Emerging Filmmakers Fund FAQs
1) HOW DO I PRESENT MY APPLICATION? ALL required attachments and any support material must be provided by the closing date via direct upload to the Metro Screen Website. It’s IMPORTANT you name all documents as follows: DocumentType_ProjectTitle_yyyy-‐mm-‐dd.docx (or appropriate file extension). For example, ApplicationForm_FilmTitle_2014-‐05-‐01.pdf or Script_FilmTitle_2014-‐05-‐01.pdf. Use only underscores or hyphens to separate words. Then, submit A COMPLETE SOFT COPY of ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS by uploading directly onto the Metro Screen Website at: www.metroscreen.org.au N.B. Must be delivered by 5pm on the closing date. Only applicants without internet access in remote locations will be permitted to submit hard copy applications. Please contact the Program Manager if you need to submit a hard copy application and we will arrange that with you directly. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. 2) PROOF OF RESIDENCY – WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED? Include copies only, not original documents. Examples of proof of residency include: NSW Driver’s Licence, residential telephone/gas/water bill, Australian Electoral Office card, or residential tenancy agreement. Proof of residency for all of the key creatives (e.g. writer, director and producer) must be included, even if one of them is not 1 EFF Guidelines 2015 an applicant. 3) PROJECT TYPE – WHICH BOX DO I TICK? For purposes of the EFF application, the following definitions apply: Narrative – A film whose content is created by the imagination and is not necessarily based on fact. Documentary – a program that is a creative treatment of actuality other than a news, current affairs, sports coverage, magazine, infotainment or light entertainment program. Animation – filmed or computer-‐generated sequences of drawings or models. Experimental – projects that are experimental in form and may be non-‐
narrative Multiplatform – interactive or online dramas, documentaries, or animations. Webisodes – 2 to 3 episodes of a web series, up to a maximum of 15 minutes in duration. 4) BUDGET? In the application form under Budget, put the total cash you are requesting from Metro Screen. The maximum amount you can request is $30,000. Total of cast & crew deferred fees, and facility/supplier deals – This is the total amount being deferred by all of the cast and crew (including key creatives) AND the total amount of money you are saving due to deals you have made with facilities. Sponsorship/other financing – If you are proposing sponsorship or financing from other sources, put this amount here. This might be cash the applicant is contributing to the project, third party investment, cash sponsorship, or the dollar value of in-‐kind sponsorship (e.g. free use of a location or 2 EFF Guidelines 2015 production office). 5) BUDGET – WHAT FORMAT IS ACCEPTABLE? An EFF budget template can be downloaded from the EFF page on the Metro Screen website under ‘Resources’. This is an Excel spreadsheet with formulas already embedded. For comprehensive answers to questions about production budgets, please go to this link on the Screen Australia website http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/filmmaking/budgeting/a_z.aspx On the EFF budget, there are columns for: the standard award rates, any deals or deferrals, and the cash amounts you are actually paying. This allows Metro Screen to distinguish between the cash cost of your project and the total cost if standard fees and rates were being paid. You can use a different budget template, however, you must be sure to distinguish between these amounts. 6) BUDGET -‐ WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ‘AWARD RATES’, ‘DEALS/DEFERRALS’ AND ‘CASH TOTAL’ COLUMNS? The ‘award rates’ column should include the minimum award rate for the period the cast/crew member is working on the production. The ‘deal/deferrals’ column is for the amount you are deferring or the discount you are getting. The ‘cash total’ is the amount you have negotiated to pay up front. If you enter the ‘award rates’ and ‘deal/deferrals’ the ‘cash total’ will be calculated automatically. For example, an editor may normally charge $300 per day but is willing to accept $100 and defer $200 until the film makes a profit. $300 is the ‘award rate’, $200 are the ‘deferred fees’, and $100 is the ‘cash total’. An example for a facility deal is: an edit suite may cost $1,000, and you have negotiated a fee of $600. $1000 would be the ‘award rate’, $400 would be the ‘deal/deferral’ and then $600 would be the ‘cash total’. 3 EFF Guidelines 2015 Each deal or deferral in the budget must be supported by correspondence or an invoice from the facility confirming the arrangement. 7) WHAT IS A CAST & CREW DEAL MEMO? A cast & crew deal memo is a short agreement setting out the terms on which a producer engages the services of a cast or crew member. The applicant should have an agreement in writing with all cast and crew that covers matters including the person’s role in the production, their willingness to participate in the project, and the agreed fee. The agreed fee should correspond with the fee structure in the budget. Only the names of cast and crew who have agreed to participate should be included in the application. Sample deal memos for actors and crew can be found at the Arts Law Centre http://www.artslaw.com.au/ and Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance http://www.alliance.org.au/ Deal memos with facilities and suppliers may be copies of any correspondence that outlines costs, discounts and approvals (e.g. camera equipment). All facilities and suppliers must be NSW-‐based. 8) WHAT IS A SERVICE AGREEMENT? Similarly to a cast & crew deal memo, a service agreement is a short agreement setting out the terms on which a producer engages the services of its key creatives (writer, director, producer). The applicant should have an agreement in writing with all key creatives that covers matters including, but not limited to, the person's role in the production, their assignment of rights to the applicant, the fee structure and credit entitlements. This can be a very brief and simple document. In our ‘Resources’ section you can find similar templates that can be adapted for your purposes.
9) HOW DO I FIND OUT WHAT THE AWARD RATES ARE FOR THE CAST AND CREW? To find out what the minimum award wages are for cast and crew, you can 4 EFF Guidelines 2015 contact the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance at 9333 0999 or http://www.alliance.org.au. Once you have worked out the fee for each role, you can negotiate with your cast and crew to defer a portion or all of their fees. 10) WHAT DO I DO ABOUT GST? Metro Screen will pay GST on top of the grant if the grantee is GST-‐
registered. However, do not include this amount in the budget as it is a separate amount that is dealt with contractually and by invoice. So, if you are applying for $30,000 funding, and you are GST registered, you will receive $33,000 from us, to take into account the GST you will be paying out. 11) WHAT TYPE OF INSURANCES WILL I NEED FOR THE PRODUCTION? You will need to consider the following insurances, and include expenses for those that are applicable in your EFF budget. Insurance does not need to be purchased at the application stage – only included as expenses in your budget. If your application is successful, we will discuss this further with you at that time. Public Liability required Not less than $20million Worker’s Compensation required Volunteers required if applicable If any of your cast and crew is deferring all rather than part of their fees, you will need this coverage. Personal Accident required if applicable If deemed necessary due to significant safety risks in the production (stunts, etc), you will need this to ensure that all persons involved in the production, including volunteers, are adequately covered for personal accident 5 EFF Guidelines 2015 Negative Risk required This generally covers "all risk" associated with physical loss, or damage to, or destruction of the negative film, computer generated images or sound, videotape or soundtrack. It also provides coverage for the extra expenses incurred in re-‐shooting or re-‐recording the lost or damaged material. Multi Risk required if applicable This generally covers camera equipment, props and sets, and is required if the camera equipment is being hired. 12) ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CAST OR CREW UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE? Yes. If any of your cast/crew are under the age of 15, you will need to follow the requirements of the Office of the Children’s Guardian. Comprehensive guidelines for employing children are at http://www.kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au/children-‐s-‐employment-‐1 We encourage you to become familiar with the OCG guidelines so that you will be prepared if your application is successful. Depending on the complexity of the project, it can take several weeks to meet the criteria and finalise arrangements. If your application is successful, we will discuss this further with you at that time. 13) CAREER PATHWAYS This statement should specify how the project will develop and advance the team. For example, an experienced writer may be taking on the role of director for the first time. Or a director may be making his/her first attempt at working on a project for a non-‐traditional platform. Or an inexperienced writer/director may be supported by an experienced producer. 14) RIGHTS – WHAT DOCUMENTATION IS REQUIRED AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION? 6 EFF Guidelines 2015 In order to apply for the Emerging Filmmakers Fund, the applicant must hold the rights necessary to make the film. By signing the application form, you state that you own the underlying rights in the material. If you do not own the rights, you must supply a brief statement setting out the applicant’s rights to make the film. This statement should outline: • the rights in the script and the film the applicant owns, and/or • certain rights necessary to produce the film which the applicant has an option to (e.g. Film production and ancillary rights to an underlying work such as a novel, stage play, song or poem that the script/film is based). • If the applicant has already entered into a writer’s agreement with the writer please provide a copy with the application. Templates can be found through the Australian Writers Guild (AWG). • Copies of any documents or letters showing permission to use copyright music or archival footage must be attached. If the project is a documentary, please attach interviewee release forms from the key people who will be interviewed or, at a minimum, a sample of release forms that will be used at the time of contracting and written confirmation from each key interviewee outlining their willingness to participate in the project. Any associated costs must be included in your budget. 15) WHAT IS THE DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT? These notes should discuss how the film is to be shot, what the intentions of the film’s sound design are, who is to the intended cast, and what is the intended style of performance. They should demonstrate an understanding of the themes of the script, whose journey forms the central story, or, in the case of an ensemble story, what theme or element unifies the different character’s journeys. 16) WHAT IS THE PRODUCER’S STATEMENT? This should describe in detail the producer’s understanding of the themes of the script, the production methods that will be used to complete the 7 EFF Guidelines 2015 film, why you believe the film should be made, and at which potential market or audience the story is aimed. Most importantly the notes should describe the way in which the writer, director, and producer will be working in order to realise the vision of the film. For further information contact: David Opitz Productions and Projects Manager, Metro Screen 9356 1818 [email protected] www.metroscreen.org.au 8 EFF Guidelines 2015