Film Industry Support Austria
Published on 29 May 2018
Austria
Wien
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
FISA is a financial incentive programme by Austria’s Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs (bmdw ) which aims to strengthen the Austrian film industry by providing support to cinema films (national productions, Austrian-foreign co-productions and service productions). It has a special emphasizes on raising the number of co-productions with Austria and on promoting Austria as a film location. The objective is to escalate the quality, the attractiveness, and therefore the distribution of supported films. In doing so, the programme affects its international competitiveness. The non-repayable grant amounts up to 25 percent of the eligible production costs. Applications can be filed throughout the year following a “first come, first served” principle. Each project seeking support has to pass the Cultural Test. The Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH (aws) together with Location Austria – The National Film Commission is responsible for the administration of the programme as well as devise further strategic developments for the Austrian film industry. To meet the rapid and radical changes within the audio-visual sector, adaptations in guidelines and involvement of more resources are being discussed for the near future. Beneficiaries are the Austrian film producers, the Austrian film industry as well as Austria as a film location. The economy is being triggered by a flourishing domestic film industry. Film-related tourism is an achievable side effect.
Resources needed
The annual budget is € 7.5 Million. At aws a full time programme manager and a part time project manager are part of the FISA team. In the partner institution, Location Austria (also financed by bmdw), two additional people are involved: the Austrian Film Commissioner and a full time proj. manager
Evidence of success
The programme was evaluated in 2017. The outcome states that the objectives have been achieved. For every single € 1 granted € 5,65 were additional triggered in the Austrian film industry . The programme helps to rise the annual production budget of the Austrian film industry in total, which results in a higher amount of Austrian films realised in cinemas, a slightly increasing number of co-productions and significantly more shooting days of international productions happening in Austria.
Potential for learning or transfer
When installing FISA, Austria was looking at what already exists in other countries. In the end, FISA took many elements of the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) , which has operated successfully since 2007. Consequently, FISS, the Swiss pendant which was founded a few years after FISA, has taken many parts of FISA and ever since then successfully supported Swiss cinema films.
Productions support for cinema films in form of a non-repayable grant based on eligible costs is easily administrated. The basis for decision is the cultural test, conducted by Location Austria to ensure the cultural purpose of the supported projects together with other defined qualifying criteria. For example a minimum total budget of the project or a minimum of shooting days in Austria. Qualifying criteria can easily be adapted for the needs of the film industry in each region.
The programme evaluation has shown that regions can benefit highly through a film industry programme like FISA (see evid.of succ.)
Productions support for cinema films in form of a non-repayable grant based on eligible costs is easily administrated. The basis for decision is the cultural test, conducted by Location Austria to ensure the cultural purpose of the supported projects together with other defined qualifying criteria. For example a minimum total budget of the project or a minimum of shooting days in Austria. Qualifying criteria can easily be adapted for the needs of the film industry in each region.
The programme evaluation has shown that regions can benefit highly through a film industry programme like FISA (see evid.of succ.)
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
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Organisation
Austria Wirtschaftsservice
Austria
Wien
Contact
Head of