Regional Film Funding In Germany - The "Big Six"
German filmmakers are the envy of their colleagues around Europe because of the plethora of film subsidy programs at national and regional level.
In fact, in 2000, some Euro 190 million was at the public funds' disposal to invest in all aspects of the film and television industry - from the development of screenplays through production and distribution to cinema modernization programs and the promotion of German cinema and television abroad as well as running location offices to promote their respective locations and local infrastructures. The location offices offer a variety of information on shooting in the area, including the organization of location tours in the region.
In short, German cinema couldn't survive without these film subsidy programs which channeled some Euro 108 million of their Euro 190 million total budget into production support. The essential role played by the public funds becomes even more apparent when one realizes that the production volume of the domestic film production in Germany has been between Euro 179 million and Euro 205 million - meaning that around two thirds of the budgets for German feature films have come from the various film subsidy programs.
Although this article will be focusing on the six major economically-oriented regional funds - Filmboard Berlin Brandenburg, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, FilmFörderung Hamburg, Filmstiftung NRW, MFG Baden-Württemberg, and Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung - one shouldn't ignore the other players in this complex funding landscape, whose support programs complement and supplement those of the "Big Six" to provide financing for domestic features and international co-productions.
The Berlin-based German Federal Film Board (Filmförderungsanstalt/FFA), for example, is particularly popular with producers since its production support is not tied to any regional "effect". With an annual budget of around Euro 61 million, the FFA also awards retroactive "reference" funding to producers whose films reach certain thresholds on their theatrical release.
Moreover, State Minister of Culture Julian Nida-Rümelin, whose ministry also finances the annual German Film Awards (with Euro 2.8 million) and the German Short Film Awards (with Euro 150,000), has an additional Euro 3.6 million for backing culturally innovative film projects and also makes a financial contribution to the Council of Europe's pan-European co-production fund EURIMAGES, while the Kuratorium junger deutscher Film, a public foundation funded by the states, places particular emphasis on the backing of newcomer filmmakers and children's films.
In addition, first-time filmmakers, short films and more experimental works are catered for by a network of regionally organized, culturally-oriented film funds such as Filmbüro NW, Filmbüro Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Kino & Filmbüro Hessen.
Admittedly, Germany's federal structure has both advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, a German filmmaker can travel from Schleswig-Holstein in the far north of the country to Baden-Württemberg in the deep south-west and stop off at all of the various regional film funds in between to scrape his budget together.
On the other hand, critics argue, the result can often be a hotchpotch of compromises, a German road movie in the worst sense of the word, the plot making sudden and unexplained relocations just in order to meet a particular fund's requirements.
Such aberrations, though, have become more of the exception since the heads of the "Big Six" have taken various moves to harmonize their guidelines and funding application forms as well halting the spread of artificial road movies by coming to so-called "bartering agreements" in which the demand for proof of an "economic effect" in each region can be waived if there is reciprocity between the funds.
The "Big Six" have also shown that cooperation makes sense through their joint presence at the Berlin and Cannes Film Festivals with FOCUS Germany providing a central meeting point for foreign producers wanting to meet their German counterparts as well as a promotional platform for the funds and the production location of Germany.
Similarly, the "Big Six" have stumped up Euro 255,000 each year to support the activities of the Export-Union of German Cinema, in particular, the staging of Festivals of German Cinema around the globe in such cities as Buenos Aires, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Mexico City, New York, Paris and Rome.
Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg
With its offices located on the studio lot at Babelsberg, Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg was founded by the two "states" of Berlin and Brandenburg, with co-operating partners ProSieben, SAT.1 and ZDF. One difference from other funders is that there is no selection committee, as CEO Klaus Keil is very autonomous in his decisions. Only producers can submit the applications for production support and a distribution contract is usually required. The "regional effect" (that is, the percent of the money received which must be spent in the area) here is 100%, and on international co-productions, the foreign company must work together with a German producer. The Filmboard has placed great emphasis on the promotion of screenplays and story development within the Master Drehbuch initiative and launched a program of business plan seminars geared to raising the professional level of the producers in the region. At the same time, thanks to the Internet, the Berlin-Brandenburg Film Commission runs a data system HELP via www.bbfc.de which provides information about locations in the region as well as a comprehensive address system. Local industry events such as the European Film Awards, the Babelsberg international film and television conferences, ScriptForum and the Cartoon Movie are regularly supported by the fund. The Filmboard is also active internationally, whether by participating in co-production conferences in Brazil, France or Canada, or supporting closer links with the Canadian film and TV production scene through to the CONTACT or Immersion Europe events.
Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH
August-Bebel-Str. 26-53 · D-14482 Potsdam
phone +49-3 31-74 38 70 · fax +49-3 31-7 43 87 99
www.filmboard.de · email: filmboard@filmboard.de
Contact: Prof. Klaus Keil (CEO)
Personnel: Brigitta Manthey, Michael Schmetz (international co-productions), Sigrid Herrenbrück (press)
Established in 1994 Funds available Euro 16 million Co-productions supported:
The Legend of Pinocchio, Luna Papa, 27 Missing Kisses, Moloch, Enemy at the Gates, Lovely Rita, Taking Sides, El Acordéon del Diablo
FilmFernsehFonds Bayern (FFF)
The fund is an exemplary structure in the German film funding landscape since its shareholders come from both the public and private sectors: the State of Bavaria, broadcasters BR, ZDF, ProSieben, SAT.1, RTL, KirchMedia, Tele München and the media watchdog BLM (Regulatory Authority for Commercial Broadcasting in Bavaria). At least 150% of the production support must be spent in Bavaria, and feature films can be supported with up to Euro 1.6 million so long as the producer or co-producer is based in Germany. Foreign producers can only access FFF cash by submitting an application through a local partner but, as one production expert points out, "FFF Bayern is extremely interested in getting more international partners into Bavaria because it has a long-term perspective of creating more jobs in the media sector and seeing the economy and tourism grow". Indeed, the FFF's location office, headed by Anja Metzger, attends the ShowBiz Expo and locations trade fairs to promote the region, and she is always looking - like her location office colleagues at the other funds - to make her region even more film-friendly.
Apart from supporting local events such as the Munich Media Days, the Bavarian Film Center Geiselgasteig and the First Movie Program, FFF Bayern has helped foster closer links between Bavarian producers and their foreign counterparts through involvement in the Cartoon Forum and Cartoon Movie markets as well as the Co-Production Exchange organized with the British Columbia Film Commission. In addition, the fund has staged a number of "Made in Bavaria" film showcases particularly in Eastern Europe, but also at festivals in Shanghai and Cairo.
FilmFernsehFonds Bayern GmbH
Sonnenstr. 21 · D-80331 Munich
phone +49-89-5 44 60 20 fax +49-89-54 46 02 21
www.fff-bayern.de · email: filmfoerderung@fff-bayern.de
Contacts: Dr. Klaus Schaefer (CEO), Gabriele Pfennigsdorf (deputy managing director)
Personnel: Nikolaus Prediger (production/feature film, project development/feature film, distribution and sales), Gabriele Pfennigsdorf (production/TV film, project development/TV, newcomer filmmakers), Dr. Michaela Haberlander (screenplay, cinema premiums, cinema investment programs), Birgit Bähr (extra print support), Lothar Just (press), Anja Metzger (location office)
Established in 1996 Funds available approx. Euro 30 million
Co-productions supported: Asterix & Obelix vs. Caesar, Enemy at the Gates, Obsession, Sunshine, Help I'm a Fish, The Pianist, 2001 - A Space Travesty
FilmFörderung Hamburg (FFH)
Backed by the City of Hamburg, NDR and ZDF, FilmFörderung Hamburg places particular emphasis on supporting projects by the up-and-coming generation of local filmmakers - from Fatih Akin to Miguel Alexandre - as well as spotlighting the thriving animation scene through its "Toon Town" initiative. The fund also has a long tradition of backing children's films from Scandinavia and has been a regular partner on international co-productions. One thing all producers have to keep in mind is that the fund will expect 150% of its support to be spent in Hamburg, the so-called "Hamburg effect". The service aspect is writ especially large in all of FFH's activities as shown by the Shooting Pass introduced in 2000 by its location office for production companies wanting to shoot in the city. The pass does not replace the need to apply for shooting permits, but shows the authorities that a company is a bona fide production outfit. The fund has organized conferences and seminars on private film financing and co-production, and benefited from its proximity to the German MEDIA Desk and the pan-European cinema marketing body European Film Promotion. In addition, FFH is a partner of the pan-European script training program North By Northwest.
FilmFörderung Hamburg GmbH
Friedensallee 14-16 · D-22765 Hamburg
phone +49-40-39 83 70 · fax +49-40-3 98 37 10
www.ffhh.de · email: filmfoerderung@ffhh.de
Contact: Eva Hubert (CEO)
Personnel: Marieanne Bergmann (funding and co-productions), Helen Peetzen (press), Reinhard Hinrichs (power-of-attorney), Marcella Däwers (contracts/production funding, development and screenplay funding), Reiner Rosner (contracts/distribution and sales funding)
Established in 1995 Funds available approx.
Euro 10 million Co-productions supported: Nora, Bear's Kiss, Bend It Like Beckham, Falcons
The first public fund in Germany to combine cultural and economic objectives, its goal is "creating jobs through great filmmaking". Launched by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and public broadcaster WDR, the Filmstiftung welcomed ZDF to the ranks in 1997, and RTL is set to follow suit in 2002. The heart of the production support is the so-called "NRW effect": i.e. for every Euro granted in the form of a non-recourse interest-free loan, the producer must spend Euro 1.5 in the region in the course of production. The amount requested should not exceed 50% of the producer's contribution to the budget, and 5% of the production budget is considered the minimum amount to be invested by the producer. In theory, any foreign producer can apply directly with a project, but it is usually recommended to work together with a local NRW production house. At the same time, advising and monitoring the productions are as much a part of the fund's day-to-day activities as the financial support. Building up a training infrastructure in the region for the audiovisual media has been one of the fund's key goals over the past years as well as fostering closer links with funding institutions and producers from outside Germany, whether it be with Dutch neighbors or colleagues in France, Italy, UK, Scandinavia or the USA. Most recently, the Filmstiftung forged a new cooperation with the filmmaking scene in Poland.
Filmstiftung NRW GmbH
Kaistr. 14 · D-40221 Düsseldorf
phone +49-2 11-93 05 00 · fax +49-2 11-93 05 05
www.filmstiftung.de · email: info@filmstiftung.de
Contact: Michael Schmid-Ospach (CEO)
Personnel: Claudia Droste-Deselaers (head of production), Christina Bentlage (deputy head of production), Isabel Krolla (production support), Tanja Güß (press), Martin Schneider (head of administration and finances), Susanna Felgener (script support), Britta Lengowski (cinema, distribution & world sales support), Sibylle Bettray (radio play support), Andrea Baaken (film commissioner), Heike Meyer-Döhring (MEDIA Antenna Düsseldorf), Sandra von Lingen (training and further education), Katharina Blum (research officer)
Established in 1991 Funds available Euro 30 million
Co-productions supported: Amélie from Montmartre, Gloomy Sunday, My Best Fiend, My Name is Joe, Farinelli, Dead Man, Dancer in the Dark, Black Cat White Cat, Invincible, Heaven
MFG Filmförderung Baden-Württemberg
With the state of Baden-Württemberg and regional broadcaster SWR serving as shareholders, MFG regards itself as "the competence and advice center for the region's film and cinema landscape". The fund grants its support according to the quality of the project and a cultural or other connection to Baden-Württemberg and if a regional "effect" of at least 120% is planned in the course of production. The region was thrust into the international spotlight with the shooting of the Euro 17.9 million Buffalo Soldiers on location near Karlsruhe last year. MFG also enjoys very close connections with partners in neighboring Alsace, Switzerland and Austria, and has encouraged co-productions, the so-called "twinning initiatives" in these areas. In addition, the fund has made great efforts to keep the young talents graduating from the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg in Ludwigsburg by attracting production companies such as teamWorx and Peter Rommel Productions to the region and by launching the First Film program to finance debut features with international potential. Other activities with MFG backing include the annual Drehbuchcamp and the Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart Film Festival which focuses on European cinema.
MFG Medien- und Filmgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg mbH
Breitscheidstr. 4 (Bosch-Areal) · D-70174 Stuttgart
phone +49-7 11-90 71 54 00 · fax +49-7 11-90 71 54 50
www.film.mfg.de · email: filmfoerderung@mfg.de
Contact: Gabriele Röthemeyer (CEO)
Personnel: Dieter Krauß (deputy managing director/distribution-sales, special projects), Karin Frey (screenplay), Uschi Freynick (exhibition support, events), Anne Marburger (production/documentary, distribution/sales, press), Katja Walter (production/fiction), Claudine Sulyok (office)
Established in 1995 Funds available approx.
Euro 11 million Co-productions supported: Buffalo Soldiers, Northern Skirts, Devil's Island, Jew-Boy Levi, Tango Lesson, All For Love, Full Moon, Tabu - Die letzte Reise
Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung (MDM)
Although the youngest, Leipzig-based MDM is also the fourth largest of the "Big Six", catering to the media scene in the states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, who are all shareholders along with broadcasters MDR and ZDF. MDM has focused its funding activities on children's films, documentaries, multimedia and up-and-coming filmmakers, and supported over 250 projects with some Euro 40.1 million in its first three years. Key criteria for a successful application is a project's quality and the promise of a regional "effect" of over 100%. The fund has also ear- marked resources to help young production companies like L.E.Vision, motion works and Kinderfilm GmbH establish themselves in the region and has promoted the export of German cinema through its support of German Film Days in St. Petersburg. Furthermore, the local production scene has been given a boost by MDM's involvement in such industry events as the Connecting Cottbus initiative at the Film Festival Cottbus, Babelsberg's Cartoon Movie, the d-motion DVD conference in Halle and the Discovery Campus Master School for documentary filmmakers. Training workshops of the MEDIA initiatives EAVE, Vertical Strategies and Cartoon Masters have also been held in the area.
Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung GmbH
Hainstr. 17-19 · D-04109 Leipzig
phone +49-3 41-26 98 70 · fax +49-3 41-2 69 87 65
www.mdm-foerderung.de · email: info@mdm-foerderung.de
Contact: Manfred Schmidt (CEO)
Personnel: Alrun Ziemendorf (production, documentary, children's film, animation), Britta Marciniak (production, TV movies and series, distribution & world sales), Roland Fleckenstein (production & international co-productions), Mario Fischer (production, script, short films, newcomer filmmakers, multimedia), Thomas Große (press)
Established in 1998 Funds available approx.
Euro 13 million Co-productions supported: Taking Sides, Der kleine Eisbär, Waterloo, My Sweet Home, Till Eulenspiegel, Globi der gestohlene Schatten