INTRODUCTION
The Hellenic Film Commission of the GREEK FILM CENTRE presents the Location Scouting Support Program which supports a) the preliminary location scouting of film and television projects of foreign initiative which are interested in exploring the possibility of shooting in Greece or b) the location scouting during the pre-production stage of film and television projects of foreign initiative which have proven to be planning to shoot in Greece.
This specific Program is in accordance with the statutory mode of operation of the Hellenic Film Commission (Law 3905/10, article 17) and contributes to the fulfillment of its objectives as financial support in the pre-production stage proves to be an important tool for attracting international audiovisual productions according to best practices. Location scouting offers producers the possibility of a comparative evaluation of the advantages of each location as well as all the filming opportunities that Greece offers.
The Location Scouting Support Program by the Hellenic Film Commission of the GFC on the one hand aims to attract and support international audiovisual productions in Greece and on the other hand to enhance the employment of Greek filmmakers, thus contributing to the development and improvement of the expertise of the domestic human resources.
IMPORTANT NOTE: According to the 1524/06.12.2021 decision of the Board of Directors of the GFC the amendment of the Location Scouting Support Program of the Hellenic Film Commission was approved as amended below. Projects which have been approved by the GFC under the status of the previous regulation of the Program and for which the financial report as well as the Location Scouting execution report have not been completed, may, regardless of the stage of implementation at which they are, apply for their inclusion in the provision of the new regulation of the Program.
PROJECT ELIGIBILITY
This Program is addressed to feature films, documentaries, with a minimum running time of 70 minutes, as well as TV drama series and TV documentaries. TV series with travelling and gastronomic content, as well as reality shows, are not eligible.
Funding by the Greek Film Centre has the form of a subsidy.
Eligible projects:
1.International projects, the scripts of which could be shot in Greece, with a Greek co-producer as a minority partner
2.International projects, the scripts of which could be shot in Greece, without a Greek co-producer as a minority partner but with the commitment of collaborating, during the location scouting, with a Greek production company (sole proprietorship or legal entity) that is active and operates in order to produce audiovisual works as long as it has the corresponding taxation code.
For both eligible categories projects, the prerequisites are:
A)Minimum shooting days in Greece:
-fifteen (15) days for fiction feature films and TV drama series
-seven (7) days for documentaries and TV documentaries
B)Minimum estimated expenses to be incurred in Greece in case the project gets produced in the country: 50.000 euro
The maximum amount of the subsidy is set up to 10.000 euro.
A film project which began shooting before being examined by the GFC is not eligible.
Each sole proprietorship or legal entity can apply to the GFC for this subsidy for maximum two (2) projects per year.
PROJECT EVALUATION CRITERIA
Projects that meet the eligibility criteria will be preferred if:
•More than 25% of their script could be shot in Greece
•They need more that the minimum shooting days in Greece which is defined by the eligibility criteria
•They promote archaeological sites and monuments of the recent cultural heritage of Greece
•They promote remote regions (mountain villages, remote islands, border regions etc.)
Additionally, the participation of female participants in the main departments (direction, script, direction of photography, production management, location management), as well as the participation and training of graduates of recognized film schools (of the past two years) during location scouting, will be taken into account.
CATEGORY A
This category includes film and television projects of foreign initiative which, in order to explore the possibility of shooting in Greece, carry out preliminary location scouting in Greece.
ELIGIBLE EXPENSES
•Tickets within Greece for Greek and foreign crew members
•Arrival/departure tickets to/from Greece for foreign crew members, provided that they are issued by a Greek travel agency
•Accommodation, catering, transportation expenses in Greece for Greek and foreign crew members
•Location Manager’s fee
•Photographer’s fee (only if he/she has an Activity Code Number registered in Greece)
•Expenses of microbiological exams and all kinds of medical services for COVID-19
CATEGORY B
This category includes film and television projects of foreign initiative which, having planned shooting in Greece, carry out location scouting in the pre-production stage.
ELIGIBLE EXPENSES
•Tickets within Greece for Greek and foreign crew members
•Arrival/departure tickets to/from Greece for foreign crew members, provided that they are issued by a Greek travel agency
•Accommodation, catering, transportation expenses in Greece for Greek and foreign crew members
•Location Manager’s fee
•Producer’s fee (up to 8%)
•Assistant producer’s fee
•Photographer’s fee (only if he/she has an Activity Code Number registered in Greece)
•Fees for photographing permits
•Translations and editing of texts (script, treatment, synopsis)
•Expenses of microbiological exams and all kinds of medical services for COVID-19
SUBMITION PROCESS – EVALUTATION - APPROVAL
•The files of candidates are submitted all year round and sent to
info@gfc.gr •The applications are received and processed by the Hellenic Film Commission withing one (1) month.
•Once the completeness check of the application files is conducted, the submitted projects are evaluated by the Hellenic Film Commission on a first-come-first-served basis.
•The total of the subsidized projects per year, as well as the amount of the subsidy for each project, are subject to the annual budget of the Program. The Hellenic Film Commission ceases to make approvals after the exhaustion of the available annual budget of the Program.
•The amount of the subsidy for a project is decided by taking into account the Scouting Budget in Greece, submitted with the application.
•Applications are approved by decision of the General Manager of the GFC after taking into consideration the recommendation of the Director of the Hellenic Film Commission.
•The approvals of the Location Scouting Support Program of the Hellenic Film Commission get into force after their publication on DIAVGEIA and for a period of three (3) months. Once the approval is published on DIAVGEIA, the GFC informs in writing the applicant as well as the beneficiary foreign producer.
•In case a beneficiary project gets produced in Greece (partly or entirely), the foreign producer of the audiovisual work commits to acknowledge the Hellenic Film Commission of the GFC as supporter by using both logos (GFC/HFC) at the end titles credits of the audiovisual work.
CANDIDATURE FILE CONTENTS
Location Scouting Support Program
Eligible to apply are Greek co-producers (sole proprietorship or legal entity) or Greek production companies (sole proprietorship or legal entity) which are active and operate in order to produce audiovisual works as long as they have the corresponding taxation code and they are contracted with the foreign production company for conducting the location scouting. Prerequisite for the participation of the applicant in the Program is his compliance with any existing contractual / financial obligations to the GFC.
The applicant submits a file to the GFC, before the beginning of shootings, with the following:
1.Application form
2.Synopsis (1 page)
3.Final version of the script or treatment in English
4.CVs of the a) foreign producer/production company, b) the director, c) the Greek production company which undertakes the location scouting
5.Agreement between the foreign production company and the applicant on undertaking the location scouting in Greece (category A) or agreement between the foreign production company and the applicant on undertaking the execution of the production or co-production in Greece, which clearly states that part of the shootings will take place in Greece (category B)
6.Detailed list of locations which are needed according to the script
7.Location scouting schedule in Greece
8.Scouting Budget with the expenses to be incurred in Greece during the location scouting
9.Production Budget with expenses to be incurred in Greece during production
10.Financial Plan
DELIVERABLES & SUBSIDY PAYMENT
After the publication of the approval on DIAVGEIA, the GFC enters into an agreement with the applicant.
After the completion of the location scouting in Greece, the beneficiary needs to submit to the GFC electronically at
info@gfc.gr for the audit the following:
•Budget execution report with list of expenses during location scouting
•Legitimate invoices in the name of the applicant, which have been issued from the date of submission of the application to the GFC and henceforth, according to the eligible expenses in each of the two categories of the Program, the sum of which shall be at least equal to the amount of the approved subsidy. In the event that the financial report of expenses during location scouting falls short of the approved amount of subsidy, the amount of approved subsidy is reduced by the same amount.
•Location Scouting execution report (detailed list of visited locations, evaluation of locations according to the scripts etc.)
•Photographs of the locations (1-5 for each visited location, according to the specifications of the Locations database on the website of the Hellenic Film Commission)
•Questionnaires on the participation of graduates of film schools during location scouting
The GFC will proceed with the payment of the subsidy after receiving a legitimate invoice from the beneficiary to the GFC with the final amount of the approved subsidy after the audit, as well as tax and insurance clearance certificate where provided. VAT burdens the GFC.
