Creative England Development Fund Guidelines 2011/2012

Introduction
CREATIVE ENGLAND DEVELOPMENT FUND 2011 / 2012 GUIDELINES FOR APPLICANTS Creative England was set up in October 2011 as the strategic development agency for film and the creative industries in the English regions (outside Greater London). It distributes Lottery funds, delegated from the BFI, in order that the brightest talent is identified, nurtured and promoted, that audiences have access to a wide and diverse range of film content and that the public benefits from a range of opportunities to engage and participate in contemporary moving image culture. These guidelines relate to our support for the development of feature films from producers, writers and directors based in the English regions. Please read them carefully before submitting your application. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Creative Englands strategic aims and objectives for talent development in the English regions are: to nurture emerging and established filmmaking talent by supporting the development of their work, their skills and their ambitions to encourage a diverse and engaging on-screen cultural identity for the English regions to foster self-confident, well-connected and sustainable filmmakers and filmmaking hubs to stimulate innovative creative and commercial approaches to filmmaking to promote the talent and creativity of the English regions to the world As well as making funding awards, we also seek to provide the highest quality advice, brokerage and practical help to filmmakers in developing and producing their projects.

Applying for funds

WHAT CAN I APPLY FOR? Creative England will accept applications for the development of feature film projects at all stages of development. We welcome applications for all kinds of films including documentaries and animation. Development awards will be a contribution towards: the costs of developing a screenplay (or the equivalent for documentaries) including research, writers fees, script editor/developer support, script readings, etc. where a screenplay is at a sufficiently advanced stage to be presented to potential financiers, the associated practical work needed to package the project such as budgeting, scheduling, casting, the production of a teaser trailer/pilot, and other costs associated with raising finance and generating sales & distribution interest. We will also consider support for the costs of participating in professional development programmes such as EAVE where there is a clear linkage to specific project development and/or packaging. We will accept proposals for the adaptation of existing material (such as a play, novel, etc.) but only if you can provide us with the evidence show that you have already acquired an option over the underlying work, or that such an option is available to you, or that the work is out of copyright. We cannot provide funding for initial options or for costs already incurred by you prior to any offer of funding being made. All film projects supported must be capable of qualifying as a British Film. Please refer to the BFI website for further information on this - www.bfi.org.uk/about/certification. Please note that we do not provide development funding for short films or projects intended primarily for television. Nor can we provide production or completion funding through this strand.

Applying for funds

HOW MUCH CAN I APPLY FOR? Development awards will typically be in the range of 2,500 to 25,000, though it is anticipated that the majority will not exceed 10,000. The level of awards will be consummate with the proposed development activity, the talent involved, the anticipated budget of the film, and the intended audience/market. Creative England actively encourages the involvement of third party development finance as part of your application, particularly where it indicates market demand through the involvement of an industry partner such as a broadcaster, sales agent, distributor, etc. However, we recognise that such third party funding may not always be available or appropriate. In the absence of other development monies, we are prepared to fund 100% of the cash costs of your proposed development activity on the basis that you and/or your associates are able to contribute a minimum of 20% of the total development costs by way of in-kind partnership funding such as reduced fees, facilities, etc. Creative England will thereby contribute up to 80% of the total development costs of a project. WHO CAN APPLY? Applications can be made by individual writers or writer/directors (for screenplay development only) or by a producer or production company. We cannot accept applications for projects which do not have a writer attached. We particularly encourage applications from writer/director/producer teams with a variety of experience, skills and industry contacts. The lead applicant must be resident or have a substantive base in the English regions (outside Greater London). This does not preclude collaborations with talent or industry from outside the English regions but the driving force behind the project and primary beneficiary of our support must be from the English regions. Applicants and their key collaborators will need to evidence a strong track record of achievement in film or a related creative medium such as theatre, television, publishing, etc. They must also have a clear sense of how they will drive both the creative and strategic development of the project. We regret that we are unable to accept applications from those under 18 years of age or from students in full-time education.

Applying for funds

DEADLINES Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, unless otherwise stated, until funds are fully allocated or an adequate number of projects have been selected to meet Creative Englands aims and objectives for this strand in this financial year. APPLICATION AND ASSESSMENT Creative England operates an online application process. We cannot accept applications by disc, fax, email or by post except by prior arrangement. Stage 1: Applicants are asked to complete and submit an application form online via the Creative England at www.creativeengland.co.uk/film-support/talent-development. As part of this application, you will need to submit two written proposals: A three to five page outline that lays out the dramatic action of your film from beginning to end. This should clearly convey theme, tone, genre and a sense of character development. An innovative or non-linear structure can be reflected in the submitted outline or described in a short paragraph following an account of dramatic action. Outlines based on existing source material, such as plays or novels, are required to go beyond plot summaries and will need to provide a clear indication of your strategy for adaptation. A two to three page supporting statement on your project. This is an opportunity to tell us why you want to make (write/direct/produce) this film and how it will meet the criteria outlined in the funding guidelines. You should outline your overall creative vision for the project, how you might achieve that on film, what will make it compelling and distinctive in the current marketplace, and what audience you are aiming for. Depending upon your current development stage, you may also wish to address how you would go about packaging your project. Key points to address could include: What are the elements that will generate interest and momentum? Who do you envisage as your key collaborators both in front of and behind the camera? What is the proposed budget and likely finance plan of the film? How will you go about raising that investment and securing sales/distribution? Does your project have an innovative or unusual approach to finding and engaging its audience? Stage 2: You will be sent an email confirming that we have received your application and that it is being checked for eligibility against the guidelines. You will also receive a tracking number. We regret that we are unable to progress ineligible or incomplete applications.

Applying for funds

If you have not received such email confirmation within ten working days of your submission, then please contact us by emailing talent@creativeengland.co.uk. Stage 3: Applications will be reviewed by Creative Englands talent development team with reference to the selection criteria outlined in the guidelines. We may also use external advisors to assess applications from time to time. Within four to six weeks of submission, you will receive an email to tell you either: (i) that we are unable to consider your application further and that it has been declined; or (ii) that we would like to see additional supporting materials for consideration and/or would like to meet with you to discuss your application in more detail. Supporting materials may include, amongst others: a detailed treatment for your project a complete draft screenplay a writing sample a showreel of completed work on DVD or via download CVs of the principals involved in your project a development budget a development schedule evidence of any proposed partner involvement or co-investment in your project In the event that we ask you for supporting materials, these should be provided within one week of such formal request. If we ask for a meeting, all relevant members of the creative team should attend. Please note that requesting a meeting or additional materials does not constitute an endorsement of your project or guarantee funding. Stage 4: On receipt of the additional material and/or following a meeting, we will give you an indicative timescale as to when a final funding decision on your project will be taken. In most instances, this will be within a further four to six weeks but may vary depending upon the amount of information requested and whether there are any significant action points arising from the meeting.

Applying for funds

SELECTION CRITERIA All applications submitted will be considered according to the following criteria: the quality, originality and ambition of the proposed project the abilities and potential of the filmmaking team involved with the project the viability of the project in terms of budget, financing and potential market/audience the contribution of the project to Creative Englands strategic aims and objectives for talent development in the English regions (as outlined at the start of these guidelines) the range and number of projects already being supported by Creative England There is a very high demand for our awards and we are only able to make a limited number each year. Even if your application meets all the above criteria, we may not necessarily be able to fund you. FUNDING DECISIONS Funding decisions for awards of up to 20,000 will be made by three of the following Creative England staff: Chief Executive (or in her absence, the Director of Finance and Operations); Head of Talent Development; and one of the Senior Talent Development Executives. Funding decisions for awards of over 20,000 will be made by three of the above together with a member of the Creative England Board. All successful and unsuccessful applications will be confirmed in writing within one week of a funding decision being made.

Conditions
AWARDS AND CONDITIONS Successful applicants will be sent an offer letter detailing the amount of funding to be made available and the specific conditions attached to such award. We may, at our discretion, offer to fund all stages of your development activity, subject to our approvals and right of cut-off at each relevant stage of development. Alternatively, we may limit our funding to one or more stages. Development awards are conditional, amongst others, upon: counter-signature by you of the offer letter our approval of the chain of title to the project our approval of any third party funding arrangements execution of a development agreement that sets out the agreed payment schedule and the development milestones/monitoring as well as our standard development provisions including our approvals and credits. Depending upon the level of the award, Creative England may require you to assign a share of all rights including copyright in the development work to Creative England as security for its investment. This will be reassigned to you (or your assigns) upon repayment of the development funding as set out below. Creative Englands development funding is recouped when the project proceeds to production and becomes repayable on the first day of principal photography. Creative England will also be entitled to a profit participation (of up to 5% of the producers share of net profits) in respect of its development funding in films that go into production. In exceptional circumstances, Creative England may roll over its development funding into equity in the production. Creative England may require an option to participate in the production financing of certain projects that it supports with development funding. All successful awards are published on the Creative England website and it is a condition of any award that successful applicants co-operate with Creative England in any PR and press activity relating to their project and to the Development Fund in general. FEEDBACK Due to the high volume of applications that we receive, we regret that we are unable to give individual feedback on applications for which we do not request additional materials and/or a meeting. These will receive a standard rejection email. On applications that receive further consideration or that we have met with you to discuss, we will provide a feedback by telephone or email where we feel it would be constructive to do so.
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Conditions
RETURN OF MATERIALS Creative England will retain the application form for declined projects for a period of six months, after which time it will be destroyed. Other supporting materials will only be returned to you if a stamped self-addressed envelope is enclosed with them. Otherwise the materials will be destroyed after the project has been declined. RESUBMISSIONS We can only accept resubmissions for projects if there have been significant and substantial changes to a script, or major new elements have been attached and/or secured since the last application. All resubmissions must be discussed with and agreed in advance by Creative England. SOLICITATION In certain circumstances, Creative England may solicit applications when it deems this the most effective way of achieving one of its listed strategic objectives. Solicited applications will be subject to the relevant guidelines as set down by DCMS and to the same processes as for all Lottery applications. APPEALS AND COMPLAINTS Creative Englands decision in all matters concerning the assessment and selection of projects is final. While funding decisions are made with due reference to the published criteria, opinions as to the quality or merit of individual projects are inevitably subjective and we realise that applicants may be disappointed as a result. Applicants who wish to make an appeal against a funding decision can only do so if they have good cause to believe that the correct procedures, as published in these guidelines, have not been adhered to or applied in such a way as to prejudice the outcome of an application. A copy of the Lottery complaints procedure can be obtained from Creative England on request. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives members of the public the right to request information held by Creative England. This includes information held in relation to applications to Creative Englands Lottery funding programmes. If you choose to apply to Creative England, you should be aware that the information you supply, either in whole or in part, may be disclosed under the Act.

Contact us
CONTACT US If, after reading these guidelines and any accompanying FAQs, you still have questions about eligibility or the application & assessment process, please send an email to talent@creativeengland.co.uk stating Development Fund Query in your subject header. Alternatively you can call the Talent Development team on 0161 281 4355.

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