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Fleadh Forum 2015
2015-07-10 : Deirdre Molumby
Fleadh Forum
Three panels were held yesterday in Galway about financing, distributing and marketing your movie

As part of this year’s Galway Film Fleadh, the Fleadh Forum was held yesterday afternoon. The forum, entitled ‘Let’s Talk Movies’, was supported by the Irish Film Board (IFB) and brought together three key Creative Europe programmes: Screen Leaders, ACE and EAVE. The forum offered a platform for filmmakers to share ideas and express experience about what is happening in the film industry. It consisted of three engaging and thought provoking panels – The Lobster: A Film Finance Case Study; How to Launch a Film in the International Market; and The Rise of the Regions.

The Lobster: A Film Finance Case Study

After Teresa McGrane from the Irish Film Board introduced the event, promising this was the first year the forum was taking a ‘new and reimagined’ approach, the first panel saw ACE President Simon Perry, now at regional fund Film Väst, discuss the film finance structure of The Lobster with Andrew Lowe, co-CEO of Element Pictures. The Lobster was shot in Kerry, Ireland last year and is the first English language film of Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth). The film won the Jury Prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Andrew Lowe first described Lanthimos’ auteur way of working and distinctive vision. Lanthimos was given final cut of the film, which directors are not always allowed, and all the creative freedom he required through the particular co-production and funding route they took. In other English language films, Lowe explained, artistic freedom can be lost with various voices and requirements.

Lowe described the process from when Lanthimos met producer Lee Magiday, based in Element’s London offices, in spring 2010 after the director moved to London as he wanted to working on films in the English language. In spring 2012, Element was sent a ‘scriptment’ co-written by Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippou. Element brought the script to Rotterdam in January 2013 at which it won a prize and gained much interest. Andrew Lowe described how from that stage up to when production began, various producers came on and off board for the film. The importance was to keep momentum, investment and interest in the project. Eventually, The Lobster became a five way co-production between Element in Ireland (58%), Haut et Court in France (11%), Faliro House in Germany (10%), Scarlet Films, UK (11%), and Lemming Film from the Netherlands (10%).

Lowe also provided details of the financiers for the project, which included the IFB, S481, Element Pictures Distribution and Film4 from Ireland, Canal+ and CNC from France, the Greek Film Centre, the BFI, the Dutch Film Fund, Filmfreak from the Netherlands, Eurimage, Sony (who provided more than €1m) and Confiloisirs, the latter to which he offered particular thanks as they came in three weeks before shooting to loan the remainder of the finance needed for the project. Altogether around €4m was given to The Lobster. The final producers on the project were Magiday, Lowe, Lanthimos, Ed Guiney and Ceci Dempsey.

Andrew Lowe indicated that there will be future projects between Element and Lanthimos including an entitled Queen Anne project and another smaller film, comparing their relationship with that of the company’s to Lenny Abrahamson (who Element has a first-look deal with). The Lobster will be released in Ireland and the UK through EPD with Picturehouse. It will later be released in China, Benelux, Italy, Japan, Spain, USA, Greece, Portugal and many other countries, meaning the film will essentially have worldwide distribution. Lowe stressed how unusual this is for an arthouse film.

When asked if he thought the film would make a profit, Lowe stressed how as an arthouse film in the English language with an unusual director, it would be challenging but he believes it has a good chance given the highly positive reviews the film has received and that having Sony market the film should also work in its favour.

How to Launch a Film in the International Market

The second panel was on distribution and promotion, namely getting one’s film out on the market. The panel was focused around Cartoon Saloon’s Oscar nominated animation Song of the Sea, which is out in cinemas from today, and Asif Kapadia’s critically acclaimed documentary Amy, based on musical artist Amy Winehouse and also in cinemas now. Paul Young, CEO of Cartoon Saloon and recent Young Entrepreneur of the Year, presented Song of the Sea while producer James Gay-Rees and UK distributor and co-CEO Altitude Dilm Andy Marson, presented the case study of Amy. EAVE Marketing Workshop Head of Studies, Pim Hermeling (September Films) moderated. Hermeling opened the conversation by indicating the disadvantages of ‘going for big money’ when it comes to distribution. He emphasised that studios sell by multi-territory but there can be more benefits to going down the traditional route of independent distributors who are not as controlling or impeding on the process.

Paul Young explained that Song of the Sea was co-produced between Ireland, France, Denmark and Luxembourg. He detailed how he and director Tomm Moore had learned from the experience of their first feature, Secret of Kells, which garnered an Oscar nomination but was unsuccessful in the Irish box office, that it was important to work closely with the sales agent. Carton Saloon already had a deal with G-Kids in America for the new film’s distribution there, since they had worked with the company prior. G-Kids wanted to release the film on time to get the film an Oscar nomination, in which it was eventually successful. The film was marketed as one for a ‘niche’ audience for its release in the US.

Song of the Sea was national in its appearance and themes but globally minded, Young stated, for example, a salary was put aside for Tomm to travel around with the film. Young highlighted that some of the problems with working with an independent distribution company is that one cannot control the film’s release in the cinema or on DVD. Careful timing for its cinema and VOD release was required to avoid illegal downloading elsewhere.

Young also showed the Irish and US trailers for Song of the Sea as an interesting comparison. The American trailer, which came out first, was pitched primarily to adults in the hope that arthouse parents would bring their children to the film. It is quite true to the voice of the film. The Irish trailer was more upbeat, family orientated and feel-good, and these differences could also be seen in the respective American and Irish promotional pictures for the film which Young also showed. The French and Polish posters for the film’s release were also shown, and Young stated that the film has actually had the most successful release so far in the latter market. Young emphasised that poster designs are meant to sell something rather than be pieces of art. He also revealed that Cartoon Saloon’s next project will be a co-production between Canada, Ireland and Luxembourg.

For Amy, James Guy-Rees explained that the film had sold to most territories with its end-sale in Cannes, at which the film had its world premiere and a great response. The campaign for the movie was focussed on the quality of the film, on Amy Winehouse as an iconic figure, and on the critical acclaim the film received. There was a teaser trailer and poster produced ahead of the film’s release, as would be the norm for mainstream films but is quite unusual for documentaries. Andy Mayson continued that the film was promoted through extensive press coverage, the organisation of press screenings (for which the film got several 5/5 star reviews) and press opportunities which consisted of Q&A sessions with the film’s director and producer.

The campaign for the film began in March and the film also had a number of public screening opportunities in Edinburgh Film Festival for its UK premiere, Glastonbury, secret cinema, and a red carpet event in London which included a live broadcast Q&A. Guy-Rees stressed the importance of international relationships and diverse partners in the promotion of the film. He expressed his happiness with choosing Altitude to distribute the film in the UK because as a young company, it was ‘hungry, determined and went way past the extra mile.’

Mayson also added his thoughts from the perspective of a sales agent, talking about the intelligence of distributors and the importance of the sales agent and their relationship with the director that they communicate the director’s vision. He continued that different sales agents are suited for different genres, but that there is now an increasingly difficult market where sales agents like to see a project with talent attached, particularly in the shape of a director who can attract an A-list cast, or a project with a ‘really sharp idea.’ Often some material, namely a script, is also needed. Hermeling added that another difficulty for pre-buys is that if a project does not sell at Berlin, it is much less likely to sell at Cannes as sales agents, who know everything about where a project was sold and who it was sold to, will question why it did not sell before. Mayson’s final thought was on a hope that consumption, which is currently teetering between box office, DVD sales and VOD, will find uniformity in the next few years, so as to ease the distribution process.

The Rise of the Regions

The final panel focussed on the benefits of regional funding. The panel was again moderated by Simon Perry, with guest speakers Angelica Cantisani of Film Commission Torino Piemonte (Italy), Fabian Gasmia of Hamburg producers Detailfilm (Germany), Roel van der Weijer of Rinkel Film in Amsterdam (Netherlands) in attendance. As opposed to Section 481, which is a well-established tax credit system, the phenomenon of regional film funding is less widely known in Ireland. First initiated by Germany in the 1990s, the scheme aims to stimulate economic activity and to cease industrial decline through film production in specific cities and areas in European countries. Employment is generated and industries are developed as a result of the scheme so it has transforming qualities.

Fabian Gasmia spoke first about his positive experience of the scheme, explaining how it was first established in German regions such as Hamburg and Dusseldorf. He explained the funding scheme further, stating that most funds are very flexible and open to international co-productions. A German co-producer, certain spending requirements, and evidence of distribution, which can be television exposure but cinema distribution is preferred, are usually needed. He also stated that there have been cases where there is a need to change the nationality of the crew and or cast in order to meet regional funding requirements, but that the plot of films can usually be manipulated to meet such needs. He also indicated how competition between regions has improved the quality of services and talent that they provide, but that sometimes smaller productions have to compete against Hollywood products for funding.

Angelica Cantisani then spoke about her work in the Torino Piemonte region of Italy. The company she works for has fifteen years of experience in offering services in commissions, assisting the director, producer or designer in several stages of production including development, finding locations and filming. Their headquarters in Torino provide offices for any production company that requires them. They offer a small amount of economic support rather than funding, which is different legally, on the condition that there is shooting in the region, employment is offered to people in the region, and there is local spending. Up to 15% of the budget or up to €200,000 is offered and there is no need to apply or have an Italian co-producer, the scheme is available to all. For documentaries, €300,000 can be given for development and production, but there needs to be a co-producer from the region of Torino Piemonte, of which there are many available, or the subject matter needs to be about the region.

Cantisani also highlighted how Italy has introduced a tax rebate scheme in which up to 15% of total budget is provided if there is an Italian producer, and one can additionally apply to national funds, or 25%-60% is offered if the line producer is Italian. The overall effectiveness of regional funding schemes, which are predictable and automatic, was highlighted.

Roel van der Weijer of Rinkel Film then spoke about how producers are opportunistic in trying to find funds and emphasised that there is talent, shooting locations and economic benefits available outside one’s own country. He added that within a European region, the talent, facilities and economic needs are all there, and that the locals are very talented with extensive knowledge and resources. Der Weijer expressed that he had very good experience with regional funding, that the fact that ‘they are economically driven, not creatively’ means that they won’t intrude on the vision for the film. They also make co-productions transparent and smooth, with money readily available.

Lastly, Simon Perry pointed out the shortcomings of Swedish regional funding which result from their strong ties to the Swedish Film Institute, the national funding body, and there being only one deadline for applying for funding in January. He indicated that quotas were beginning to be introduced for crew with regards to gender, race and disability, although Gasmia pointed out that in Germany, the regional funds are mostly run by women. It was also explained that there are different requirements depending on the region and it was recommended that interested participants look up www.cine-regio.org for more information, though it was also emphasised that it does not yet include all regional funds. Online film finance or olffi was recommended as another good resource.

Overall, it was an informative and thought-provoking day for all attendees. With such a variety of filmmakers, producers and financiers present, it could easily be the case that a number of key future industrial relationships were established at this very forum.

The Galway Film Fleadh began on Tuesday 7th March and runs until Sunday 12th March.





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