Grants for Companies in the Development of Audiovisual Productions in the Community of Madrid

Grants for Companies in the Development of Audiovisual Productions in the Community of Madrid

Order 440/2020, of June 23, of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Community of Madrid establishes the Regulatory Bases for Aid to companies for the development of audiovisual productions in Madrid.

Object, description of Aid in the Community of Madrid, definitions, and actions

The grants awarded by the Community of Madrid for the development of audiovisual projects, film aid, and other audiovisual works are granted to companies, whether legal entities or individuals, through competitive concurrence and funded by the Community's Budget. The objective is to support audiovisual productions for their development, whether they are feature films or series, fiction, documentaries, or animation, that can be materialized in an audiovisual work for public exhibition in cinemas, television, or digital platforms.

The purpose of these grants is to provide funding for necessary expenses generated by activities to carry out the pre-production phase of the audiovisual project. These necessary expenses include scriptwriting and modifications, location scouting, cast selection, visual design, fundraising efforts, initial distribution and sales plans, third-party advice on project technology, rights acquisition, archival research if necessary, animation pilots, budget development, and any other expenses related to the development of the audiovisual production according to its specific characteristics.

Definitions of terms used in the guidelines:

• Audiovisual production company: A legal entity or individual with the capacity to operate in the film and audiovisual industry.
• Independent producer: A legal entity or individual without dominant influence from a provider of communication services or audiovisual broadcasting, nor the owner of a private television channel, nor able to condition decision-making by administrative or management bodies of production through property or financial participation.
• Feature film: Audiovisual works with a duration of sixty minutes or more, intended for commercial exhibition in cinema projection rooms.
• Fiction: Whether it is a single episode or multiple episodes, with a minimum total duration of 60 minutes. In the case of animation, whether it is a single episode or multiple episodes, the minimum total duration will be 24 minutes. For creative documentaries, whether it is a single episode or multiple episodes, the minimum total duration will be 50 minutes. Creative documentary projects will mainly be intended for television.

The applicant for the Aid must submit a subsidized Project, which consists of an audiovisual project in development during the natural year of each call and prior to its shooting. They must possess the corresponding intellectual property rights, as well as the authorizations and permits for its creation and development in case the Project is based on pre-existing intellectual property rights or is unrelated to the applicant.

According to the guidelines established by this Order, short films, live recordings, talk shows, game shows, educational and learning programs, reality shows, news programs, reports, projects with pornographic or racist material, those promoting violence, promotional works, institutional productions promoting organizations or their activities, video games, music videos, and student stage films or graduation works are not eligible for grants.

The final audiovisual production must obtain Spanish nationality.

What are the requirements for obtaining Spanish nationality, a mandatory condition for obtaining Aid for the development of productions, film aid, and other audiovisual works in the Community of Madrid?

Audiovisual works will be considered as having Spanish nationality when they are made by a Spanish company or by a company from a European Union Member State established in Spain, and are granted a certificate of Spanish nationality by the competent authority. Works that meet the following requirements will be awarded this certificate:

1. At least 75 percent of the crew of the film and audiovisual work, including the director, director of photography, screenwriter, and music composer, must be of Spanish nationality, from a Member State of the European Union, from another State that is part of the Agreement on the European Economic Area, or holders of a valid residence card or authorization in Spain or any of the aforementioned states. In any case, the director of the film must always meet this requirement.
2. At least 75 percent of the participating actors and artists in the production of a film or audiovisual work must meet the nationality requirements established in the previous section.
3. At least 75 percent of the creative and technical staff participating in the production of a film or audiovisual work must meet the requirements established in point 1.
4. The audiovisual or film work must be mainly produced in one of the official languages of the Spanish State in its original version.
5. The shooting, studio post-production, and, if applicable, laboratory work must take place in Spain or another European Union Member State, except for script requirements. For animation productions, the production processes must be carried out in the mentioned territories.

Furthermore, audiovisual works made as co-productions with foreign companies not included in point 1, according to the conditions required by specific regulations in this matter or international agreements, as well as those affected by the Ibero-American Community of Nations, will be considered as Spanish nationality works.

A community work is considered one that possesses a nationality certificate issued by a European Union Member State.

Who can be beneficiaries of Aid for the development of an audiovisual project, Aid for cinema and other audiovisual works in the Community of Madrid, and what requirements must they meet?

Beneficiaries of Aid for the development of a cinema and other audiovisual works in the Community of Madrid are considered to be the owners of independent production companies whose main purpose is cinematographic or audiovisual activity, whether they are individual entrepreneurs, civil or commercial partnerships, labor cooperatives, or economic interest groups that meet the conditions established in the Guidelines and in each call for applications, and that meet the requirements established in the General Subsidies Law and the Subsidies Law of the Community of Madrid. Beneficiaries must meet the following requirements:

1. Their registered office and workplaces of the personnel whose personnel expenses are attributed to them must be located in Spanish territory, and they must have a registered office in the Community of Madrid at least. In the case of foreign companies, they must have at least one subsidiary domiciled in Madrid.
2. The company must have a minimum of two years of audiovisual or cinematographic activity, and its Administrator or majority shareholder must have a professional activity accredited in the two years prior to the application. In cases where there are two companies, in order to provide this solvency, they must be partners at fifty percent. And in the case of an economic interest group, the professional career will be accredited by the production-manager company.
3. Groups of individuals or legal entities without legal personality, such as communities of property and other economic units with separate assets, may not be beneficiaries according to the provisions established in the General Subsidies Law.
4. In the case of coproduction by several companies, only the one that incurs the expense and has the majority percentage can be a beneficiary of the Aid. In the event that it is the same, only one application per Project will be admitted.
5. Those who are subject to any of the prohibitions established in the General Subsidies Law may not be beneficiaries.
6. Those who are debtors in a refund procedure in the Community may not be beneficiaries of Aid for cinema in the Community of Madrid.
7. Furthermore, those who have another Aid pending justification granted by the Community of Madrid do not obtain the status of beneficiaries. This check is carried out prior to the award of the Subsidy.

All the requirements established for the beneficiary of Aid in the Community of Madrid must be maintained from the submission of the application until the formal justification of the granted Subsidy.

What evaluation criteria are used for the granting of Aid for the development of an audiovisual project, Aid for cinema and other audiovisual works in the Community of Madrid?

The criteria used to grant Aid for the development of an audiovisual project, Aid for cinema and other audiovisual works in the Community of Madrid are as follows:

1. Based on the relevance and added value for the audiovisual sector in the Community of Madrid, up to 55 points will be awarded. The quality of the project, its distribution potential, and its reach to the public are taken into account, according to the following breakdown:

• For fiction and animation, based on the quality, solidity, premise, and interest of the project and its dramatic potential, up to 10 points.
• For creative documentaries, based on the interest and strength of the proposed theme, purpose, and quality of the project, up to 10 points.
• For fiction, animation, and creative documentaries, based on the quality of the script, storytelling, character development, and the story it tells, up to 10 points.
• For fiction and creative documentaries, based on the creative potential of the project, up to 10 points.
• For animation, based on its artistic content, visual quality, and creative potential, up to 10 points.
• For fiction, animation, and creative documentaries, based on the potential to reach the audience at a national and international level, up to 25 points. The international dimension and potential of the project's theme or idea are taken into account, considering its creative team, participants in the work, and its execution, as well as collaboration strategies, especially with foreign coproducing companies.

2. Based on the national and international distribution and marketing strategy of the project and the dispersion of results, up to 25 points according to the following breakdown:

• National and international distribution strategy, up to 15 points, taking into account the target audience and the planned distribution methods, the established or planned partners, knowledge of the markets, both national and international, and the relevance of the selected territories for distribution.
• National and international marketing strategy, up to 10 points, assessing its relevance regarding distribution and the target segments, distribution channels, sales points, advantages of the chosen market, and planned promotional activities, as well as the adequacy of the marketing and communication plan and tools.

3. Based on the quality of the content and its activities, up to 10 points. The quality of the development strategy, the adequacy of the Development Plan and the Project Budget according to its needs, the specification of activities, and the adequacy of the programming plan are evaluated.

4. Based on its impact and sustainability, up to 10 points. The quality of the financing strategy and the viability potential of the work are assessed based on potential partners and target territories, the sufficiency and realism of the financing plan, the adequacy of production costs to the project and its budget, conformity with the financing strategy by comparing it with the estimated production costs, and the level of international financial commitment and participation.

The granting of Aid for the development of an audiovisual production, Aid for cinema and other audiovisual works requires a minimum of 60 points.

What is the amount of Aid for the development of audiovisual projects in the Community of Madrid in 2023?

In 2023, the total amount of Aid for the development of an audiovisual production, Aid for cinema and other audiovisual works granted by the Community of Madrid is €750,000, which is awarded to projects that obtain the highest evaluation with a minimum of 60 points as established in the corresponding call for applications, with the following breakdown:

• Animation feature film: €50,000 per Aid to finance up to 2 Projects.
• Fiction or documentary feature film: €25,000 per Aid to finance up to 14 Projects.
• Animation series: €40,000 per Aid to finance up to 2 Projects.
• Fiction and documentary series: €20,000 per Aid to finance up to 11 Projects.

If a selected Project requests a lower amount or its budget is lower within the eligible period, the amount requested by the beneficiary or that is adjusted to its Budget will be awarded.

If, based on the evaluations carried out, the entirety of the planned Projects in each category cannot be awarded, the number of Projects may be increased in another category, but in no case may it exceed the amount established for the total call of €750,000.

AIDS TO AUDIOVISUAL COMPANIES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FEATURE FILMS IN THE COMMUNITY OF MADRID

The Community of Madrid, in its Order 829/2021 of August 7, establishes the regulatory framework for grants to audiovisual companies for the production of feature films, Aid for cinema in the Community of Madrid, which includes the provisions already related to Aid granted for the development of audiovisual projects, with the following specifications when they are feature films.

For feature films, two lines of Aid are established:

1. Aid for the production of feature films based on projects.

2. Aid for the production of feature films based on projects made by emerging directors.

The Aid is classified into three categories: fiction, animation, and documentaries.

The following definition is added to the definitions in the Guidelines for the development of audiovisual productions:

• Emerging director: One who has not directed or co-directed more than two feature films classified for commercial exploitation in cinema exhibition theaters.

Only audiovisual projects that demonstrate their cultural nature can be beneficiaries.

What requirements must an audiovisual project meet to demonstrate its cultural nature?

An audiovisual project must meet at least two of the following requirements to demonstrate its cultural nature:

1. Have Spanish as the original version.
2. Be set in the Community of Madrid.
3. The central argument of the work is directly related to literature, music, dance, architecture, visual arts, and other artistic expressions.
4. The script is an adaptation of a preexisting literary work.
5. The central argument is of a biographical nature about individuals of historical or cultural relevance; it includes stories, facts, or legendary or mythological characters that can be considered part of the cultural heritage.
6. Allow a better understanding of social, cultural, religious, philosophical, ethnic, or anthropological diversity.
7. The central argument is directly related to current social, cultural, or political issues or has an impact on them.
8. It is aimed at a children's audience and has values in line with the principles and purposes of the Spanish education system and/or with democratic values.
9. It has special cultural and/or social interest for a European audience.

Obtaining the Aid in each call implies that the cultural nature of the audiovisual work has been recognized.

An audiovisual project that has begun filming or that the producer has committed to production or distribution of the work, from the date of publication of the call in the BOCAM, is not eligible for a Subsidy if it cannot be abandoned without significant financial loss.

Regarding the requirements that beneficiaries of Aid for cinema in the Community of Madrid must meet, in addition to those established in the Guidelines for the development of projects, the following are added:

• In the case of projects coproduced by a company with its registered office in Madrid and another company of national or international scope that does not have its registered office in the Community, the coproduction contract must be submitted, and only the company that has the actual expense indicated in the budget within the total budget of the work can be a beneficiary of the Aid for cinema.
• The beneficiary company must be registered as an audiovisual coproducer with the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA) prior to the award of the Subsidy.
• The applicant for Aid for cinema in the Community of Madrid must prove that they hold the rights for the production of the submitted audiovisual work.
• Companies in crisis, according to Regulation (EU) 651/2014 of the European Union, and those that have to repay an Aid that has been declared illegal by the European Commission may not be beneficiaries of the Subsidy.

The procedure for granting Aid for cinema in the Community of Madrid is carried out in a competitive concurrence regime, and the applications are evaluated to establish the order of priority and are awarded to the applicants with the highest score within the available funding in each call.

What evaluation criteria does the Community of Madrid follow in the granting of Film Grants?

1. Up to 40 points based on the Project's viability, taking into account its financing plan and the experience of its management team, which consists of the administrator and the executive producer. This is divided into 20 points for the alignment between the financing plan and the confirmed sources of funding (through quantified letter or contract), and 20 points for the accredited experience of the management team.
2. Up to 30 points based on the quality of the narrative proposal of the script and the overall project proposal, distributed as 15 points for the narrative proposal of the script and 15 points for the overall proposal. The suitability of the team, the submitted portfolio, the cast of protagonists, and relevant technical team confirmed by letter will be taken into account. For animation projects, visual development will also be considered.
3. Up to 15 points based on the director's previous artistic potential: the artistic potential of the project is assessed based on the narrative excellence of the script and the director's direction in previous works, as well as the potential to become a relevant voice in the audiovisual sector as a director. To evaluate this, a portfolio with a link to a selection of the director's works must be provided.
4. Up to 10 points based on the project's impact on the Community of Madrid. 5 points are granted when the project is led by a company with a registered office in the Community and has the highest participation of Spanish production companies, and 5 points when at least 50 percent of the Budget of the Spanish part of the project is spent in the territory of the Community of Madrid. For international co-productions, the percentage refers to the Spanish part.
5. Up to 5 points based on the cultural interest of the work, taking into account its connection with the history and characters, whether real or fictional, of the Community of Madrid.

What amount is granted for Film Grants in the Community of Madrid in 2023?

The 2023 call for Film Grants is multi-year, and an maximum amount of 1,000,000 euros is established, with 500,000 euros allocated for 2023 and 500,000 euros for 2024 from the budgets of the Community of Madrid.

The maximum amounts that can be granted are as follows:

• For animated feature films, up to 175,000 euros, with 87,500 euros for each year.
• For fiction feature films, up to 150,000 euros, with 75,000 euros allocated for 2023 and 150,000 euros for 2024.
• For documentary feature films, up to 25,000 euros, with 12,500 euros per year.

AIDS TO AUDIOVISUAL COMPANIES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SHORT FILMS IN THE COMMUNITY OF MADRID

Who can benefit from a Grant for the production of short films in the Community of Madrid?

To be eligible for a Grant for the production of short films in the Community of Madrid, the applicant must be a micro-enterprise or small enterprise capable of engaging in audiovisual activities. Groups of individuals or legal entities without legal personality, such as communities of property and other economic units with separate assets, cannot be beneficiaries.

What is the amount of Grants for the production of short films in the Community of Madrid in 2023?

The maximum amount granted for the production of short films in 2023 is 300,000 euros, and it is multi-year, with 150,000 euros allocated for the year 2023 and 150,000 euros for the year 2024.

The maximum amount per project is as follows:

• 20,000 euros for fiction short films.
• 25,000 euros for animated short films.
• 15,000 euros for documentary short films.

What services can CAMALEON CINEMA SERVICES offer to obtain Grants for audiovisual projects, Film Grants, and production of short films in the Community of Madrid?

CAMALEON CINEMA SERVICES is a production and audiovisual equipment rental company with accredited experience in film and advertising production as well as audiovisual equipment rental. We offer our services to producers, whether individuals or legal entities, who want to access a Grant from the Community of Madrid. We provide technical personnel for their realization and supply the necessary audiovisual equipment for the execution of the project.

Our administrative team advises and provides the necessary means to obtain a grant in Madrid. We handle the required documentation for submitting the application and follow the allocation process, making any necessary modifications and filing appropriate claims if necessary. We also manage the potential tax deductions that the production company may be eligible for, at both the national and regional levels.

Our technical team, with proven experience and recognized competence in audiovisual production, ensures the project's execution according to the presented needs and any that may arise throughout the process.

We provide the necessary audiovisual equipment for the project's realization, tailored to the requirements of the director and the technical team, for the duration of the filming process.

In addition, we supply the necessary resources for post-production if requested.