Creative Europe MEDIA: Promotion of Audiovisual Works Online

Overview

This scheme supports the digital distribution of European audiovisual works to a wider, international audience including projects that experiment with new models of distribution.

Applications for this call can be submitted for one or more of the following actions:

• Action 1: Support for the promotion, marketing and branding activities of existing VOD services
• Action 2: Support for the assembly and delivery of digital 'online ready' packages of European audiovisual works
• Action 3: Support for projects that demonstrate innovative strategies for distributing and promoting European audiovisual works, including audience development initiatives focusing on innovative and participatory strategies that reach out to wider audiences with European films.

Who can apply?

This scheme is open to entities (private companies, non-profit organisations, associations, charities, foundations, municipalities/Town Councils, etc.) established in one of the countries participating in the MEDIA sub-programme and owned directly or by majority participation, by nationals from such countries.

Types of projects

Action 1

Eligible activities include the digital promotion, marketing, branding, tagging and the development of new offers for existing VOD services that offer a majority of European audiovisual works. The aim of the action is to improve the visibility, discoverability and the global audience of European audiovisual works. The application should present innovative, coherent and focused strategies in order to increase the global audience of the platforms and valorise their European catalogue.

In order to be eligible the catalogue of films on the VOD platform must consist of:

• at least 500 available audiovisual works
• at least 50% European audiovisual works (see item 6.2 of the guidelines for a definition of European content)
• audiovisual works from at least five countries participating in the MEDIA sub-programme, representing at least five different official languages of the European Union
• no more than 40% of audiovisual works from a single country.

Action 2

Eligible activities include the assembly and delivery of digital packages of European audiovisual works foreseen for online releases in countries where those works are not available on any distribution platform. The aims of the action is to extend the availability and visibility of these works on VOD services provided in European and non-European countries.

The catalogue should follow a clear editorial line and be accompanied by a specific marketing strategy and focus on European audiovisual works that have demonstrated commercial potential. The preparation of these packages may cover: encoding, subtitling, the provision of metadata and/or the development of multi-territory marketing strategies and material.

In order to be eligible, the catalogue of films must consist of:

• a minimum of 20 European audiovisual works, or if only constituted by television series, a total of at least 20 episodes of one or several series (see item 6.2 of the guidelines for a definition of European content)
• audiovisual works from at least five countries participating in the MEDIA sub-programme representing at least five different official languages of the European Union (this is not applicable for catalogues made only of TV series)

Each title in the catalogue should also:

• be sold for theatrical or TV distribution in at least five countries participating in the MEDIA sub-programme
• be made available on VOD services in at least three other countries participating in the MEDIA sub-programme (the additional availability of the films for non-European countries is also accepted)

Action 3

The aim of the action to encourage innovative strategies for distributing and promoting European audiovisual works (see item 6.2 of the guidelines for a definition) by developing new business models or tools in order to improve the potential audience of European audiovisual works.

Projects should focus on one or more of the following:

• the convergence and complementarity between off-line and online distribution platforms
• the transnational availability of European audiovisual works within the digital environmennt
• new approaches to audience development in the digital age beyond traditional distribution practices

What's available?

The total estimated budget for the co-financing of projects under this scheme is €9.41 million.

The estimated split between the three actions is:

• Action 1: €4 million
• Action 2: €2.06 million
• Action 3: €3.35 million

The maximum co-financing rate is 60% of the total eligible costs of the project.

Transparency plays a key role in this action so applications must contain detailed plans for the full publication of the inputs and results of the project. Particular attention should be given to communicating this information to public authorities, Member States and the audiovisual industry.

For a better idea of the projects previously supported through this scheme, take a look at the results from the previous call in 2018.