The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), is pleased to announce the opening of the call for the Presidential Employment Stimulus Program 4, also referred to as PESP4 by the Presidency, issued through the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC).
The closing date for submissions is Friday, 28 April 2023, 17h00.
The NFVF has been tasked by the DSAC to administer PESP 4, a government initiative designed to continue the reactivation in the sector into the right path as per the Economic Recovery and Reconstruction Plan (ERRP) after the COVID-19 pandemic’s devastating impact.
The package aims to assist practitioners and companies with projects in their implementation stages to reach completion through financial support. The call also aims to support the sector through continuous skills development; focusing on the skills which the sector deems scarce.
For the 2023/24 financial year, the DSAC has allocated 152 275 000 to ensure that the job creation target of 10 850 for the financial year is met.
The project allocation cost of R152 275 000 will be spread as follows:
- Stream 1: R 118 291 000 (7 850 jobs)
- Stream 2: R 21 240 000 (2 000 jobs)
- Stream 3: R 12 744 000 (1 000 jobs)
- Administration cost: R 7 025 000
Total: R159 300 000
Please note the following:
- Projects that are realistically implementable between 1 Sep 2023 – 29 Feb 2024 (6 months) for Stream 2 and 3, and 1 Oct 2023 – 31 Oct 2024 (12 months) for Stream 1, within the above budget will be considered. Should an extension in timelines be made available, the NFVF will communicate these to approved applicants.
- The ideal projects would be those with the ability to employ at least ten (10) or more people at the above rate.
- This must be an opportunity accessible to the youth, women, people living with disabilities and previously disadvantaged groups to acquire development and training skills e.g. (but not limited to) on the job and experiential training.
- The projects must afford opportunities to reach the practitioners and audio-visual workers at ground level, in order to support the various initiatives they are able to undertake as a form of generating income.
- Priority will be given to applicants that have not received funding for PESP 1 and PESP 3.
- Funding caps will be implemented in order to provide funding to as many practitioners as possible, without compromising the number of jobs that can be created within the set time-frames per stream.
- PESP is a special project for providing continued relief funding through job creation with a job creation target, as per the prescripts shared by the DSAC. As a result, appeals will be managed by the DSAC, not the NFVF.
- AUDIO-VISUAL OPEN CALL STREAMS
- STREAM 1: PRODUCTION OPEN CALL–
- Projects Considered:
- FICTION – Production Animation (Series), Production Animation (Short Film/Pilot), Production Animation (Feature Film), Production Short Films, Production Web-Series, Production Feature Film, Production Micro-Budget Films, Production Made for TV, Post Production Feature Film, Production TV Pilot.
- NON-FICTION – Production 2-3 Part Documentary, Production Feature Documentary, Production Short Films Documentary, Production Web-Series, Post-Production Documentary Feature Film, Production TV Pilot.
- No. Jobs Considered and Time-Frame: Minimum of 10 jobs within a period of 12 months/1 year.
- Projects Not Considered:
- Development projects due to the relatively low number of jobs they can yield vs production-ready projects.
- Complete TV Series and TV Formats. These will be accommodated through funding for TV Pilots due to budget constraints.
- STREAM 2: SKILLS DEVELOPMENT OPEN CALL-
- Projects Considered:
- Training programmes by provisionally and fully accredited training practitioners. Preference will be given to training targeting scarce skills in the industry as well as training programs aimed at the Youth, People Living with Disabilities and Female filmmakers.
- No. Jobs Considered and Time-Frame: Minimum of 10 jobs within a period of 6 months.
- STREAM 3: MARKETING & DISTRIBUTION OPEN CALL-
- Projects Considered:
- Film Festivals, Markets and Public Screenings targeting job creation.
- No. Jobs Considered and Time-Frame: Minimum of 10 jobs within a period of 6 months.
- Projects Not Considered: Normal Marketing & Distribution funding; Film Festival and Markets Attendance
The terms of reference and objective criteria have a deliberate focus on the following success factors for evaluation:
- Functionality – demonstrable project management capability and likelihood for high impact success i.e. project success, number of jobs created and geographical reach;
- BBBEE (targeted group as per National Treasury Regulations) – deliberate focus on the demographics with the highest incidence of unemployment;
- Scarce Skills – training and development proposals with the potential to address the scarce skills gap, while creating employment opportunities;
- Geographical Spread – deliberate focus on proposals that target underserviced provinces such as Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, North West, Free State, Limpopo, Eastern Cape) and underserviced areas in serviced provinces of KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Western Cape, especially due to the high population density areas which have resulted in high unemployment;
- Cost to service ratio – due attention to the proposals’ cost of employment ratios to ensure maximum costs of the stimulus are spent on recipients; and
- Ability to create ten (10) or more industry jobs.
- COMPULSORY APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Stream 1: Production Open Call
Stream 2: Training Open Call
- Training programme outlines with objectives;
- Timelines;
- Selection criteria;
- CVs of the facilitators;
- Detailed Budget.
Stream 3: Marketing & Distribution Open Call
- CVs of key management
- Project Plan
- Activation area(s)
- Audience Development Strategy
- A unique selling point demonstrating sustainability and contribution to industry recovery and growth;
- For public screenings – Proposed screening schedule and structure.
- For film festivals and markets – Proposed screening schedule and structure and a proposed panel sessions and/or workshops
Furthermore, applicants submitting as companies must submit the following compulsory documentation:
- CVs of key personnel;
- Budget and proposed project;
- Valid BBBEE certificate;
- Valid tax clearance certificate pin;
- SBD documents; and
- Company registration documents.
- COVID-19 Plan aligned with the National Department of Health and Department of Employment and Labour regulations
Applicants submitting as individuals must submit the following compulsory documentation:
- Certified copy of Identity Document;
- Individual Tax Certificate;
- Comprehensive CV;
- Budget and proposed project;
- COVID-19 Plan aligned with the National Department of Health and Department of Employment and Labour regulations
- EVALUATION CRITERIA
Stream 1: Production Open Call
- Experience of the Project Leader and CVs of the Key Management and Creative – 30%
- Coherence of the budget with the scope of the project and viability of the financial plan (15%)
- Realism of the agenda/timeline of the project – Concept (5%)
- Story Feasibility (15%)
- Number of Jobs (5%)
| FICTION | CAP | TIER |
| Production Animation (Series) | R1 000 000.00 | Tiers 1, 2 and 3 |
| Production Animation (Short Film/Pilot) | R600 000.00 | Tiers 1, 2 and 3 |
| Production Animation (Feature Film) | R1 500 000.00 | Tiers 1, 2 and 3 |
| Production Short Films | R350 000.00 | Tiers 1, 2 and 3 |
| Production Web Series | R400 000.00 | Tiers 1, 2 and 3 |
| Production Feature Film | R3 000 000.00 | Tiers 1 and 2 (Minimum 70 minutes) |
| Production Micro-Budget Films | R1 500 000.00 | Tiers 1, 2 and 3 (Minimum 70 minutes) |
| Production Made for TV | R700 000.00 | Tiers 1, 2 and 3 (Minimum 48 – 60 minutes) |
| Post Production Feature Film | R500 000.00 | (You are not eligible for this funding if you have received production funding from PESP before) |
| Production TV Pilot | R500 000.00 | Tiers 1, 2 and 3 |
| NON-FICTION | CAP | TIER |
| Production 2 – 3 Part Documentary | R750 000.00 | Tiers 1, 2 and 3 |
| Production Feature Documentary | R750 000.00 | Tiers 1, 2 and 3 |
| Production Short Films (Documentary) | R300 000.00 | Tiers 1, 2 and 3 |
| Production Web Series | R400 000.00 | Tiers 1, 2 and 3 |
| Post Production Documentary Feature Film | R400 000.00 | (You are not eligible for this fund if you have gotten production funding from PESP before) |
| Production TV Pilot | R500 000.00 | Tiers 1, 2 and 3 |
ELIGIBILITY
Tier 1 – Experienced filmmakers who have a proven track record for developing and / or producing at least three successful and commercially viable feature films, series, TV films or documentaries.
Tier 2 – Filmmakers with limited experience. They must have developed and produced one or two feature films, TV films, TV series, documentaries, or two or three short films and/or commercials.
Tier 3 – New entrants into the industry, particularly recent film school graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds. They must have produced or directed at least one short film.
Stream 2: Training Open Call
- The realism of the agenda/timeline of the project (15%)
- Sustainability for future employment spinoffs (20%)
- (3%)
| Training Programmes | CAP |
| Training without production equipment for hire | R 700 000.00 |
| Training with production equipment for hire | R1 000 000.00 |
| Stipend | MINIMUM STIPEND |
| Each learner per day | R 350.00 |
| Each learner per month | R 5 000.00 |
Stream 3: Marketing & Distribution Open Call
- Experience (CVs and Facilitators) (30%)
- The coherence of the budget with the scope of the project and viability of the financial plan (15%)
- Audience development strategy (15%)
- Project plan (15)
- Number of jobs (5)
- Transformation (20%): Race (4%), Gender (4%), Disability (4%), Underserviced Province (5%), Transformation in Key Black Management Positions (3%)
| CAP | TIER | |
| Film Festival and Market Hosting | R1 500 000.00 | 1, 2 and 3 |
| Public Screening | R500 000.00 | 2 and 3 |
ELIGIBILITY
Tier 1 – Established film festivals and markets – A festival or market in this tier should ideally have been in operation for more than ten years and be able to show that they attract funding from multiple sources.
Tier 2 – Intermediate film festivals, markets and screenings that have been in operation for more than five years and fewer than ten years.
Tier 3 – Emerging film festivals, markets and screenings that have been in operation for fewer than five years.
Dates:
- Opening date for submissions: Thursday, 06 April 2023
- Closing date for submissions: Friday, 28 April 2023 at 17h00
Applicants need to register and complete the online application form using the following link: https://nfvf.praxisgms.co.za/
Please note that failure to submit the above-mentioned key and compulsory documentation will render the application incomplete and therefore disqualified.
Applicants are also advised that submitting of false information/declaration will result in the funding being withdrawn by the NFVF.
All persons in the employ of government departments, entities, municipalities and other services are precluded from participating in the programme.
No late applications will be accepted.
APPLICATION QUERIES MAY BE DIRECTED TO PESP@NFVF.CO.ZA, NOT APPLICATIONS@NFVF.CO.ZA