FOCUS creates the opportunity for screen sector companies in Scotland to access sector specific business advice and support.
Update: We are not currently accepting applications for FOCUS, however you may apply for support through FOCUS BITES.
A recent report by BOP Consulting for Independent Producers Scotland found that most screen production businesses operating in Scotland are not of the scale where certain business development and support functions can be afforded in-house. This impacts on the ability on those businesses to grow, increase output, and remain sustainable.
The FOCUS Pilot addressed this by providing subsidized access to specialist business development services. For screen companies, this meant a rare opportunity to gain access to sought-after expertise in areas such as digital distribution, aggregation, financing, international co-production, and audience development.
STAGE 1: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
In the first stage of the project, companies worked closely with a business development consultant to create a bespoke Business Development Strategy.
This provided an opportunity to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of their current business, and identified which types of specialist advice they needed in order to grow their business.
The consultants are highly experienced in helping transform businesses, and spent up to six full days analysing the current situation of each company and discussing their aims and ambitions.
At the end of Stage 1 each participant was given a thorough and actionable Business Development Strategy to take forward into Stage 2.
STAGE 2: STRATEGY INTO ACTION
In Stage 2 participants followed-up on the recommendations set out in Stage 1 to access the sector specific expertise that they need. At this stage they had the opportunity to request consulting time with an expert in HR, international co-productions, book scouting, VOD, royalties, or financing.
We worked closely with the companies to contract the most appropriate expert for their business.