who can apply?

FOCUS is open to Scotland-based companies who want to grow and develop their business, but who currently have no access in house to specialist expert business development support.  Companies must be screen sector companies working in feature film, short film, television, documentary, factual, and animation formats producing screen content for broadcast or distribution. See the Criteria page for details.

how will my application be assessed?

Your application will be assessed to check your eligibility to apply. Eligible applications will then be assessed according to the Selection Criteria.

HOW MUCH DO I PAY?

As a participating company you will pay one third of the costs of accessing the expertise, with the other two thirds paid equally by Scottish Enterprise and Creative Scotland. The total cost includes payment to an external advisor, as well as travel and operational costs.

In Stage 1 the cost of participation is up to £5550 per company, of which £1850 must be paid by the company itself.

In Stage 2 the cost will depend on the needs identified in Stage 1, but participating companies should expect to invest up to an additional £10,000, to access support costing up to £30,000.

Find out more about Stage 1 and Stage 2.

what is the payment process?

We will invoice you up front for your contribution at the beginning of each stage. Your investment will be held securely by Film City Futures, who will manage all payments to experts and to cover operational costs.  A report detailing costs will be sent to you.

WHAT IF I DON'T SPEND ALL THE MONEY?

Any unspent money will be returned to the participating company at the end of the period of participation.

how much time must i commit?

Participating in FOCUS involves a significant time commitment. In Stage 1, your business development consultant will spend up to 5 days working with you on your company. You will be expected to be available to participate in this process as much as required by the consultant. In Stage 2 the time commitment will depend on the amount, and type, of additional resource required.

what information do i need to provide?

At all stages of the project, you must be willing to provide the information needed by consultants and by the FOCUS team as necessary to assess and advise on your company. This will include summaries of financial accounts, details of key personnel, and details of any investment, commissions and other income.

will there be additional OPPORTUNITIES to participate?

FOCUS intends to support at least 20 companies:

- A first intake of 10 companies in August 2017

- A second intake of a further 10 companies in May 2018

Any companies who apply for the first intake but are not selected will be able to apply to the second intake.

what SUPPORT can i access?

Your FOCUS participation can be used to access business development support that will benefit your company as a whole. Advisors may offer expertise in areas such as distribution, rights, IP, finance, production or any other relevant area. The support should benefit your slate of projects and overall direction. 

how long does participation take?

In Stage 1 your consultant will spend a total of 5 days working with you to analyse your business needs. This will involve significant time commitment from somebody in a senior role within the company. In stage 2, time commitment will depend on the level of support required.