TFL Audience Design Fund

The TFL Audience Design Fund aims at supporting the implementation of innovative audience development and outreach strategies at the moment of distribution.

QUICK FACTS

The TFL Audience Design Fund completes the support offered by TorinoFilmLab to international audiovisual professionals, adding a further essential step: audience engagement and distribution.

The Fund exists since 2014 thanks to the Creative Europe – MEDIA sub-programme support to International Co-production Funds.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: June 15^th, 2020

CLICK HERE TO APPLY TO THE TFL AUDIENCE DESIGN FUND

A FAQ and the list of previously supported projects are available below.

TFL AUDIENCE DESIGN FUND

The TFL Audience Design Fund aims at supporting the implementation of innovative audience development and outreach strategies at the moment of distribution – designed specifically to accompany the release of each selected project in 3 territories.

In 2020, a total of 3 TFL Audience Design Funds of € 45.000 each will be granted to companies presenting an eligible film project, to be released in 3 territories within May 30^th, 2023*.

* The date by which the film should be distributed has been postponed by one year (from May 2022 to May 2023) due to delays and slowdowns in the light of the COVID-19 outbreak.

TFL AUDIENCE DESIGN CONSULTANCY

The TFL Audience Design Fund includes a TFL Audience Design Consultancy with TFL Audience Design consultants, that aims at defining a strategy to reach, build and engage audiences to prepare and support the moments of sales and distribution.

The 3 film teams will, in collaboration with the consultants, work to sketch out the key goals and actions to address in the strategy outline, including a plan for the promotional activities and main elements of the final strategy: a work process that includes mandatory on-line sessions and a 4-day workshop.

The consultants will present a 10-page Audience Design Strategy, which will highlight the actions to be prepared during the pre- to post-production stages and carried out up till and during the distribution, the results of which are later to be reported to the Fund.

Audience Design is based on the approach developed at TorinoFilmLab, which at its core adds and explores the audience perspective and engagement during select stages of the film’s life. The strategy will cover different channels and devices for distribution across all relevant media.

^{TFL covers the consultancy cost and accommodation, while the film teams must pay their travel costs, which can be included in the Audience Design Budget presented in the application.}

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Call for applications 2020

The call for applications is open until June 15^th, 2020.

1. Eligible Applicants

The applicant must be a producer or a sales agent established in one of the countries participating in the MEDIA sub-programme (*). Distributors cannot apply.

2. Eligible Projects

The project submitted must have the following characteristics:

2.1 It must be a feature film, animation or creative documentary of a minimum length of 60 minutes.

2.2 It must involve at least one co-producer from a country that is neither participating in the MEDIA sub-programme (*) nor a member of Eurimages (**).

2.3 The co-producer(s) coming from countries participating in the MEDIA sub-programme must have a share of minimum 20% and maximum 70% in the project. The co-production shall be attested by a signed co-production agreement (a deal memo may exceptionally be accepted) detailing the following basic aspects:
- Joint ownership of all the rights
- Revenue sharing between producer and co-producer/s (exclusive and/or shared territories)
- Definition of the total budget, spending requirements;
- Reference to the treaties applicable.

2.4 The project must be in pre-production, production or post-production stage*. It must be scheduled to be distributed (a signed distribution contract may exceptionally be accepted) in at least 3 territories, out of which at least one participating in the MEDIA Sub-programme and at least one third country, by May 30^th, 2023.

*Projects already premiered in one of the A-list film festivals (Berlin, Cannes, Locarno, Toronto, Venice) can exceptionally be presented.

2.5 The funding agreement offered by the fund can only be concluded with an entity from a country participating in the MEDIA Sub-programme. The funding does not need to be spent in Europe.

2.6 In order to assess the project’s eligibility, the application must demonstrate a Distribution Strategy as well as an Audience Design Strategy (please read the FAQ). The dossier should include the documents listed in Paragraph 3.

IMPORTANT REMARKS

The Awarded projects must indicate Creative Europe and TorinoFilmLab support in the opening and closing credits, as well as in all promotional, communication and advertising materials, by displaying the Creative Europe Logo (together with the caption “with the support of the Creative Europe – MEDIA Programme of the European Union”) and the TorinoFilmLab Logo (together with the caption: “funded by TorinoFilmLab”).

Projects must apply for the TFL Audience Design Fund specifying which are the 3 territories covered by the grant. Projects can also apply for another Distribution support from the same program funded by Creative Europe – MEDIA, only if it involves different territories.

3. Required submission materials

1) Two-page synopsis
2) Director’s intention note (including thoughts on who the film speaks to)
3) Director’s bio and links to previous works
4) Production company and co-producer’s profile
5) Copy of co-production agreement or deal memo detailing the percentage of each co-producer, the revenue sharing between them, the joint ownership of the rights
6) Detailed production budget
7) Financing plan and recoupment schedule including the structure of co-production (names & countries of companies, and percentages of financing from each country) according to form A
8) Financial agreements and/or letters of intent from financing partners
9) World Sales profile, if attached agreement with World Sales company or deal memo or letter of interest, as well as a tentative plan for how to position the film internationally
10) Agreement of Distributors for three territories, if attached. Or deal memo or letter of interest from distributors
11) Draft of an Audience Design Strategy and description of the overall distribution plans by each distributor and/or each country. The drafted Audience Design Strategy must demonstrate innovative approaches, key areas of focus and concrete ideas (see the list of eligible costs below and in form B)
12) Detailed Distribution & Audience Design Strategy Budget for each country
13) Financing plan for Distribution & Audience Design Strategy including the support from the TFL Audience Design Fund for each of the 3 territories/globally
14) Production timeline and release timeline in each of the three countries of distribution
15) Rough cut in English version or with English subtitles (link to an on-line streaming platform), if available

4. Application and Selection Procedure

Click here to access the on-line application form and submit your project (registration on the TFL Visitor Page is required).

The pre-selection will verify if the project matches the eligibility criteria. Skype interviews with applicants may be required.

A Selection Committee will evaluate the shortlisted projects on the basis of the following elements:
1) Innovative Audience Design/Engagement Strategy Plan as well as a Distribution Strategy for each territory/Diversity of media platforms used
2) Accuracy of the release timetable for each territory
3) Cost efficiency of the described strategies

The 3 selected projects will be announced within one month from the deadline of the Call and they will be presented to our audience of industry professionals in the TFL Catalogue 2020, to be handed out during the TFL Meeting Event in November 2020.

The main point of evaluation is the quality and feasibility of the audience design strategy for the release of the films. We look at the specific strategy for the three territories, but we also value ideas that are trans-national, meaning that they will grow in strength the more the film is distributed in different countries, as to build up a real trans-national participation.

5. Coordination and follow-up of the Audience Design Strategy

Up to 10% of the Award of € 45.000 must be allocated to employ an Audience Designer/Strategy Coordinator, freely chosen by the production/distribution/sales company, who will follow and support the implementation of the AD-strategy in the 3 territories, as well as monitor and collect data around the releases of the film, to be reported back to TorinoFilmLab by June 2023.

The Company awarded has to demonstrate that the Audience Design Strategy has been implemented and deliver information and materials to measure the impact of the strategy in relation to the defined goals, with qualitative and quantitative results (see form C).

6. Contract and Payment of the funding

The TFL Audience Design Fund Award of € 45.000 will be assigned to the European company presenting the awarded project. The Amount must be allocated from a minimum of € 7.000 to a maximum of € 20.000 for each territory (to be confirmed upon the financing plan of each distributor).

The Award payment will be transferred in two phases:
- 70% of the grant will be paid before the release in the first territory (three weeks prior to the starting date of activities relating to the Audience Design Strategy indicated by the grant recipient for the first territory of release) and after submission of the Audience Design Strategy approved by TFL staff, including the proposed split of the grant in the 3 territories;
- 30% of the grant will be paid after the release of the film in the second and third territory upon presentation of receipts or invoice copies of expenses corresponding to the whole amount of the grant and in reference to eligible costs. Before paying the final installment, TFL will also ask the team / the Company to measure the impact of the various activities, so as to be able to map and gather experience on which of the activities were more efficient.

7. Eligible costs

The TFL Audience Design Fund will support the Audience Design Strategy accompanying the release of the film. The eligible costs are those connected to the creation and execution of the AD-strategy, as developed in the audience engagement strategy, and subsequently finalised and implemented by the producer and his partners, and to be realized for each of the three distribution territories envisaged, such as for example:

- Audience Designer/Strategy Coordinator (up to 10% of the grant)
- Story/character/theme based and artistic/creative social-media or digitally driven ideas (both narrative or factual based)
- Innovative cross-platform communication and engagement (local/global)
- Event-based audience interaction ideas (off-line/on-line; local/regional/global)
- Website and on-line creation/design/communication costs (hosting/domains/design/technical etc.)
- Social media manager or similar limited-time staff costs needed for the implementation
- Production/editing of extra or special audio-visual/animated materials to be used in the abovementioned ideas and on-line/digital activities related to the AD-strategy
- Other costs related specifically to developing/producing the prioritised ideas/actions in the AD-strategy
- Translation costs, i.e. website texts or text-based ideas that have to work in more than one language
- Participation cost for the AD workshop (travel expenses)
- Refund for general expense of the applicant (sales agent or producer) that manage the fund (up to 7,5%)

Workshops & on-line sessions

On-line brainstorm session: 25^th or 26^th of August 2020 (date TBD)
Residential workshop: 10^th-15^th of September 2020 (Turin, Italy – dates TBD)
On-line follow up session: 6^th or 7^th of October 2020 (date TBD)
TFL Meeting Event – Awards Ceremony: 20^th November 2020 (Turin, Italy)
On-line follow up and reporting session: 10^th of March 2021 (date TBD)

INFO

For information about the financial aspects please contact: daniele.segre@torinofilmlab.it
For information about the consultation please contact: letizia.caspani@torinofilmlab.it

^{*Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Republic of Serbia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.}

^{** Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey.}

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FAQ

In which stage of the project can I apply for the Audience Design Fund?
The project must be in pre-production, production or post-production stage. It must be scheduled to be completed and released in at least 3 territories by May 30^th, 2023.

Do I need to apply with a signed agreement with three distributors?
Not necessarily, but at least with a deal memo with a real intention of distribution, accompanied by a distribution strategy and a budget.

Does the minimum share of 20% coming from MEDIA countries have to be the share of one co-producer or can several co-producers from more than one MEDIA country add their shares to reach 20%?
The minimum share of 20% coming from MEDIA countries can be the result of several co-producers.

Can part of the grant be held by the applicant as refund?
The applicant (Sales Agent or Producer) who manages the grant can take up to 7,5% of the fund for overhead expenses.

Is the production of a DCP, teaser, trailer, EPK, theatrical or sales poster, etc., eligible costs?
No. Please see the list of eligible costs in form B.

What is an innovative Audience Design Strategy?
It is a plan for identifying and engaging audiences thanks to specific activities that have to be described, budgeted and tie in with the overall distribution strategy of the films. It targets preferred audiences to reach, locally and globally, and proposals on how to engage and reach them from the production process onwards. The strategy prioritises actions and ideas for how to reach audience related goals, as defined by the film team, as well as steps towards producing and implementing actions and materials according to a timeline that considers premieres, festivals, streaming releases etc. For example, developing innovative digital and social-media campaigns and actions, producing dedicated audio-visual and communication materials aimed at supporting the global promotion of the film, creating a cross-platform community building plan, organisation of event-based on- and off-line promotion, and on-line previews or collaborations with VOD’s or other partner platforms. Ideally, the proposed actions will create synergy across the proposed platforms and partnerships in relation to a specific timeline for their release, so as to support the overall distribution. We recommend checking out the publication Audience Design - An Introduction, for further inspiration about the approach and possible strategy content.

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List of supported projects

TFL AUDIENCE DESIGN FUND

3 distribution grants of € 45.000 each and tailored consultations to reach, build and engage audiences at the moment of distribution.

DEADLINE: June 15^th, 2020

APPLY HERE

INFO
letizia.caspani@torinofilmlab.it
daniele.segre@torinofilmlab.it

Supported by the Creative Europe - MEDIA Programme of the European Union