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Apply for federal film funding for the screenplay or treatment of a children's film

Service Description

As the author of a children's film, you can apply for federal film funding to create a screenplay or treatment. The funding is awarded as part of the cooperation between the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) and the Kuratorium junger deutscher Film.

The project must not have been started at the time of application.

Children's films are those feature films, documentaries and animated films that are aimed at children up to the age of 12 in particular through their themes, their attitude and their design and are suitable for this group of people.

The following can be funded

  • the creation of a German-language treatment of original material for a full-length children's film (at least 59 minutes) or
  • the development of a German-language screenplay of artistic quality for a full-length children's film (at least 59 minutes).

You can receive a grant up to the following amount:

  • for treatments: maximum EUR 8,000
  • for screenplays: maximum EUR 30,000, in a few exceptional cases up to EUR 50,000.

Your project can also be funded in several funding stages in succession, for example first the screenplay, then the production.

Process flow

You must submit your funding application in writing and also by e-mail:

  • Download the application for children's film funding from the website of the Kuratorium junger deutscher Film or the BKM.
  • Complete the application and compile all the required documents.
  • Send the application and documents in 11 copies by post to the Federal Archive.
  • In addition, send the documents as a PDF file by e-mail to the Kuratorium junger deutscher Film ( antrag@kjdf.org ).
  • The selection committee of the BKM and the Kuratorium junger deutscher Film will discuss your application. Based on the vote of the selection committee, the board will decide whether to approve or reject your application.
  • You will then receive a funding contract or notification that your application has been rejected.

If your application is approved:

  • You will conclude a funding contract with the Kuratorium junger deutscher Film.
  • The funding amount will be paid to you in two installments, the details of which are set out in the funding contract.
  • The funded projects are supervised and checked by a project supervisor in terms of technical and organizational aspects.
  • Now create the treatment or screenplay.
  • You must then prove that you have used the funding for the intended purpose.
  • For treatments:
    • Submit an industry-standard treatment, usually 15 A4 pages, to the Kuratorium junger deutscher Film.
    • The Kuratorium junger deutscher Film will then check whether your treatment is suitable as the basis for the creation of a screenplay that could be funded by the Kuratorium and BKM within the framework of the children's film funding program.
  • For screenplays:
    • Submit the completed screenplay to the Board of Trustees based on the recommendation of the project supervisor.
    • The board of trustees will approve your screenplay.
    • When filming, you must refer to the funding in the opening credits, closing credits or both and display the logo of the Kuratorium junger deutscher Film and the BKM.
    • After filming, you must provide the Board of Trustees with a specimen copy of the film.
    • You grant the Board of Trustees the right to use funded films free of charge in the context of self-promotion, either alone or in cooperation with third parties.
    • You must comply with the blocking periods that apply in accordance with the Film Funding Act at the time the funding agreement is concluded.

Who should I contact?

Contact for questions regarding the procedure and application:

Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media
Department K 35f
Potsdamer Platz 1
10785 Berlin

Screenplay and treatment funding for feature-length children's films
Marian Tobsing
Phone: 030 1868143116
Fax: 030 18681543116
E-Mail: marian.tobsing@bkm.bund.de

Postal address for submitting applications:

Federal Archives
Film Funding
Finckensteinallee 63
12205 Berlin

Additional e-mail address for submitting applications:
antrag@kjdf.org

Requirements

Your children's film project must meet the following requirements in order to be eligible for funding:

  • German-language screenplay that suggests a feature-length children's film (at least 59 minutes) or
  • German-language treatment based on original material for a full-length children's film,
  • exceptional cinematic quality,
  • An exploitation in the cinema is to be expected.
  • You have not yet started the project at the time of application and
  • You and the director have your place of residence, habitual abode or center of activity in Germany.

In addition, when applying for treatment funding:

  • You can present at least one filmed screenplay for a full-length feature or documentary film of any genre, which you have written yourself or with a maximum of two other authors.

You cannot apply for funding as a public or private broadcaster.

Which documents are required?

  • Treatment funding:

    • Link or DVD to a full-length film of a screenplay you have made into a movie
    • Exposé of a maximum of three pages,
    • Writer's note explaining why you have chosen this material,
    • your biography,
    • Information about your professional career and previous works as an author,
    • Declaration of copyright on material and title

  • Screenplay funding:

    • Synopsis of the film project, no longer than one DIN A4 page,
    • a brief characterization of the main characters and information on the target audience and exploitation,
    • treatment
    • elaborated dialog scene
    • Your biography,
    • information about your professional career and previous works as an author,
    • Declaration of copyrights to material and title
      • alternatively: If you do not hold these rights, you must provide evidence of the acquisition of these rights or the option to do so.

What are the fees?

  • in case of rejection: none
  • if approved: Administrative fee of 2 percent of the amount granted. This amount will be retained when the grant is paid out. The fee is part of the costs of the funded project.

What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?

You must submit the application before the start of your project.

As a rule, there are 2 submission deadlines per year. The current deadlines can be found on the websites of the Kuratorium junger deutscher Film and the BKM. The date of receipt at the Federal Archive is the date of receipt.

Processing duration

It takes about 12 weeks from the time you submit your application to the decision on your application.

Legal basis

Appeal

Forms: yes

Online procedure: no

Written form required: yes

Personal appearance required: no

What else should I know?

If the Kuratorium junger deutscher Film has already rejected funding for your project in the past, you must revise and change key aspects of it for a new funding application. You must then describe these changes in your application. As a rule, resubmission is only possible in the production funding for feature-length films. The board of the Kuratorium junger deutscher Film decides on exceptions.

Further Information

Author

Forwarding service: Deep link to the original portal

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.

Technically approved by

The Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media

Professionally released on

10.07.2020

Source: Zuständigkeitsfinder Thüringen (Linie6PLus)

Competent Authority

Kuratorium junger deutscher Film

Postal address
Rheingaustraße 140
65203 Wiesbaden, Landeshauptstadt
Remark: Biebrich Palace
Telephone
+49 611 602312
E-Mail
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