Blogs tagged "funding"
July 2017
CMC 2017: Report – Beyond Survival: Growing your Business and Making Money
This session explored some of the industry’s success stories, as business leaders and investors discuss how they have taken their companies through the tricky growth stage to develop the strategies and raise the investment in today’s difficult marketplace Takeaway: It pays to plan for the future Look for the best compromise between financing and retaining rights Listen to professionals and be open minded Detail: Co-founder and CEO of Gigglebug Entertainment Anttu Harlin, who is based in Helsinki, produces games and animation that is focused on creating positive content for kids. However, Anttu also wants to capture the idea of asking some of the more difficult questions about money: money enables better content, something that both company and entrepreneur requires equally. Some…
CMC 2017: Report – Best Friends Forever?
This session addressed the issue of the lack of feature length children’s films being produced in the UK. Would the ideal situation be to follow the German and Dutch model and bring together broadcasters and funders to collaborate on projects? Takeaway: Collaboration between broadcasters and funders is a way to gain high quality content Funding schemes are a way of encouraging new content Longevity of a project is key in children’s film Detail: Head of Business for NTR Hedda Bruessing explained how their mission was to “bring special programmes to everyone”. The children’s department is the biggest section of the broadcaster, and with 25 per cent of programming aimed at children she believes that kids deserve content linked to their…
CMC 2017: Report – Opening the Vault
A panel of children's media financing experts explored possibilities for raising and sourcing money for projects Takeaway: Be confident and prepared when approaching commissioners Have a simple, succinct business plan that can spark further conversations and opportunities Look at all funding routes and research the possibility of unlocking extra money through secondary television royalties Details: Abhi Arya is the Co-Founder and Partner of Sandbox & Co. He discussed their emphasis on investment in gaming and educational content, focusing upon learning through entertainment. He cited some investment must-haves: unique IP, differentiated engagement, validated ideas that are child safe, and distribution opportunities that extend beyond a primary channel. Tim Patterson, the CEO of IP management company Larkshead Media, helps to finance projects.…
CMC 2017: Report – Trade, Treaties & Taxes
Micky Rogers, MRM Inc., hosted this session on the burning questions about financing in the shadow of Brexit, and asked the experts: where are the risks and where are the opportunities? Takeaway: Bad news: No deal on Brexit would not be good for the industry Good news: Co-productions under existing treaties will continue to work whatever happens during Brexit negotiations The current tax credit scheme is unlikely to be taken away, having being introduced by Labour and extended by the Conservatives. Detail Rosina Robson of PACT thought that no deal on Brexit would not be good for the industry. What she thinks needs to be agreed is how to ensure UK production continues to be regarded as European, and that the…
CMC 2017: Report – Opening Keynote
Broadcaster Nihal Arthanayake introduced the two keynote speakers from BBC, James Purnell, Director of BBC Radio & Education, and Alice Webb, Director of BBC Children’s and Director of BBC North, to discuss the details of the BBC’s increase in children’s spending announced today. Takeaways: BBC announces additional £34m spend on children’s content over next three years. CBeebies and CBBC content and channels remain in place though fewer and bigger will become the watchwords. The new money will mainly be used for digital developments, greater interactivity and new content for 12-16s. A key development will be personalisation of the iPlayer, allowing older children and young teens to receive recommendations and customise their content from a range of BBC content, not just…
November 2016
Manimation 2016: Report – Panel 4: Money for Nothing? Fund and Flow
Speakers: Steve Sharman, founder, Blackthorn Innovation (moderator) Erica Darby, Producer, Spider Eye Chris Halliday, Senior Certification Analyst, BFI Tim Patterson, CEO, Larkshead Media Takeaway: Brexit implications for funding are still uncertain, but confidence in your product remains key to securing finance. Detail The main focus of the discussion was the impact Brexit will have on funding for creative industries. Chris Halliday talked about the tax relief scheme for animation companies. His message to delegates was that the BFI are the first port of call for tax breaks for animation. He said tax relief has helped animators in terms of getting a foot in door with broadcasters, and also getting loans against tax relief to get that initial start-up. Knowing that…
July 2016
CMC 2016: Report – Money Talks
From concept to creation – finding the funding to make it happen. By guest blogger Helen Dugdale Takeaways Think positively, creatively and work tirelessly to get your hands on the funding and financing available. Brexit doesn’t have to mean Armageddon for the industry! So far nothing has changed with the funding within the EU. This will continue for at least two years, until more is known about the UK’s exit from the EU… So get your applications in! New funding and financing opportunities could grow out of the UK’s departure. Brexit may bring new ways for UK and France to collaborate together. It’s generally thought that the UK has the strongest writers and France is known for having the strongest…