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SCREEN (Animation)

Objectives

SCREEN is a co-investment scheme by the Media Development Authority (MDA) for the development of an animated TV series. This scheme aims to encourage the production of Singapore-owned IP suitable for exploitation in international markets. Such projects may involve two or more parties (eg. local or international co-production partners, distributors, investors, etc), whereby a significant level of developmental and production activity is committed and expensed in Singapore.

Eligibility Criteria

  1. The applicant must be a legal entity (branch office, private, or public company) registered and incorporated in Singapore with at least 50% local shareholding – it may be owned by local or foreign shareholders, subject to the provisions of the Companies Act (Cap.50)
  2. The applicant (company) must have previously produced at least a 13-episode x 22-minute animated TV series, or a full-length animated feature film
  3. Proposed project should be an animated TV series (mixed-media projects, eg. live action + animation, are not supported under this scheme)
  4. The content product should be original and exportable to international markets
  5. Projects must not have commenced at the time of application

Investment Quantum

Under this scheme, the MDA may provide financing through an equity stake in the project to cover up to 50% or less of the total qualifying cost of the project. Examples of major allowable costs are:

i) Manpower
ii) Hardware / Software

Application Procedure

Interested parties may send in the SCREEN Application Form, a full project proposal, along with the following supporting documents and materials:

  • ACRA Business Profile (up-to-date)
  • Financial statements of the company for the past 3 to 5 years
  • Track record, experience, and business plan of the company
  • Concept, storyline, treatment, synopses of series and episodes, draft scripts of episodes
  • Character bible, storyboards, and detailed artwork (props, backgrounds, etc)
  • Animated Pilot / Trailer / Teaser
  • Itemised production budget (covering abovethe- line, pre-production, production and postproduction costs – highlight also all costs pertaining to expenditures in Singapore)
  • Detailed production schedule (indicating work split by location)
  • Profiles of above-the-line team (eg. producer, technical director, creative director, etc)
  • Financing structure
  • Recoupment structure
  • Written commitment and/or interest from investors, broadcasters, distributors, etc
  • Co-Production Agreement(s)
  • Distribution Agreement(s)
  • Licensing Agreement(s)
  • Detailed marketing and commercialisation plans for the intended project
  • Sales projections across all revenue streams (High, Mid, Low projections)

Successful applicants will proceed to execute a co-investment agreement contract with the MDA. Please also note that the project should be implemented within the time period specified in the contract.

Claim Procedure

The co-investment monies will be disbursed to the applicant on a milestone basis. Applicants must submit to the MDA an electronic invoice, along with the respective deliverables at each drawdown date. At the end of the project, the applicant must also submit an audited financial statement for verification. Please see the following details regarding this:

  • A drawdown schedule will be formulated, detailing how the co-investment monies are disbursed from milestone to milestone
  • As a prerequisite for each drawdown, the MDA must be satisfied with the respective deliverables to be submitted by the applicant
  • The final drawdown can only be made after MDA’s acceptance of the final deliverables, which includes verification of the audited statement by the MDA

Termination of Project

In the event that the applicant decides to terminate its project, the applicant will have to compensate the MDA by returning the entire sum that had been drawn hitherto.

Administrative Procedures

The processing time for each application is 6 to 8 weeks upon the MDA’s acceptance of (and full satisfaction with) the submission materials and a completed application form. Successful applicants will be notified for the eventual execution of a co-investment agreement with the MDA. Depending on the nature and length of the project, the applicant must submit the completed animated TV series to the MDA within the stipulated time frame. The MDA reserves the right to add, remove or modify any part of this document without any compensation to the applicant.

Click here to download the SCREEN (Animation) Application Guidelines.

Click here to download the SCREEN (Animation) Application Form.