Northern Ireland Screen Funding Programmes

Northern Ireland Screen is currently reviewing its funding programmes. Full details will be available shortly. In the meantime, the following calls are seeking submissions:

LANDMARK DOCUMENTARY

NON-DRAMA/FACTUAL TELEVISION

SHORT FILMS

In addition, the Skills Development Bursary is still available.

CALL FOR LANDMARK DOCUMENTARY PROGRAMMING

Northern Ireland Screen intends to use Lottery Funds (provided through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland) to support a Cultural Landmark Documentary from a Northern Ireland based production company for production in the financial year 2010-11.

The scheme is inspired by timeless documentaries, like local example Dusty Blue Bells, which are rarely commissioned in the present broadcasting landscape. As a guide, Northern Ireland Screen would see recent documentary Waveriders, in which Northern Ireland Screen invested, as an example of a project that could attract this funding. Ideally this documentary would be a significant addition to Northern Ireland Screen's Digital Film Archive.

Essential Criteria

On application a project must:

Have a national or international broadcaster attached
Be able to go into production by March 2011
Be created and produced in Northern Ireland by a production company with a substantive base in Northern Ireland
Deliver a unique vision and voice on a universal story from a Northern Ireland resident filmmaker

Key Terms

Northern Ireland Screen will invest 50% of agreed production budget or £100k whichever is the lesser amount;
Northern Ireland Screen’s preference is for broadcaster 60 minute duration. However, longer formats, two parters and mini-series will not be automatically excluded.
Applications will close at 5pm on 31st August 2010.
Pre-application meetings are strongly encouraged, as is early application

For further information please contact Head of Production, Andrew Reid, or call 028 90 232 444.

CALL FOR NON-DRAMA/FACTUAL TELEVISION PROGRAMMING

In 2009-10 Northern Ireland Screen invested over £800k from the Northern Ireland Screen Fund, financed by Invest Northern Ireland with support from the European Regional Development Fund, in non-drama television with the majority of that production taking place in 2010-11.

With that in mind, Northern Ireland Screen wishes to invest a further £200k in non drama/factual projects during 2010-11, for immediate production in 2010-11. Northern Ireland Screen’s investment is capped at 25% but the average investment level is likely to be around 10%.

Essential Criteria

On application the project must:

Have a network broadcaster but projects with international broadcasters attached will be prioritised
Be able to go into production by March 2011
Be created and produced in Northern Ireland by a production company with a substantive base in Northern Ireland
Be in any genre other than drama
Have the potential to be a returning series
Be able to spend at least 4 times Northern Ireland Screen’s investment in Northern Ireland

Key Terms

Closing date 5pm 30th September 2010
Pre-application meetings are strongly encouraged, as is early application
The award is an equity investment on the standard Northern Ireland Screen Fund terms

For further information please contact Head of Production Andrew Reid, or call 028 90 232 444.

CALL FOR SHORT FILM – DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION

Given the decline in the overall level of funding available this year, coupled with the increase in the number of enquiries and applications for short film funding, Northern Ireland Screen will operate a two-tier approach to short film development and production.

SHORT FILM DEVELOPMENT

New film-makers and those wishing to develop their short film-making skills will be able to apply for a place on the Shorts Steps programme, which will be launched in September 2010. However, please note that Short Steps is a development scheme and NOT a production scheme, with no funding attached.

SHORT FILM PRODUCTION

For short film production, Northern Ireland Screen will hold two funding calls:

The first call is now open and will close at 5pm on 31st August 2010. Applications received after this date will not be considered.
The second call will open on 1st November 2010 and close on 31st January 2011.

SHORT FILM – CALL 1 - now open, closing 5 pm, 31st August 2010

Two levels of short film production funding are available:

Individuals may apply for up to £2,250 for a budget capped at £2,500.
Companies may apply for up to £4,500 for a budget of £5,000 and above.

Essential Criteria

The project must be from a Northern Ireland resident individual or creative team (writer, director, producer), with a track record of two or more produced short films. One of these short films must have been financed through a publicly funded or broadcaster-led short film scheme.
The individual or creative team must be able to demonstrate clearly how the project will develop the filmmaking career of the applicant(s).
The project must have match funding in place: £250 for individual applicants, £500 minimum for companies.
The project must be ready to go into production by March 2011.

How to apply
Please contact Northern Ireland Screen’s Short Film Co-ordinator, Christine Morrow, for a pre-application meeting or call 028 90 232444.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT BURSARY FUND

This fund is open to individuals working in Northern Ireland within the independent film, television and digital sector. It is designed to support financially those participating in training or development courses.

A key principle of the fund is that attendance at a training course should lead to advancement of skills, expertise and general career development and this in turn should positively impact on the television, film and digital industry in Northern Ireland.

A bursary may be awarded for up to 75% of the applicant’s total budget or £2,000 whichever is the lesser amount.

The balance of funding can be matched in cash from the individual applicant or from another private source.

Applications are now being accepted on a rolling basis for training courses commencing after 1 April 2010.

Applications should be received no later than 3 weeks in advance of intended date of attendance at your training course.

For more information and an application form please contact Catherine McGrattan.