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About the Funding
Criteria
Who Can Apply
Making an Application

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Funding for feature films originated and creatively led by Irish talents – directors, writers, producers – the content of which will generally (but not invariably) express Irish culture in some way, and the practical management of which is primarily in Irish hands.

This category may occasionally but not automatically extend to include TV drama (singles and series).

This programme is for live-action fiction films; animated feature films and TV series are funded under a different production programme, Animation.

About the Funding
Funding is provided in the form of limited-recourse loans recoverable from a share of revenues from exploitation of the film and entitling BSÉ/IFB to a share of net profits.

Applicants should be thoroughly aware of the regulations and limits that govern the amount of funding BSÉ/IFB can provide to a project. These can be found on the Regulations & Limits page of the Overview section of this website.

BSÉ/IFB production funding is generally provided during production in accordance with an agreed cashflow. Before starting to fund, BSÉ/IFB will need to be satisfied that all other providers of finance to the production are committed and contracted, and that the amount of finance available is sufficient to cover the entire budget.

An approved completion bond is a normal requirement by BSÉ/IFB where its funding is to be made available during production. The appointment of a collection agent is also normally required.

Criteria
Applicants should read carefully the Principles & Criteria section of this website with particular reference to the paragraphs on:

• Additionality
• Cultural Priorities, Industrial Priorities
• Making Cinema
• Originality
• Further Considerations

In making funding of any kind available, BSÉ/IFB pays close attention to any previous work by individuals making the application, taking into account their creative abilities in audiovisual media as well as their professional competence and reliability.

Special Condition
Since the introduction of new limits on BSÉ/IFB funding on 1st July 2008, production budgets for projects submitted for funding under this programme must contain line items adequate to cover the production of good quality marketing materials for your film. Only microbudget films with production budgets of €100,000 or less are exempt from this condition.

Marketing materials to be produced for delivery to sales agents and distributors must include:

• A wide range of approved cast stills, cleared for use in key art (posters, etc) and for other promotional purposes;
• A wide range of production stills;
• Professionally prepared production notes, to include detailed interviews with director, screenwriter, producer, topline cast and key crew;
• An EPK (Electronic Press Kit), to include scenes from the film cleared for promotional use, interviews with topline cast, and behind-the-scenes footage showing production of the film.

A publicist should be appointed to oversee the production of these items and assure their delivery.  The budget allowances for marketing materials and personnel will be subject to BSÉ/IFB approval, and BSÉ/IFB will have the right to approve the appointed publicist, stills photographer and EPK team.

For more information on these mandatory deliverables contact Louise Ryan, Marketing and Communications Executive.

Who Can Apply
BSÉ/IFB funding for Irish Production is available to producers who are seeking to produce a feature film (occasionally TV drama) that is originated and will be creatively led by Irish talents, the practical management of which will be primarily in Irish hands.

Funding under this Irish Production programme is generally but not invariably provided by BSÉ/IFB to enable the making of films predominantly in English or Irish, or a combination of the two.

Making an Application
Before making an application it is essential that you have read the How To Apply guidelines on this website, paying particular attention to procedures to be followed and BSÉ/IFB executives responsible for each type of funding.

In the case of a project on which little or no shooting is to be undertaken in Ireland, it is also essential that you download and read carefully the Admissible Irish Expenditure guidelines attached to this page.

Before applying for this type of production funding, personal contact with one of BSÉ/IFB’s Production team – either the Chief Executive (Simon Perry) or one of the Production Executives (Emma Scott, Alan Maher) – is essential in order to discuss the state of the project and its readiness to be considered. An application will not be accepted (i.e. logged in and processed) without this prior discussion having taken place.

If, after studying the How to Apply guidelines, you have any further queries about this type of funding you should contact BSÉ/IFB Production & Development Co-ordinator, Sarah Dillon.

In order to apply you must download the application form from this page, complete it in full, and send it – together with all the additional materials requested – to BSÉ/IFB’s head office in Galway. You cannot apply for BSÉ/IFB funding by fax or online. Incomplete applications will not be processed.

Additional Materials that must be included are:

• Screenplay (dated)
• Logline (ca. 25 words)
• Synopsis (ca. ½ A4 page)
• CVs of all principals
• Note of any cast or creative/technical personnel in place
• Note of any other marketable elements of the project
• Production budget, including topsheet
• Draft/indicative finance plan
• Evidence of ownership of rights in all relevant material

 

Applications should be delivered by post, by courier or in person to:

Schemes & Applications Co-ordinator
Bord Scannán na hÉireann / the Irish Film Board
Queensgate
23 Dock Road
Galway

Following receipt of a submission, applicants will be sent an acknowledgement letter including a reference number which should be retained for use on all future correspondence.

Under current practice, applications for Irish Production funding received in Galway by the last business day of a calendar month will be considered at a decision-making round that falls no more than four weeks later. Decisions are communicated to applicants by letter immediately thereafter.

For a detailed account of the procedure by which production funding applications are considered, you should read the Production Procedures: Aims & Practice guidelines with particular reference to points 1-10 in the funding section.

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