discop link • #11

usiness opportunity reportTHE BENEFITS OF UNIONBy Bob JenkinsThere are many financial benefits available in the form of subsidies and loansavailable to companies located in and individuals who are citizens of theEuropean Union, via the MEDIA Programme. Members of the office of theMEDIA Programme will be at DISCOPRO 08 to inform producers of theopportunities. But ahead of that, DISCOP.Link has been talking to MatteoSolaro of the Education, Audiovisual and Cultural Executive Agency,to find out what is on offer and how to access it.The overall aim of the MEDIA programmeis to facilitate collaborationbetween European broadcasters,producers and distributors in the makingof programming with both a distinctlyEuropean flavour, and an internationalappeal. In order to achievethese goals the MEDIA programmesets out a number of parameters tothe awards and eligibility criteria thathave to be met before a project will beconsidered.Awards are made for the financingof fiction, animation, and creativedocumentaries. The award is in theform of a subsidy, which therefore hasto be repaid, and for fiction and animationcan cover a maximum of 12.5%of the budget up to a maximumamount of €500,000. For documentariesthe award may cover a maximumof 20% of the budget, but nomore than a total of €300,000.Criteria which must be met beforea production becomes eligible for considerationinclude a requirement thatat least three European broadcasters,from different European countries,are involved and that a minimum of50% of the budget already be confirmedin writing before the applicationis made. Of this sum, at least halfmust be from EU sources. There is,however, no requirement that productionshould already have started. Additionally,the licenses sold to broadcastersmust allow for the return ofthe rights to the producers afterseven years in the case of a pre-buy,or ten years in the case of a co-production.Finally, the applicant company hasto be the majority producer, and mustbe registered in an EU country, or in acountry participating in the MEDIAscheme, which, in addition to EU countries,also includes Norway, Iceland,Liechtenstein and Switzerland.Every year, the MEDIA programmemakes a 'call' for proposals forfunding under this scheme, and that'call' is published on the web site(http://ec.eurpoa.eu/media) aroundthe middle of November. Following theissuing of this 'call' there are two deadlinesfor applications. In 2008 the firstis 22 nd February, and the second the13 th June.Provided all of these criteria aremet, and the application is made on orbefore one of the two deadlines, allproposals will be considered on individualmerit, in the light of the MEDIA programme'sdesire that proposals receivingbacking should have as great apotential for international distributionas possible.Matteo Solaro admits that, "in thepast, this has favoured big productioncompanies from big European countriesas they are more likely to produceprojects with international potential.However," he continues, "companiesfrom smaller countries have beenfinanced in the past, and we will shortlybe publishing new guidelines whichshould make it easier for producersfrom smaller countries to accessMEDIA financing."While it is rare for a project toreceive backing from the MEDIAscheme, and for it to then be abandonedbefore completion, "because,"Solaro points out, "we insist that atleast fifty per cent of the budget be inplace before committing funds," hedoes accept that this has occasionallyhappened in the past. "If a project isselected, a contract signed, and it issubsequently abandoned before completion,a producer must explain thesituation, and justify the project'sabandonment. If the producer presentsa cost report showing all thecosts incurred prior to the abandonmentthen the MEDIA programme willwrite off the maximum permitted percentage,12.5% for fiction and animation,and 20% for documentaries."Although at the time of writingSolaro revealed that, "our exact activitiesat DISCOPRO 08 have not yetbeen defined," he did insist that, "wewill definitely be there as DISCOPRO isthe perfect place to inform producersof the possibilities offered to them bythe MEDIA Programme."And we all look forward to welcomingMatteo and his colleagues toBudapest next June, but before then,anyone interested in applying shouldlook for the new call and guidelineswhich will be published shortly on theweb sitehttp://ec.eurpoa.eu/media.}32 DISCOP LINK • #11 • NOVEMBER 07