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About the Funding
Criteria
Who Can Apply
Making an Application
Access to Funding

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Funding for writers, or writers and directors, to enable the writing of first draft feature film screenplays.

Note 1: this programme is designed primarily to encourage the writing of live-action fiction films, but animated feature films are not excluded

Note 2: BSÉ/IFB no longer provides development funding for documentaries; see Production Funding Programme Documentary for details of how documentary projects are now considered

About the Funding
Funding is provided in the form of loans which are repayable on the first day of principal photography of the developed film. The loan does not carry interest, no premium is charged at the time of repayment, and BSÉ/IFB does not receive a profit share in return for its development funding.

Copyright in the funded first draft screenplay remains with the writer, or with the writer and director (if any) if they so agree. If rights in the draft are later acquired by a producer, the producer will normally become liable for repayment to BSÉ/IFB of the First Draft Loan.

First Draft Loans are of fixed amounts: €12,000 where a writer is the sole applicant and €16,000 where a team of two or more writers is applying or where a writer and director apply together. In the latter cases, it is up to the applicants to agree between them how the loan is to be shared.

Criteria
Applicants should read carefully the Principles & Criteria guidelines with particular reference to the paragraphs on:

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

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.

Who Can Apply
First Draft Loans are available to writers, or writers and directors working together, where no producer is involved but applicants have a feature film project they wish to develop, and clear access to the necessary rights in any material that is to be adapted for the screen.

Directors may not apply on their own. However, where a director has an idea for a film that s/he wants to develop, but does not know who would be a suitable writer for the task, s/he is welcome to approach the Development team of BSÉ/IFB for advice and suggestions in preparation for making an application with a writer, if this is of interest.

Development funding is 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 page, paying particular attention to any relevant instructions with regard to contacting BSÉ/IFB executives in advance of applying.

If, having studied the How To Apply section, you have any further queries about this type of funding you should contact BSÉ/IFB’s 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.

The additional materials that must be included are:

• Logline (ca. 25 words)
• Synopsis (ca. ½ A4 page)
• Story outline or short treatment (ca. 6-10 A4 pages)#
• Writer’s notes on proposed screenplay
• Director’s notes on proposed screenplay (if applicable)
• CVs of applicant(s)
• Evidence of ownership of rights in all relevant material; where the screenplay is to be based on an original idea, the applicant(s) must certify that the idea is original and unencumbered by signing the letter that can be downloaded from this page.

As announced in June 2006, on 1st January 2007 existing full-length screenplays ceased to be admissible in applications for First Draft Loans.

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 First Draft Loans 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 eight 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 Development Procedures: Aims & Practice Guidelines  with particular reference to paragraphs points 8-10 in the funding section.

Access to Funding
If your application is successful, you will need to reach agreement with the Development team of BSÉ/IFB on the terms of a funding contract, including dates for draw-down of funding and delivery of materials. Besides a signed contract, BSÉ/IFB will need to have seen and approved all of the following documents before the first payment can be processed:

• Tax Clearance Certificate(s) for the applicant(s)
• Option Agreement in relation to underlying rights (if any)
• Invoice: the applicant(s) must invoice BSÉ/IFB for each stage of funding drawn down

The Production & Development Co-ordinator in conjunction with the Legal & Business Affairs team of BSÉ/IFB will provide the following document for consideration by applicant(s):

• Standard Funding Contract between BSÉ/IFB and applicant(s)

Note: applicants must obtain written permission from BSÉ/IFB in order to option or sell any rights in screenplays developed with First Draft Loans

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