Screen Ireland and the Screen Directors Guild of Ireland are collaborating on ‘The Voice’: a conceptual development fund for directors which will invest in the vision of the Director to develop high-value projects for film, TV (animation and live-action) and documentary.
The Voice aims to generate exceptional screen work with the early creative leadership of a director and refined development before bringing it to a producer/financier. At the end of this process, directors will have created a proof of concept for a feature film or television show ready to take to a production company or to the market directly.
‘The Voice’ is open to experienced directors working in live action, animation and documentary. Development can include preparation of draft screenplays, treatments, preparation of bibles, writers rooms, expert research, archive research, option rights, life rights, visual concepts, workshops with actors and character design. The application should come directly from the Director in a personal capacity or through the Directors company.
Directors can apply for 1-2 projects up to a maximum of €30,000 in total. The deliverables will be the proof of concept which may include screenplay, treatment, bible, body of research, screenplay, visual concept and pitch.
As security for its funding Screen Ireland shall take an assignment of 10% of the copyright in the development material created. When Screen Ireland’s development funding is repaid Screen Ireland shall reassign this percentage of copyright in the development material back to the director.
If the project is picked up by a production company the development funding received to date should be recognised. If the project goes into production the amount received in development funding should be a line item in the budget and repaid to Screen Ireland.
Application Process
Each applicant must submit the following:
- A biography of the applicant to include work produced (1 page)
- A detailed synopsis of the project(s) (1 Page)
- A detailed outline of the development work to be undertaken including a development budget – template development budget is available on our website
- An outline of the market potential and the audience potential for the project(s) (1 page)
- Any other supporting notes or material (1 Page)
- An outline of ownership of the idea / concept (1 page)
- If the project is submitted including a production company and/or producer, it will automatically be deemed ineligible for consideration however this does not exclude a director applying via their own exclusive services/loan-out company.
Applications should be made sending the attached application form to applications@screenireland.ie from Monday 18th May to Friday 5th June – the subject line should state DIRECTORS CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT.
The scheme will be assessed externally and by Screen Ireland. Turnaround on decisions should be within 6 weeks.
Download the Director’s Concept Development Application Form here