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MEDIA Program
A support-scheme for strengthening the competitiveness of the European audiovisual industry
General description of the Programme
The MEDIA Program (2007 - 2013) aims at strengthening the competitiveness of the European audiovisual industry with a series of support measures dealing with training of professionals, development of production projects, distribution and promotion of cinematographic works and audiovisual programmes.
The operational sectors of the MEDIA Program are Training, Development, Distribution, Promotion and Festivals. . For more information please contact the nearest MEDIA Desk or the Commission of the European Union.
Development
MEDIA support in the field of project development is directed primarily at film and television drama, documentaries, animation and multimedia projects. Producers and creators of works with commercial potential on the European market are eligible for financial and technical assistance for scriptwriting, research and for putting together the financial package. One of the programme's prime objectives is to encourage the emergence of big-budget European productions capable of winning back market share for European films.
Distribution
In the priority area of distribution (cinema and television), MEDIA aims to encourage distributors to invest in productions of promising films to add to their catalogues and to enhance their chances of worldwide distribution by increasing the number of copies available and the amount spent on promotion. One of the best ways of doing this is to build strong and lasting links between distributors and to encourage multilingualism by means of dubbing and subtitling. Incentives are also being offered for the creation of networks of commercial cinemas with a policy of showing mainly European films.
Subsidies will be available for co-productions bringing together independent production companies and broadcasters who agree to show their programmes in their particular area.
Promotion
A series of services and measures are being introduced to promote independent productions and improve their access to the market, mainly through film and television markets, fairs and festivals.
Training
To help professionals adapt to the demands of a European market, the MEDIA training programme will support initiatives to improve skills in the economic and commercial management of audiovisual projects and companies, including legal aspects. The development of course modules on screenplay techniques and the use of new technologies is also being encouraged, to help creative artists produce programmes of high artistic and commercial quality. Finally, the programme will support cooperation and exchanges of know-how between training institutions, professionals and of course companies.
Assistance under the MEDIA programme is mostly given in the form of advances on earnings and repayable loans, but subsidies are awarded for multilingualism and training. Assistance may cover up to 50 - 60 %. These measures will complement regional and national initiatives by the Member States, so generating a genuine European component of added value in the audiovisual sector.
Festivals
Since 1992, the European Commission has published an annual call for propositions for the support of film festivals and event, organizes in partnership within the audiovisual sector, in order to promote European cinemagraphic works and to encourage their distribution throughout the member states, participating in the MEDIA programme.
Who can participate in the programme?
The MEDIA Programme is addressed to all professionals of the audiovisual programme industry in the Member States of the European Union. MEDIA is also open to the participation of the associated countries, the EFTA countries members of the EEA Agreement (Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein) in line with the agreements each of these has signed with the European Union. The programme will also be open to co-operation with other non-member countries that have concluded agreements with the European Union containing audiovisual clauses.
In accordance with the Council decisions, the Commission will ensure that the involvement of professionals in the programme is geographically balanced and reflects Europe’s cultural diversity. Special attention will therefore be paid to the specific needs of countries with only a small production capacity and/or a limited language audience and to the development of the SMEs that represent the dynamic element in independent production and distribution.
The Network of MEDIA Desks and Antennae, the offices set up throughout Europe to keep professionals informed, will ensure that information on the Programme reaches the greatest possible number of professionals in Europe, regardless of where they are based.