Mind the Gap
Blogged by Sanjay D’Humieres.
This session outlined to programme-makers some of the funding options that are available to them and was a platform for delegates to ask questions about how they can get money to finance their projects.
Adam Selly was Producer and Chair for this session and got straight in the thick of things introducing the first of the panellists from the EU’s Media Desk UK, responsible for helping anyone seeking financial help or grants from Europe.
The role of the Media Desk is to promote content across European borders and is the occasion for the various national media sectors to come together in an international context by inciting co-productions and partnerships. The allocated budget for the different schemes is €100 million every year and the high number of applicants can make it hard for everyone to get a share of the pot and past experience is a prerequisite. The Media Desk is composed of knowledgeable staff based at BFI offices trained with helping applicants navigate through the EU bureaucratic process. The team is also available over the phone for informal chats and via their website: www.mediadeskuk.eu
Representatives from Ingenious Investments also took part to explain how they help the industry fund projects. One of their offers was about getting investors to fund film and TV projects in exchange for tax breaks, similar to the SOFICA system created in France more than two decades ago. This system proved a popular option in recent years following the economic crisis that as made it harder for programme-makers to get needed funds. This is called the Enterprise Investment Scheme or EIS.
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