Call for Proposals: Youth Filmmaker Project Facilitating Company

Call for Proposals: Youth Filmmaker Project Facilitating Company 

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) would like to invite Tier 2 production companies to submit an application to facilitate the Youth Filmmaker Project for a 3-year period in an effort to assist in carrying out its mandate with respect to providing opportunities for youth entrants within the industry.

Background  

The Youth Filmmaker project seeks to provide recent graduates of film schools, particularly those from historically disadvantaged backgrounds, with an opportunity to make their first professional short film in collaboration with a mentor/producer. The aim of this initiative is to build, strengthen and nurture first time writers and directors so that they can produce their first film with all the support necessary to achieve the highest level of storytelling and production values. The successful production company must manage, execute, and deliver 10 films each year over a period of 3 years.

Objectives  

The aim of the youth filmmaker project is:

• To showcase new South African stories from a youthful and diverse perspective at both national and global level;
• To create a platform for young emerging filmmakers to hone their skills at a practical level so that they are enabled to produce quality films to meet both national and international criteria and standards;
• To give the first-time writers and directors the opportunity to collaborate closely with local and international industry professionals including producers, writers, script editors, editors, sound, and production designers amongst others so that they can understand the entire production environment;
• To expose young South African writers and directors to alternative cinema rather than only American mainstream cinema.

Programme

The successful production company will be required to manage, execute, and deliver all 10 films over a period of 3 years, each of which must be made, as completely as possible, by a team of youth filmmakers. The overall funding awarded will be R9 375 000 over 3 years, R3 125 000 will be disbursed each year.

The Company must select a team of filmmakers in accordance with a call for submissions, which must be approved by the NFVF prior to being published and must include (not exclusively) the following criteria for submissions:

–       Youth applicants not above the age of 35;

–       Preference will be given to Youths who have not had an opportunity to make a film;

–       Preference will be given to applicants residing outside the main regions of Gauteng and Western Cape;

–       Youth applicants may both write and direct.

The Company in collaboration with the NFVF will agree on the stories to go into development, which development process will be managed by the Company.

Upon completion of the development of the scripts, the Company and the NFVF will select the best scripts for production.

The Company will then work with Filmmakers in the production of the films from pre-production to post-production until delivery of the films.  

WHO QUALIFIES TO APPLY?

PRODUCTION COMPANY

To be eligible for selection to manage, execute and deliver the films, the production company must:

• producer/s must be South African citizens

• previous recipients of slate or project funding (e.g. female and youth projects) from the organisation are not eligible
• company must be 51% owned and managed by a Black Producer.
• have at least three years of long form development and production experience
• Tier 2 Production Company. This is defined in the NFVF Funding Policy as “Filmmakers with limited experience in the film industry, but who have developed and produced 1-2 feature-length films, television fiction and/or, 2-3 documentary short films seeking to venture into feature film or documentary development and production”.
• comply with BBBEE requirements (BBBEE Certificates must be supplied)
• have some demonstrable mentorship experience in the industry.
• applicants who have four active NFVF funded projects across the value chain in one funding cycle are also not eligible.

 

FILM PROJECT

The Company must be able to commit and adhere to the following terms of the NFVF brief:

• Develop and produce 10 short films, at a length of 24-minutes.

• Be able to produce the films at the stated budget of R312 500 each.

• Any budget excess will not be funded by the NFVF.

• Any additional funding raised towards the production of the films is exclusive of the NFVF’s contribution and the NFVF will not be held responsible for the raising of any additional funding.

 

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

All applicants should provide the following documentation:

• 1 – 2 page motivation
• Project plan/roll-out (envisaged structure of programme)
• Production company executive summary with detailed company experience
• Producer and key management team’s CVs with filmography
• Mentorship experience
• Proposed development schedule and budget.
• Proposed production schedule and budget.
• Finance plan (where proposed budget exceeds overall project allocation R5 000 000 per annum)
• Marketing and distribution strategy and plan
• Recently Certified ID copy (dated certification stamp not older than six months)
• Company registration documents
• BBBEE certificate of company
• Valid Tax Clearance Certificate or Tax Clearance Status Pin Document (not older than one year)

 

FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION

DELIVERABLES

1^st Quarter:

Final development schedule and budget

Call for filmmakers.

Key mentor team CVs

 2^nd Quarter:

Final filmmaker selection with profiles

Synopses of final film selections

Progress report on development schedule

 3^rd Quarter:

Final scripts

Final production schedule and budget

Proof of additional financing (where applicable)

4^th Quarter:

Final crew list

Final cast list

Shooting schedule

Postproduction schedule

Final delivery of films

Opening date: 18^th June 2021

Closing date: 16^th of July 2021. 

LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Applicants need to register and complete the online application form using the following link: https://nfvf.praxisgms.co.za/

Any queries maybe directed to Refiloe Hlabioa at refiloeh@nfvf.co.za

About NFVF

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Arts and Culture, was mandated to ensure the equitable growth of the South African film and video industry. The NFVF does this by providing funding for the development, production, marketing, and distribution of films and also the training and development of filmmakers. In addition, the NFVF commissions research and produces industry statistics that provide both the public and stakeholders with valuable insights into the South African film industry.