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Funding for bona fide Irish distributors to help defray the costs of theatrical release in Ireland (including Northern Ireland) of feature films already in receipt of BSÉ/IFB production funding, and to stimulate more effective publicity and promotion in support of their release.

 

About the Funding

This funding scheme replaces the Prints & Advertising funding scheme previously in force and takes effect from 1st March 2010. For the first year of the scheme funding will be available in the form of non-repayable grants, in order to accelerate the flow-through of returns from the Irish market to production investors and producers. The first year of operation of the scheme on this basis will be monitored and analysed, and may be revised thereafter.

 

Under this new scheme release costs of qualifying films are divided as to those that are eligible for BSÉ/IFB Marketing Support and those not eligible. Distributors are expected to take full responsibility for the preparation of a film for release in the Irish market and for its physical distribution. Accordingly the following costs are not eligible for Marketing Support:

 

• Creative and production costs of key art, posters, press ads, TV/radio spots, press book;
• Costs of release prints, trailer prints, censorship submission, exhibitor screenings, market research;
• Despatch costs, tracking costs.

 

The costs of publicity and promotion of qualifying films in the Irish market are considered as eligible costs under the scheme. Distributors may apply for Marketing Support funding to cover 90%, up to a maximum of €75,000, of the following costs:

 

• Media space costs: TV. press, radio, outdoor, online;
• Publicity costs: media screenings, talent visits, festivals in Ireland; and (to the extent not provided by the production) stills/clips/EPK for editorial use;
• PR agency fees, if work not handled in-house and if approved by BSÉ/IFB;
• Promotional costs: trailer design and edit, website, talker screenings, special promotions, manufacture and distribution of merchandise for promotional use only.

Criteria

A decision by BSÉ/IFB to assist the release of a qualifying film in Ireland will be predicated on a positive assessment of the distributor's campaign, release plan and overall prints and advertising budget. An application is likely to be enhanced by demonstration on the part of the distributor as to how BSÉ/IFB Marketing Support will enable the film to be more effectively publicised and promoted than if backed by the distributor's resources alone.

 

Who Can Apply

BSÉ/IFB Marketing Support funding is available to bona fide distribution companies established in the Republic of Ireland which are planning to release a qualifying film theatrically in Ireland (including Northern Ireland).

 

Qualifying films for the purposes of this scheme are full-length feature films (fiction, animation or documentary) that are already in receipt of BSÉ/IFB production or completion funding.

 

In order to be considered as a bona fide distribution company, and thus eligible to apply for funding under this scheme, the applicant must be able to demonstrate either that it is in the business of distributing films regularly in the Irish market or that it has verifiable plans to establish itself as such a company.

 

Funding under this scheme is not available to non-Irish companies planning direct distribution of a qualifying film in the Irish market, but is available to bona fide Irish distributors handling a qualifying film in Ireland under a sub-distribution arrangement with a non-Irish company. In these instances, funding may be requested only to help defray eligible costs borne by the Irish distributor.

 

BSÉ/IFB can contract only with companies incorporated in the Republic of Ireland.

 

Making an Application
Before making an application for Marketing Support funding you should contact BSÉ/IFB’s Industry Affairs Executive, Patrick O’Neill, in order to confirm that the film qualifies for funding, and that the applicant is considered by BSÉ/IFB to be a bona fide Irish distributor.

If the application is deemed to be valid 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:

 

• Distribution agreement relating to Irish theatrical rights
• Full prints & advertising budget for Irish release with eligible and non-eligible costs clearly identified
• Theatrical release plan for the Irish territory (to include the marketing plan, media plan, poster art, film comparisons, competitors analysis, exhibitor list, etc.)
• Theatrical trailer (if available)
• Rationale for requesting funding from BSÉ/IFB
• Profitability models in relation to box-office performance

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 Marketing Support 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.

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