The MEDIA Programme: supporting growth in the European audiovisual industry Survey of the UK’s MEDIA Programme funding recipients 2001-2011 What people said
In March 2012 MEDIA Desk UK carried out a comprehensive survey amongst over 400 UK recipients of MEDIA funding between 2001 – 2011. The purpose of the survey was to collect evidence of the effect the EU support had on economic growth and sustainability of audiovisual companies. The survey results show the positive impact of MEDIA grants on script development, international market potential, finance for film and TV projects, circulation of European films, professional training and market organisation.
Top findings:
82%
of recipients said that MEDIA Development funding had improved the quality of the script and maximised the international market potential
What is the MEDIA Programme? MEDIA is a European Union programme which aims to strengthen the competitiveness of the audiovisual industries, increase circulation of audiovisual product, and enhance European cultural diversity. It is funded from the EU budget and represented in
100%
of producers who received MEDIA TV Broadcasting funding felt that it was “very effective” or “effective” in helping attract interest from broadcasters and other co-producers for their TV programmes
73%
of distributors and sales companies receiving MEDIA funding reported that it had a large positive effect on the distribution of films
96%
of exhibitors surveyed reported that MEDIA funding was “very effective” or “effective” in enabling them to exhibit non-national European films at cinemas
86%
of survey participants who had attended a MEDIAfunded training course agreed the course enhanced their skills and knowledge
What funding does MEDIA offer?
a range of operators in the audiovisual industry: producers, theatrical and digital distributors, sales agents, exhibitors, training providers, and organisers of festivals and markets. MEDIA funds activities that enable European film and TV programmes to travel across borders and help professionals work internationally. For more information: www.mediadeskuk.eu/funding
The MEDIA Programme offers nonrepayable grants of up to €1 million for
Front cover image: Leeds International Film Festival has received MEDIA Audiovisual Festivals funding
the UK by MEDIA offices in London (at the BFI), Glasgow (at Creative Scotland) and Pontypridd (at Creative Industries, Welsh Government). These offices promote the MEDIA Programme and assist UK applicants with their applications to MEDIA which is based in Brussels.
Slumdog Millionaire, directed by Danny Boyle, received MEDIA Selective scheme funding. © 2008 Celador Films Ltd and Channel 4 Television Corporation
Survey respondents said: Overall impact of MEDIA funding
66%
of survey respondents felt that MEDIA funding had been effective or very effective in growing their business.
59%
felt that MEDIA funding had been effective or very effective in stimulating employment and creating jobs.
“MEDIA support is vital to the continued development of European co-productions/projects and the development, sustainability and growth of European production companies. It has been one of the most valuable and essential tools utilised by our business. Long may it continue!” 3
“The MEDIA Programme as it currently exists has vastly assisted my company to compete at all levels in Europe and all over the world. Since founding the company 12 years ago we have been involved in over 40 international feature films most of which were supported by MEDIA. It is essential to the European idea - and as British company and as a nation we must vigorously join in this project.”
The Story of Film: An Odyssey, directed by Mark Cousins, produced by Hopscotch Films, received MEDIA Development funding
Recipients of MEDIA Development awards said…
MEDIA Development funding MEDIA supports independent European production companies in the development of animation, creative documentary or fiction projects intended for European and international TV and cinema markets. Producers apply for grants from €10,000-€60,000, covering up to 50% of the development costs
82%
of producers who received a MEDIA Development grant felt the funding had been “very effective” or “effective” in improving the quality of the script.
91%
of producers indicated it had been “very important” or “important” that the MEDIA Development grant had allowed them to safeguard their creative control.
80%
93%
of producers felt the MEDIA Programme Development grant had been “very effective” or “effective” in helping maximise the international market potential of the project.
of producers who received MEDIA funding more than once felt it was “very effective” or “effective” in contributing to the sustainability of their overall development activities. 4
MEDIA funding is “extremely necessary for forming relationships with international financiers, sales agents and distributors… an essential element for attaching partners to a project.” The MEDIA grant “has allowed us to employ full-time development staff and to collaborate and foster relationships with more talent and with more varied sources of finance.”
“The MEDIA award is “a stamp of quality”, “a very effective tool to leverage funding for the whole project.”
The Other Boleyn Girl, directed by Justin Chadwick and produced by Ruby Films, received MEDIA Development funding 5
Putin, Russia and the West, produced by Brook Lapping Productions, received TV Broadcasting funding
Recipients of MEDIA TV Broadcasting awards said…
MEDIA TV Broadcasting funding This funding supports independent European audiovisual production companies to produce TV programmes (fiction, documentary or animation) that involve the participation of at least three broadcasters from several countries participating in the MEDIA Programme2. Grants of up to €500,000 or up to 20% of the production budget are available.
100%
of producers receiving MEDIA TV Broadcasting funding felt the MEDIA Programme was “very effective” or “effective” in helping maximise the international market potential for their project.
100%
of producers who received MEDIA TV Broadcasting funding felt the MEDIA Programme was “very effective” or “effective” in helping attract interest from broadcasters and other coproducers for their TV programmes. 6
“I think it’s not too dramatic to say that without MEDIA Development and TV Broadcasting funding our company would not have made any of our shows, which have gone on to great success, and indeed without the lifeline of all those vital MEDIA-funded events we’d probably no longer even be in business.” 2. This includes the 27 Member States of the European Union plus Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
MEDIA funding to assist with the cost of finance, insurance and completion guarantees (known as i2i Audiovisual funding) i2i Audiovisual facilitates access to financing from banks and other financial institutions by subsidising a portion of production-related financial costs (insurance, financial interest and
80%
of producers who received a MEDIA i2i Audiovisual grant felt the funding was “very effective” or “effective” in helping maximise the international market potential for their project.
90%
of producers who received a MEDIA i2i Audiovisual grant felt the funding had been very effective in making bank borrowing and/or the use of a completion bond for the production budget more affordable.
Recipients of MEDIA i2i Audiovisual funding said: “The money helped us finish [the project] that went on to win the Palme d’Or. We’d have really struggled without it.”
“It took the pressure off the final cost of production which has enabled us to maximise our approach to the international marketplace.” 7
The Wind that Shakes the Barley, directed by Ken Loach, received MEDIA i2i Audiovisual funding
MEDIA funding and film schools MEDIA supports the networking of film schools and universities to enhance links with industry, and increase student and teacher mobility in Europe.
75%
of film schools who participated in the survey indicated the MEDIA Programme had been “very effective” in facilitating film schools to work together and exchange ideas.
100%
film schools who participated in the survey found the MEDIA Programme “very effective” or “effective” in deploying and using expert industry practitioners to lend expertise.
Recipients of MEDIA Initial Training funding said: “The EU’s provision for allowing schools in Europe to work co-operatively has already changed the landscape…One key benefit is the new focus on students building networks themselves and preparing for professional practice through these joint programmes”.
David Tardiveau (from Gobelins L’Ecole de L’Image Paris) interactive design masterclass at TransformatLab 2011 in Newport, Wales www.transformatlab.eu 8
MEDIA funding and professional development MEDIA provides international professional training opportunities by co-financing over 60 courses a year covering: • script/project development • management, legal and finance issues • marketing and distribution • new media and new technology
100% 100% of the professional training providers who participated in the survey found the MEDIA programme “very effective” in helping them develop their courses and increase business.
All of the professional training providers who participated in the survey agreed the MEDIA programme reduces the cost of the training activity, makes training more affordable for participants and enables providers to offer courses they would otherwise not offer.
Recipients of MEDIA Continuous Training funding said: “The support offered by MEDIA has helped provide the foremost course for producers in the UK and Europe and encouraged European producers and executives to gain experience and contacts in the world of Hollywood.”
The Inside Pictures training course received funding from MEDIA’s Continuous Training scheme 9
MEDIA funding and the distribution of films MEDIA supports the circulation of European audiovisual works across MEDIA participating countries. Financial backing is available as automatic or selective support for distributors and sales agents, to enable them to co-produce, pay Minimum Guarantees for films, or increase their distribution (P&A) budgets for new non-national (originating from a country other than the one of the distributor or sales agent) European films.
82%
of distributors who received a grant felt the funding had enabled them to acquire non-UK European films that they would otherwise not have purchased.
73%
of distributors who received a grant felt the funding had a positive impact on the size of release.
82%
of distributors who received a grant felt the funding had “very effectively” or “effectively” boosted the marketing spend on films released.
71%
of the films they released from countries participating in the MEDIA Programme, distributors reported that 71% on average were supported by MEDIA Automatic and Selective schemes.
82%
of sales agents found the MEDIA Programme “very important” or “important” in helping them distribute films.
The King’s Speech, directed by Tom Hooper, received MEDIA distribution funding. 10
Recipients of MEDIA Distribution funding said: “The automatic/reinvestment scheme enabled us to invest in more prints and promotional activity.” “MEDIA funding provides an element of security when considering the overall cost of acquiring and releasing non-UK European films.” “We have created three new positions as a result of MEDIA funding.”
Pina, directed by Wim Wenders, received MEDIA Distribution funding 11
The Duke of York’s Picturehouse cinema in Brighton is part of the MEDIA-funded Europa Cinemas network
Exhibitors receiving MEDIA funding said: “The schemes are a huge factor in our ability to be able to deliver a high quality, culturally diverse cinema programme which reaches out across the UK including major urban centres such as Bristol, Nottingham, Sheffield, Bradford etc. but also into far smaller geographically remote towns and villages across the 500+ UK cinemas we deal with on a regular basis.”
MEDIA funding and exhibition of films in cinemas MEDIA’s support for the exhibition sector is channelled through the MEDIAfunded Europa Cinemas network, which provides subsidy to European cinemas for screening a high proportion of non-national European films.
96%
74%
of exhibitors who received a grant found the funding to be “very effective” or “effective” in enabling them to exhibit non-national European films.
of exhibitors who received a grant found the funding to be “very effective” or “effective” in helping them develop new audiences.
12
12
“This funding has been crucial in underwriting our plans for expansion of programme, screens, and audiences. As a result of the contribution from Europa Cinemas and other funders we are now selling around 50,000 more specialised film tickets per year.”
MEDIA funding and market organisers MEDIA invests funds to create an environment for industry operators to work across borders. It funds approximately 50 co-production forums, specialist markets and other networking events where sellers from different countries meet buyers, funders and financiers.
100%
MEDIA funding and Recipients of MEDIA course/event participants Access to Markets funding said:
86%
80%
of survey participants who had attended a MEDIA-funded training course agreed the course enhanced their skills and knowledge and a further 90% agreed that attending a MEDIA-funded training course provides an opportunity to meet partners.
of survey participants who had attended a MEDIA-funded networking event indicated that attendance had directly helped produce their projects and a further 82% agreed that events provide opportunities to meet partners for future collaboration.
All of the market organisers who participated in the survey found MEDIA funding “very effective” in helping grow their business and “very effective” or “effective” in stimulating employment and creating jobs and improving their leverage of match funding.
The MeetMarket at Sheffield Doc/Fest is supported by MEDIA’s Access to Markets scheme 13
MEDIA funding was “crucial for building our international profile.”
Survey respondents said (quotes in this survey report are representative of overall comments made by respondents)... “The MEDIA Programme is a brilliant and vital initiative that without much wonderful independent cinema would not get developed or made.” “As a result of having the funding, projects have gone into production that would have stalled otherwise. This has been the main stimulus for jobs.” Europa Cinema funding is “invaluable in maintaining adequate levels of European and international cinema in programming.” “Without MEDIA documentary film-making of any importance in Europe, about Europe, for Europeans is dead.” “The rigour of the application process was a fantastic litmus test for how we needed to think about our development strategy.”
The funding “has been effective to the extent that the BBC was very happy with the outcome of our film and with all the awards received around the world and as a result they will retransmit the film and they see our company as one that can deliver a good story and an audience pleaser. We have received more commissions and are in regular talks about future work.” MEDIA funding is “the only source of finance available to UK producers that does not dilute their copyright and give away some creative control.” “As part of our overall profitability – our film would have made a thin profit margin if it weren’t for the Selective support - that support makes this a viable business model.” “MEDIA is a very important source of support for us as a micro indie. Long may the support continue!” 14
“Being a Europa Cinema has meant that we have been able to take a chance across the year on titles which would otherwise struggle to find screen space in the country. We are the primary venue for independent world cinema in the country and MEDIA funding has helped to maintain that level of provision.” “We now have a solid financial base and a strong slate, but when we achieved MEDIA funding we were a younger company and in need of development support to push forward co-production projects which could not find support in the UK.” “It’s a great award to receive: structured, logical and very cost effective. The application process is onerous but that’s probably a good thing and the support from my local MEDIA Desk was superb. I’m certainly looking for the next project to submit!”
“We were established in Northern Ireland a place of massive unemployment, structural problems and on-going violence, MEDIA at times was our only supporter. It gave us - and the market – confidence.” “We now have 50,000 more people seeing specialised film at our venue than we did five years ago.” “The MEDIA funding for this series triggered broadcaster confidence to commission further series.” “I have received funding three times for single projects and once for a slate of projects over a period of approximately 10 years. I have produced four films in those years and the slate funding in particular helped sustain my business without a doubt. Producers are never able to earn money during development (it is one of the inequities of the profession, that they should simply find the money to pay others, whilst earning nothing themselves until and unless the project goes into production). Therefore, they lurch between extreme poverty and sudden inflow of fees (which have to
pay back debts which accumulated during development). To keep a sustainable business going during development phases, the MEDIA Programme has been invaluable.” “We have gone, thanks to MEDIA development funding, from a one person operation in a back room to a fully equipped studio with a full time development team - part financed by MEDIA grants but also because we were able to develop programmes without undue pressure on completing the development process. The result was stronger programmes that have sold all around the world.” “It is one of the only funding streams that recognise that independent producers need financial support to be able to properly develop their projects ahead of bringing them to the marketplace. It has been absolutely essential to the growth of the company over the last few years.” “MEDIA funding allows us to develop projects, while retaining the copyright and ownership. This is the key to sustainable business.”
“It’s been invaluable to us. We wouldn’t have been able to develop the project to such a high standard without MEDIA’s support.” “It has given a fresh burst of investment to our slate and enabled us to drive forward script development and investment in talent. It has strengthened our core relationships with writers and current investors in projects.” “Knowing that we can count on some funding through our participation in Europa Cinemas gives us financial stability and allows us to have more imaginative programming and support films that we don’t necessarily think will make us a lot of money but that we believe in. Our business has increased admissions year on year and this is undoubtedly in part due to the MEDIA support we receive.”
The future of the MEDIA Programme - and what next? The European Commission has proposed a new Creative Europe programme for 2014-2020, which will incorporate the current MEDIA and Culture programmes. Thousands of people working in cinema, TV, culture, music, performing arts, heritage and related areas will benefit from EU support under Creative Europe.
The European audiovisual market is worth an estimated €107.4 billion and provides 1.2 million highly qualified jobs. Cultural and creative industries as a whole represent 4.5% of EU GDP and provide jobs for 8.5 million people. Creative Europe will promote cultural and linguistic diversity, as well as
contributing to the European Union’s Europe 2020 objectives for jobs and sustainable growth. Creative Europe will build on the experience and success of the Culture and MEDIA programmes which have supported the cultural and audiovisual sectors for more than 20 years.
The survey of the UK’s MEDIA Programme funding recipients 2001-2011 was carried out by MEDIA Desk UK with the assistance from the BFI Monitoring Unit in March 2012. A full copy of the survey report can be downloaded from the MEDIA Desk UK website here: www.mediadeskuk.eu/about-us/publications/ For more information please contact: MEDIA Desk UK Agnieszka Moody c/o BFI 21 Stephen Street London W1T 1LN Tel: 020 7173 3221 Email: uk@mediadeskuk.eu
www.mediadeskuk.eu
MEDIA Antenna Scotland Emma Valentine c/o Creative Scotland 249 West George Street Glasgow G2 4QE Tel: 0141 302 1776/7 Email: scotland@mediadeskuk.eu
MEDIA Antenna Wales Judy Wasdell c/o Creative Industries, Welsh Government QED Centre, Main Avenue, Treforest Estate Pontypridd, CF37 5YR Tel: 0300 061 5637 Email: wales@mediadeskuk.eu
This is a MEDIA Desk UK publication, July 2012