16/03/2005

In the Basque audiovisual policy is oriented to strengthen production companies gradually seeking to consolidate a structure that will permit to reorient part of the selective support to projects, to automatic subsidies based on objective criteria. However the promotion of creativity is not overlooked.

The total amount foreseen for support in the year 2005 was made public last March and fixed in 1.276.000 euros practically repeating the figures of 2004.

This amount will be destined to support the creation of scripts, project development and production of feature films, TV movies, feature animation films, documentaries and short fiction and animation films.

For scriptwriting three amounts of 12.000 euros per project are foreseen. Scripts may be intended for cinema, television, animation or documentary, in all formats and in any language. Only people with residence in the Basque country for a year may apply.

For project development 100.000 euros are engaged. Projects may be fiction, animation, documentary or multimedia works, both for cinema and for television. The maximum limit of the development support per project is fixed in 21.000 euros.

For audiovisual productions 1.140.000 euros are being committed in 2005, being 660.000 euros for film feature films or TV movies in any tongue with a maximum of 180.000 euros by project, 240.000 euros for animation features, 120.000 euros for the production of documentary of creation with a limit of 60.000 euros by project and 120.000 euros for the production of short films with the limit of 18.000 euros per project.

To opt to the aid production companies must have social residence in the Basque autonomous region previous to the date of publication of the Call for projects. Several other criteria that link the project to the Basque Country qualify positively, such as those that present cultural and social ties, or those that establish the location of the shooting in the Basque Country or present the original version of the work in Basque.

The Department of culture of the Basque Government foresees likewise a special state of financing for production. For this year there is a budgetary endowment of 9.000.000 euros for credit aids to audiovisual production itemized in 5.500.000 euros in refundable loans without interest and 3.500.000 euros for financing of contracts.

Valencia

In Valencia grants for audiovisual works are compromised yearly through the IVAC, Instituto Valenciano de la Cinematografía, Ricardo Muñoz Suay created in the year 1998 to promote the audiovisual production in this Mediterranean region.

For the year 2005 the global value of the grants mounts to 1.202.000 euros, amount that has remained practically unchanged during these last years. In any case the Valencian sector is attentively awaiting the approval of a brand new Audiovisual Law for the Community of Valencia expected for the next month of June, which will bring important changes with respect to the amount and typology of the support for the next years.

The grants in 2005 will be distributed in the following way, 840.000 euros are engaged for the production of feature films be it fiction, documentary or animation, 120.000 euros are committed to the production of short films and 242.000 euros for documentaries.

It is interesting to emphasize that to qualify for Valencian support it is found sufficient that production companies are registered in the Administrative Registration Office of Audiovisual Companies of the Valencian Community and that registration is fairly straightforward.

Of course elements that link the production to the region qualify positively such as the use of Valencian artistic and technical teams, local postproduction facilities, or the shooting taking place in Valencia.

Additionally, there will be three aids of 6.000 euros each for feature film scripts by individual script, as long as they have administrative residence in Valencia.

In the year 2004 the Valencian Institute of Cinematography distributed the same 1.202.000 euros among 33 projects of 30 different producers. 8 feature films were supported, 11 series of television, 3 documentaries and 11 short films.

FEATURE FILMS SUPPORTED IN VALENCIA IN 2004
Takeando, Neon Producciones, SL : 120.000 €

Mar cerrado, Trivisión, S.L. : 120.000 €

Rodando [+see also:
trailer
film profile], IndigoMedia : 150.000€

El síndrome de Svensson, Nadie es perfecto :120.000€

El dios de madera, El Palenque Producciones : 150.000€

Faltas leves, Dacsa Producciones : 90.000€

Mas allá de la alambrada, Maltés Producciones : 30.000€

Las alas de la vida, Antonio Pérez Canet : 60.000€

SOURCE: INSTITUTO VALENCIANO CINEMATOGRAFIA IVAC