REGIONAL INVESTMENT FUND FOR ENGLAND (RIFE)

PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT – Project Hardship Awards

Guidelines for Applicants:

If you would like to receive these guidelines in an alternative format please email: .

Contents / Page
What is a Project Hardship Award? / 1
Project Hardship Application Deadlines / 2
Eligibility for a Project Hardship Award / 2
How to Apply / 2
Where to send your application / 4
How will my application be assessed? / 4
Terms and Conditions of Awards / 6
More information / 7

Please read our guidelines carefully before completing your application form. This will help you to avoid wasting time and help us to process your application effectively.

What is a Project Hardship award?

This is a one-off award available as support for projects with unique and excellent time-specific opportunities which applicants are unable to take up due to proven hardship.

This fund is limited and applications will only be awarded in exceptional circumstances to aid filmmakers who have unexpected additional expenditure with imminent consequences for a project.

The maximum that can be applied for is £500.

Project Hardship Application Deadlines

This fund has a rolling deadline – however you should get in touch with Screen South as soon as you anticipate a need to apply to this fund. We cannot fund retrospective activity therefore an application must be approved in advance of the activity you need support with.

Once an application has been submitted we will aim to notify you of our decision within 10 working days.

Eligibility for a Project Hardship Award

Additional to the eligibility criteria laid out in the RIFE Production and Development Overview:

In order to apply for a Project Hardship award you must have emailed your initial enquiry to:

You will be contacted by a member of the Screen South Production & Development department who will advise you whether an application is appropriate and will arrange a phone 1-2-1 with a Screen South Executive.

How to apply

Once you have had a 1-2-1 you should complete a Hardship Award application form.

You also need to send us some other items of information with your application form:

•A one page summary of your project to date

•A full treatment of your project (minimum 5 pages if documentary)

•Schedule of proposed activity for which you are applying – Highlight key activities and reflect adequate planning.

•A full budget for the planned activity which you are applying for(insuring the minimum wage for crew is adhered to)

•A summary budget for the entire project

•A cash flow for planned activity – A summary of forecast cash receipts and payments which show net outgoings and incomings

•CV’s for key team

•Relevant AV for team (i.e. showreel or examples of previous work – Producer, Director, DOP) on DVD or via online link*

•Relevant AV for project (i.e. promo, trailer, rough-cut or finished film) on DVD or via online link*

You will also need to provide the following, depending on the area of funding you are applying for:

Drama

Feature Film Pre Production Development or Production

•Screen play (printed one-sided and unbound – 70 pages minimum)

Drama and Documentary

Feature Film Post Production

•First Cut (70 minutes minimum)on DVD or via online link*

Feature Film Marketing Development - Distribution

•Copy of finished film on DVDor via online link*

•Evidence of sales agent / film festival interest

Feature Film Marketing Development - Promotion

•Copy of finished film on DVD or via online link*

•Festival Plan – A list of festivals which you intend to apply

•Marketing Plan

If applying for more than one area please ensure you enclose all requirements for those areas.

*All AV Material submitted via an Internet Link must be sent via email to:

,

Subject Heading: ‘Project Hardship Award Application- [Name of Applicant/Organisation]’.

Please test to ensure that all links are working links, and make sure that they remain active until the published notification date.

We recommend that AV material is submitted in this way as it allows members of the panel to easily access and view your work. However, if you do not have the facilities to submit your AV material in this way you can submit it on DVD.

All AV material on DVD should be clearly labelled on both packaging and actual DVD with:

•‘Project Hardship Award’ and month/year of application

•Name of Applicant/Organisation

•Project Title (meaning the title of the project submitted)

•DVD contents (index of clips/films)

•Role on Showreel

Individualsshould also send:

  • Two forms of proof of address, less than three months old. These may include utility bills or official letters in your name. We will not accept mobile telephone bills or letters from production companies.

Organisationshould also send:

  • A copy of the organisation’s Constitution, Rules or Memorandum and Articles of Association.
  • A completed equal opportunities monitoring form for the organisation (part of application form)
  • The most recent audited End of Year Accounts. Organisations that have not been trading long enough to have End of Year Accounts must submit their last 3 bank statements.
  • Child Protection Policy. Applicants working with young people will need to demonstrate they have an appropriate protection policy in place which covers their organisation and staff.
  • An Equal Opportunities Policy

Where to send your application

Applicants must submit a signed copy of the application form and enclosures by post to be received by Screen South:

RIFE Project Hardship Award

Screen South

The Wedge

75-81 Tontine Street

Folkestone

Kent

CT20 1JR

WE WILL NOT ACCEPT LATE APPLICATIONS.

How will my application be assessed?

Upon receipt your application will be logged and you will receive an acknowledgement in the form of an email containing a unique reference number which will be used in all future correspondence regarding your application.

Assessment stage one – Eligibility Check

Your application will be checked to see if it is complete and that all compulsory actions have been carried out:

•Applicant is from the Screen South Region

•Applicant has submitted a Project Hardship Initial enquiry Form and had a relevant 1 to 1 meeting with a Screen South Executive

•All documents have been enclosed and are in date

Incomplete applications will be notified. Ineligible applications will be returned to the applicant.

Assessment stage two – Project Assessment

Eligible applications will be passed to a Screen South appointed assessor and assessed based on the criteria below:

Criteria / Elements
Project Originality and /or Strength /
  • Project originality
  • Project strengths
  • Unique innovative idea
  • Compete in market place
  • Market Ready (e.g. partners, finance, cast)

Viability of applicant /
  • Appropriateness
  • Creative Vision
  • Sustainability

Financial viability /
  • Value for money of Screen South contribution
  • Impact of Screen South contribution
  • Viability of the budget
  • The level and commitment of the partnership funding
  • Budget adheres to minimum wage guidelines
  • Plans for financial control
  • Plans for risk management
  • Recoupment potential (preferable)

Project Management / The ability to deliver the project /
  • Clear planning and preparation
  • Management systems / clear staff roles set up for delivery of the project
  • Experience in field
  • Health and Safety considerations

Partnership /
  • Relevant partners
  • Key partner support
  • Financial partnership

Diversity and Inclusion /
  • Promotion of social inclusion including equal opportunities and disability issues
  • Access to under represented groups, including those living in rural areas

Public Value / Project demonstrates one or more of the following:
  • Partnership working – forging new partnerships across a wide range of organisations across region
  • Market development – develop new product or services for the consumer
  • Company development – contributes to business development, growth, employment or skills
  • Cultural value – exposes new audiences to new or challenging material
  • Educational value – provides informal learning opportunities
  • Social value – encourage audiences to identify with and explore other people’s situations different than their own (cultural diversity)

Hardship /
  • Excellent Opportunity
  • Time-specific
  • Proof of immediate need
  • Genuine reason for support

The assessor will recommend whether project should be awarded or invited to take part in a telephone interview.

We will aim to notify applicants as to the outcome of their application within 10 working days from receipt.

Successful applicants will be sent an award letter and contract highlighting the conditions of the award.

Unsuccessful applicants will be sent a letter offering feedback.

Terms and Conditions of Award

Successful applicants will be asked to produce a report on theirawarded projectsto be delivered within one month of the completion of activity, and to provide receipts for the full grant. Generally 75% of the award will be released on receipt of a signed contract, with the final 25% being released on completion of the activity and on all reports and receipts being submitted. Please note that if you do not complete this element of the award you may be liable to return the full amount of the grant.

More Information

Please read the ‘RIFE More Information’ document available to download from the Screen South website. This provides Information on Screen South processes surrounding RIFE applications, and also the conditions and requirements that may form part of an award offer.