Funding bodies
Fund Goal
The MEDIA sub-programme of Creative Europe supports the EU film and audiovisual industries financially in the development, distribution and promotion of their work. It helps to launch projects with a European dimension and nurtures new technologies; it enables European films and audiovisual works including...
Fund Goal
To encourage co-operation between professionals working in different countries by providing financial support to European co-productions.
Fund Goal
The purpose of the World Cinema Fund (WCF) is to support films from regions which film cultures are endangered by political and or economic crises.
Fund Goal
The goals of the fund are to raise the artistic level of German films, to contribute to the promotion of German films with artistic merit and to promote the development of cinemas.
Fund Goal
The FFA's duties include enforcing measures to promote German cinema and to improve the structure of the German film industry, supporting the national economic affairs of the film industry in Germany, improving the foundations for the distribution and market-driven exploitation of the German cinema...
Fund Goal
German Films Service + Marketing GmbH is the national information and advisory center for the promotion of German films worldwide. It was established in 1954 under the name Export-Union of German Cinema as the umbrella association for the Association of German Feature Film Producers, the Association...
Fund Goal
Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein (FFHSH) is Germany's northernmost regional film funding institution. It contributes to developing and strengthening film culture and the film economy in the federal states of Hamburg, the harbour metropolis on the River Elbe, and Schleswig-Holstein, the state...
Fund Goal
The Medien- und Filmgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg (MFG) has been working to advance the region's film industry. The fund supports cinema and tv productions, script development, and distribution of games, documentaries, and animated films. In 2011 the MFG relaunched its digital content funding program...
Fund Goal
Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg (MBB) is the first stop for creative professionals active in the film and media industries in Berlin-Brandenburg. Its aim is to foster stronger industry-wide ties among its many companies and creative professionals, provide funding for media-related projects in the region...
Fund Goal
Founded in a1991 and with an annual funding volume of 35 million Euros, the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW is one of the most important funding institutions in Germany and Europe. Its mission is to boost film and media culture as well as the film and media industry in North Rhine-Westphalia. Its shareholders...
Fund Goal
Since 1996, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern is responsible for film funding in Bavaria. The FFF Bayern has the goal of developing the film funding system, both in terms of quality as well as quantity. Through this funding instrument, the production location of Bavaria can consolidate and further develop its...
Fund Goal
The Hessen Film and Media GmbH supports Hessian film, television and cinema culture, with the aim of developing, maintaining and strengthening the diversity of audiovisual culture and film industry in Hesse. The goal is cultural innovation and economic performance of the hessian film industry and...
Fund Goal
Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung (MDM) awards funding to promising film and media projects realised in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. Funding schemes are available for all phases, starting from idea development through to production and distribution.
Fund Goal
funding – networking – development! These terms essentially sum up the core activities of nordmedia. In its role as the central media sponsorship organisation for Lower Saxony and Bremen, nordmedia has shaped the consolidation and development of the media branch in both of these North German states...
Fund Goal
The DFFF (Deutscher Filmforderfonds ) aims at improving the frame conditions for the film industry, at preserving as well as enhancing the international competitiveness of film industry related companies, and at providing sustainable impulses for the film production location Germany as well as achieving...
Regulation
EU nationals do not require a visa to enter the Federal Republic of Germany. Non-EU nationals,generally speaking, all other foreigners require a visa for stays in Germany. A visa is not required for semi-annual visits of up to three months for nationals of those countries for which the European Community has abolished the visa requirement.
Information is available on: http://www.bund.de
A general shooting permit is required when filming on public roads and streets if any technical support, catering or camping vehicles are to be parked on or directly alongside public roads and streets (including sidewalks). This also applies to the setting up of spotlights, risers or camera rails. This general permit is prerequisite for all additional shooting permits. Proof of insurance and a declaration of exemption from liability need to be included with the application, along with information providing general applicant details (a downloadable version is available at www.bbfc.de). The application should be submitted at least 14 days prior to initial filming and is subject to additional regulations. The general shooting permit is granted for up to two years.
For importing and re-exporting professional equipment a Carnet A.T.A. is required. It is issued from the German Chambers of Commerce (IHK) for all companies and natural persons that are located in the region which the Chambers are responsible for. Instead of a Carnet ATA, a surety can be presented as a security for the imported goods. A customs guarantor licensed by the country is responsible for the surety. In this case, the import duties have to be deposited at the customs authorities in cash.
Standard VAT rate in Germany is 19% Reduced rate: 7% (Other tax information: http://www.bund.de) Germany VAT Recovery Time: 3-4 months
The author is the creator of his work, which enjoys copyright protection in accordance with the UrhG, §§ 7, 1, 2 UrhG. Accordingly, all work resulting from a personal intellectual activity is copyright protected. The „principle of non-transferability“ of full or divided authorship according to § 29 I UrhG is valid. Therefore, the creator of an original work can neither transfer his personal right as a creator nor the complete rights for the exploitation rights for the exploitation of his work to others. According to §§ 15 f. UrhG the author is the only one who is able to take advantage of the exploitation rights. If an author himself does not want to exploit his own work, it is possible to grant the rights of utilization to another person. In accordance with the regulation of § 29 II UrhG (referring to § 31 UrhG) the copyright itself cannot be transferred as long as the author is alive. However, the author can choose whether or not he wants to grant certain exploitation rights regarding his copyright protected work to another one. The authorized person purchases the warranty to utilize the work in the granted way, separated into several types of use.The right of use can be granted as a non-exclusive right or an exclusive right of use. It can be granted with restrictions on spacial and temporal usage or restrictions on the exploitation concerning the contents, § 31 I 2 UrhG. Germany has implemented the EU Copyright Directive 93/98/EEC.
Film Commissions
Potsdam
The Berlin Brandenburg Film Commission supplies information on behalf of the states of Berlin and Brandenburg about the region's production possibilities. It advises film and television productions on motifs and locations, liaisons between productions and location administrators and is active in the...
Stuttgart
The film commissions provide targeted consulting, as well as comprehensive information about shooting locations, permits, artistic and technical professionals, in addition to access to budding film talents in the region. The commissions assist film professionals in negotiating with regional service...
Munich
The Film Commission Bavaria offers comprehensive consulting and information services for the film and television industry. Complication-free access to every location - that is the goal of the Film Commission Bavaria, a member of the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI). It´s a contact...
Frankfurt / Main
Film Commission Hessen is a service agency of Hessische Filmförderung (Hessen Film Fund, HFF) that assists film production companies to prepare for production work in the region. That can include finding and making contact with locations and any necessary authorisation bodies. As part of this process,...
Düsseldorf
The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW is the financially strongest state funding agency in Germany. Among its shareholders are WDR and the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as ZDF, RTL and the state media authority the Landesanstalt für Medien. The goal of the company is the promotion of...
Hamburg
The Film Commission of Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein is the appropriate contact point for all issues revolving around film shoots. It supports film productions of all natures as a networking service and as a pool of information by offering concrete assistance and manifold services.
Stuttgart
The Film Commission Region Stuttgart offers individual consulting and detailed information on filming locations, filming permits as well as about artistic and technical professionals and young talents from the region. Whether it is a script or direction, production or camera, scenography, special effects,...
Leipzig
The MDM Film Commission team supports film productions in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. A special offer by the MDM Film Commission is the location search. Any recommendations made as part of this service are limited to publicly accessible locations. The MDM Film Commission strives to produce...
Hannover
Nordmedia - the Media Company for Niedersachsen/Bremen and their affiliate nordmedia Fonds were established to strengthen the media industry in Lower Saxony and Bremen. nordmedia Fonds is the central media promotion organisation in Niedersachsen and Bremen. It acts as motor for the development and as...
Saarbrücken
The extraordinary atmosphere of the region is due to the proximity to France (Lorraine) and Luxemburg. Short distances and a modern infrastructure make getting around and reaching different locations in Saarland as easy and comfortable as can be. As far as renting locations, securing accommodations,...
Hamburg
The Film Commission of Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein is the central information centre and network for the North German film industry. With offices in Hamburg and Kiel, one of its main tasks is to strengthen the shooting region of Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. The Film Commission offers...
