All over the world, the audiovisual industry is strongly affected (and will feel in the near future) by the changes that are taking place in the face of the COVID19 epidemic. Suddenly, almost overnight, film sets of all film projects were canceled, recordings of TV series or programs suspended – this is not only a polish scenario. Below are selected examples from Poland, Europe and the USA of actions taken by broadcasters (private and public) to support filmmakers and follow up activities.
POLAND:
– Scholarships – The Polish Film Institute has created scholarships for representatives of all film professions. The scholarship amount is PLN 2,400 gross. Details and rules for granting support on the Polish Film Institute website
– Loans for filmmakers – the project assumes a simplified procedure for obtaining a loan, easing conditions for obtaining creditworthiness, preferential interest rates as well as fees and faster release rates.
– Changes in Operational Programs, e.g. change in the amount of grant installments. In the case of co-financing for the development of the project, the Institute decided to split the subsidy into two installments; first, paid in advance, is 90% of the total amount of the subsidy, and in the case of subsidies for film production, 80%. Full description on the PISF website.
– Changes in legislation:
- Change of definition – currently the film is also a piece which due to unpredictable circumstances was not displayed in the cinema. This allows the Institute to co-finance films that will go to VOD and PPV platforms in the first place.
- Financial support for audiovisual production – it was possible to submit an application for financial support not earlier than 12 months before the start of works to be covered by financial support and not later than before the start of these works.
– Pod Baranami Cinema is on-line – at e-kinopodbaranami.pl you can watch movies from the cinema’s repertoire. This is not a regular VOD platform, but rather an online cinema. The E-Cinema shows films that not so long ago could be seen on the cinema screen, older titles and special events: films with lectures, conversations with creators, and especially discussion meetings.
– Movies faster on Netflix – On Netflix, “365 days” and “Bad Boy” appeared at the beginning of April shortly after the screening in cinemas, and the horror film “No one will fall asleep in the woods today” hit the platform on March 21, a week after the planned cinema premiere which did not take place
– TVP expands the library at vod.pl – Polish Television has made available on its VoD website another archival, digitally restored TV shows and series. The platform hit, among others performances “Mieszczanin szlachcicem”, „Fircyk w zalotach”, „Zemsta” and series „Chłopi” i „Rodzina Połanieckich”. All productions are available for free.
GERMANY:
– ARD, ZDF, RTF, ProSiebenSat.1 senders share the costs resulting from the virus break. Depending on the individual assessment, ProSiebenSat.1 will divide “unavoidable costs” by 50% or more related to closed or postponed production.
ITALY:
– RAI focuses on children’s programs (which stay at home) and will produce the new Dragonero fantasy series.
FRANCE:
– France TV ensures the continuation of cooperation with program providers in administrative, artistic and editorial matters, partial coverage of external costs (related to the suspension of operations) and the possibility of negotiating new dates or possible changes to current contracts.
European Producers Club appealed to the European Commission and governments for the extraordinary support of filmmakers. Emergency funds and loans, loosening already concluded contracts, tax exemption and state production insurance – these are some of the 10 postulates of European filmmakers aiming at alleviating the effects of the crisis caused by the coronavirus epidemic.
USA
– Netflix donates nearly $ 100 million to collaborating filmmakers and to creators in the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain
Probably the next step may be to completely transfer the premiere movies to the network.
As in Poland, the creators of the movie “Suicide Room. Hejter ”directed by Jan Komasa.
