Script Funding
The FFA funds the development of scripts for German feature films with grants of up to 25,000 Euros, in exceptional cases up to 35,000 Euros. Grants of a maximum 10,000 Euros can be allocated by the FFA for the development of a film treatment. Further development of a script can be supported with up to 75,000 Euros, with another 25,000 Euros being allocated upon request.
Authors can make an application for script funding on their own if two cinema productions based on their screenplays have previously been made and released in European cinemas.
If this condition is not satisfied, the application must be submitted together with a producer who has his place of residence or company headquarters in Germany. The producer must have produced at least one feature film which was released in Germany. The application must include a treatment, a one-page synopsis, and a completed scene of dialogue in the German language version.
The aid is not granted if the project has already been supported elsewhere at the respective stage of development. However, funding of project development or pre-production elsewhere is accepted provided that it is not exclusively related to script development.
Authors can only make applications for further script development together with the film's producer. A condition for making the application is that a screenplay of the author has previously been made and released in a European cinema. Similarly, the producer must have produced and released at least one film in the cinemas. Moreover, further development of the script may not be funded by another body. The further script development is monitored by a expert from the committee for production and script funding. The FFA can support up to ten measures for the further development of scripts each year.
Applications for project film funding can be submitted online by producers via the FFA website and must be filed at least four weeks before the funding session and checked for completeness. The committee for production and script funding usually takes decisions six to eight times a year.
