When should you apply?

The deadline for submitting an application under Call for Proposals EACEA/09/2013 is 24/06/2013.

What types of organisations are eligible?

This Call for Proposals is open to European organisations registered in an eligible country, which have as their main activity audiovisual production, distribution, exhibition and aggregation. These organisations must be owned directly or by majority participation, by nationals from eligible countries, and continue to be owned, whether directly or by majority participation, by nationals from these countries.

Broadcasters and telecommunication companies (i.e. companies which have as one of their main activities broadcasting and/or telecommunication activities) are not eligible, neither as an applicant, nor as a co-beneficiary for the purposes of this Call for Proposals.

Any applicant or group of applicants must not be subject to majority control (either in shareholding or commercial terms) by a broadcaster and/or a telecommunications company. Majority control is considered to occur when more than 25% of the company's share capital is held by a single broadcaster or telecommunications company (50% when several broadcasters or telecommunications companies are involved) or when, over a three-year period, more than 90% of the company’s revenue is generated in co-operation with a single broadcaster or telecommunications company.

What types of project are eligible for Video on Demand and Digital Cinema Distribution funding?

Two types of services were eligible: "Video on Demand" and "Digital Cinema Distribution".

  • Video on Demand (VoD): Service enabling individuals to select audiovisual works from a central server for viewing on a remote screen by streaming and/or downloading.
  • Digital Cinema Distribution (DCD): Digital delivery (to an acceptable commercial standard) of content to cinemas for theatrical exploitation (via hard disc, satellite, online…)

What type of content is eligible?

Proposed projects had to offer a European dimension, which means that the offered content must include audiovisual works from at least five eligible countries representing at least five different official languages of the European Union.

No more than 40% of the content (in programme hours) may come from a single territory.

There are two types of Eligible Content i.e. Core Content and Alternative Content:

  • Core Content, i.e. fiction, animation and creative documentary (according to the MEDIA Programme's objectives), including feature films (i.e. feature length films), TV films or series, and short films
  • Alternative Content (making-ofs, operas, concerts, performances…)

Potential beneficiaries should have had an adequate balance between the two in any VOD proposal. In order for a VOD proposal to be eligible, the content of the VOD catalogue MUST consist of at least 60% of Core Content.

In DCD proposals only Core Content is considered as eligible.

How much funding can your production company ask for?

The amount of co-financing from the Video on Demand and Digital Cinema Distribution scheme may not exceed 50% of the total eligible costs of the submitted project.

The maximum contribution per action under these guidelines is EUR 1,000,000.

What is the total budget for Video on Demand and Digital Cinema Distribution?

Under the most recent Call for Proposals, EUR 6 million.

How are projects selected?

Projects that meet the eligibility and selection criteria are given scores according to the award criteria. Award criteria are evaluated by means of an Evaluation Committee advised by external independent experts.

When will the results be known?

The funding decision will be made in November 2013.

What are the exact procedure and timeline?

Applications are assessed according to the following procedure:

  • receipt, registration and acknowledgement by the Executive Agency – June-July;
  • evaluation and proposal selection – July to September;
  • consideration by the MEDIA Committee – October/November;
  • decision and notification of the results and closure of the award procedure – November;
  • contracting – November/December

For more details on award criteria, please refer to section 8 of the guidelines for this call.