Grant Guidelines Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH Film Financing

Applicant
Only producers and distributors are eligible to submit applications for film support to Medienboard GmbH. The same holds for screenplay and material development aid. The applicant must normally have a permanent base in Berlin-Brandenburg or at least in Germany.

Support Categories
Medienboard's film support can cover the following areas: screenplay development, project development (packaging), slate funding (development), production, distribution and sales, other activities.

Applicant's Investment Share
In each support category, the applicant must contribute at least 30% of the production costs toward project financing. The producer's own funding is normally defined as:

• own capital including appropriate interest
• third-party capital including appropriate interest
• own and third-party services assessed at going market rates
• guarantees and licences
• revolving funds and film prize money.

Type of loan
To strengthen and sustain production capabilities, the Medienboard normally provides loans which are repayable if a product performs satisfactorily. The loan contract is based on Article 607 of the German Federal Civil Code.

Regional impact
100% of the promotion funds must be spent in the Berlin-Brandenburg region.

Loan repayment
As a rule, material development, project development and package promotion loans are to be repaid when production starts. Loans for production promotion are usually due within five years of cinema launch and are repaid from the proceeds. Distribution costs and distribution guarantees have priority over Medienboard reimbursement for the promotional loan.

Funds which Medienboard GmbH recognizes as producer self-investment recovery priorities enjoy preferred status in relation to repayment of the promotional loan. Revolving funds and prize money are not considered recovery priorities.

Success loans
Producers who have recovered their own investment may apply for a success loan for their next project. This project must also meet Medienboard's quality criteria.

The fine points can be found in Medienboard's grant guidelines.