (one-off or series) of a total duration of minimum 24 minutes and creative documentaries (one-off or series) of a total duration of minimum 50 minutes intended primarily for the purposes of television;
- Fiction projects of a total duration or user experience of minimum 90 minutes, animation of a total duration or user experience of minimum 24 minutes and creative documentaries of a total duration or user experience of minimum 50 minutes intended primarily for the purposes of digital platform exploitation. For projects presenting a user experience in a non-linear format (e.g. virtual reality), these minimums do not apply. The digital platform is addressing the following types of projects: animation, creative documentaries and fiction projects intended for multiple screen-based devices, interactive projects, linear and non-linear web-series and narrative virtual reality projects.
The day of principal photography12 (or equivalent) of the submitted projects must not be scheduled to occur within 8 months from the date of submission of the application.
In case a short film is added to the Slate, the development and production activities of the short film will be eligible for co-financing if:
a) the short film is of a maximum length of 20 minutes and is providing support to emerging talent.
A short film is defined as a complete audiovisual work (animation, creative documentary or fiction) with a maximum length of 20 minutes. Previews and advertising films, pilots, trailers, teasers and demos are excluded.
An emerging talent is defined as writers, directors or producers who have acquired some professional experience and have made work of a certain level (for instance student or self-funded films) having attracted some industry, festival or public attention, but who have not yet made a fiction, creative documentary or animation project that had commercial distribution, and who are looking for guidance and support towards making their first commercial audiovisual work.
b) the day of principal photography13 (or equivalent) of the submitted short film does not occur before the date of submission of the application.
Should the short film not fulfil these criteria, the costs related to the short film will not be eligible, but the application will remain eligible provided that it fulfils all other eligibility criteria.
Budget
The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects is estimated at EUR 12.5 M.
The minimum contribution per action under these guidelines is of EUR 70.000.
The maximum contribution per action under these guidelines is of:
- EUR 200.000 for a Slate without a short film project;
- EUR 210.000 for a Slate with the addition of a short film project;
- EUR 150.000 for a Slate with only creative documentaries and without a short film project;
- EUR 160.000 for a Slate with only creative documentaries and with the addition of a short film project.
The minimum allocated to a project of the Slate is EUR 10.000 and the maximum is up to EUR 60.000, provided the amount does not exceed 50% of the eligible development costs of the project. If a short film is added to the Slate, the maximum support for the short film is up to EUR 10.000, provided the contribution does not exceed 80% of the eligible costs of the production (including development costs) of this project.
