Information session
Video Games & Immersive Content
Development
10 January 2023
This info session will be recorded using WebEx for the purpose
of publication on EACEA’s website. Only the presentations will
be recorded: the Q&A sections will not be recorded
Please refer to the Data Protection Notice of the event for more
information
Video games &
immersive
content
development
Info session
10 January 2023
European Education and Culture
Executive Agency
2023 Call for proposals
1. Introduction: Policy context
2. Objectives and eligibility criteria
3. Q&A
BREAK
4. Assessment of proposals
5. How to apply – common errors
6. Q&A
Agenda
MEDIA: Cross-cutting priorities
EU Green Deal
A more sustainable and
environmentally-
respectful industry
EU Gender Equality
Strategy
Gender-balance,
inclusion, diversity and
representativeness
Content cluster
European (mini-)slate
development
European co-development
Video games and immersive
content development
TV and online content
Development Production
Increase capacity of
producers to
develop projects
with potential for
wide circulation
Foster competitiveness
of European
independent
production companies
and increase their
economic weight on
the market
Support cooperation
among production
companies from
different MEDIA
countries
Support the
development/production
of high quality
European works with
wide cross-border
exploitation potential
Strengthen the
independence of
producers in relation
to broadcasters and
digital platforms
Originality
Innovation
Commercial ambition
Video games and immersive content
development
”An entire generation of talented people - engineers, artists, scriptwriters, musicians,
programmers - have been busy creating a whole new art form for us. The name of this new
game is interactivity.” Ralf H. Baer
• Increase the capacity of European video game (VG) producers,
XR studios and audiovisual production companies to develop VG
and interactive immersive experiences (IE) with the potential to
reach global audiences
• Improve the competiveness of the European VG industry and
other companies producing interactive immersive content in
European and international markets by enabling the retention of
intellectual property by European developers
Objectives
Video games and immersive content development
Context
Video games and immersive content development
• Development of a single VG or interactive IE project with
• narrative storytelling
• original content and/or quality gameplay
• high level of originality and innovative and creative value
• high level of commercial ambition: physical and digital
distribution, location-based entertainment
• extensive cross-border potential
Funded activities
Video games and immersive content development
Funded activities
Video games and immersive content development
• Deadline: 1 March 2023
• Results: August 2023
• Budget: 6M EUR
Timetable and budget
Video games and immersive content development
Eligible participants
• European
• Video game, XR studios or audiovisual production companies
• Able to demonstrate recent experience in producing commercially
distributed works
Video games and immersive content development
• Only applications by single applicants (i.e. mono-beneficiary, affiliated
entities allowed if needed)
• Only one application as applicant (i.e. coordinator) for either Video
Games/Immersive Content, Slate, Mini-slate or Co-development (can be
partner in co-development)
• European: established in one of the MEDIA countries
• and owned directly or indirectly, wholly or by majority participation, by
nationals from MEDIA countries
• for publicly listed companies: location of the stock exchange determines
the nationality
•
Eligible participants
Company profile Main objective and activity
Video game production companies Video game production, (entertainment) software
development
XR studios VR, AR or MR content production
Audiovisual production companies Audiovisual production
Video games and immersive content development
Publishing companies are NOT eligible
• Applicant must demonstrate recent experience in producing at
least one work fulfilling the following conditions:
a VG or IE (interactive or not) – no longer needs to be narrative and
can also be a type of work that is ineligible for funding!
commercially distributed (i.e. generated income) in the period between
01/01/2020 and the deadline
not produced as work-for-hire for another company
not produced by another company, even if a member of the applicant
company has a personal credit
not in early access (the production phase must be finished)
Eligible participants
Video games and immersive content development
• Previous work must be detailed in the MEDIA Database (just as
the submitted work)
• If the previous work is ineligible or not encoded = application is
ineligible (i.e. no other works will be considered)
• The information provided in the MEDIA Database must be
CORRECT and PROOF must be available upon request
(consequences in case of false/incorrect statements – see
exclusion)
Eligible participants
Video games and immersive content development
• Development of a single work or prototype
• Narrative VG or interactive narrative IE: the story must be told
throughout the VG or IE, and not only as an introduction or an
ending
• Development = phase starting from the first idea until the
production of the first playable prototype or first trial version,
whichever comes first
• Entry into production (i.e. as soon as the first playable/first trial
is available): min. 10 months after deadline
Eligible activities
Video games and immersive content development
Eligible activities
Video games and immersive content development
• The work must be intended for commercial exploitation
• The applicant must own the majority of rights (incl. rights of
adaptation if relevant) to the project through a signed contract
• Ineligible projects:
• Puzzle games, memory games, sports games, racing games, running games,
rhythm/singing/dancing games, social games, quiz games, party games, versus-fighting
games, word and spelling games, number games, mind games, even if they have a
narrative element
• Projects where professional education, training or therapy is the main objective
• Multimedia art projects and installations
• Immersive tours, events, music videos and immersive experiences used in retail
Eligible activities
Video games and immersive content development
• Works of a promotional nature being part of a promotional campaign or advertising for a
specific, destination (tourism), product and/or brand and institutional productions to
promote a specific organisation or its activities
• Projects including pornographic or racist material or advocating violence
• Platforms for games or interactive experiences and websites being, or dedicated
specifically to, social platforms, social networking, internet forums, blogs or similar
activities
• Tools and software services aimed solely at technological development and/or used
solely for further developing already existing game or interactive experience concepts
• Reference works (encyclopedias, atlases, catalogues, databases and similar),“how-to”
works (instructional guides, manuals and similar) and (interactive) e-books
• Information or purely transactional services
Eligible activities
Video games and immersive content development
Eligible activities
Video games and immersive content development
• Customised lump sum: output-based lump sum established
after applying a max. 50% co-financing rate to a verified and
approved detailed budget
• Max. EU grant : EUR 150 000
• Pre-financing: 70% if financial capacity is good
Financing
Video games and immersive content development
• Estimated budget:
• All costs must be incurred by the applicant
• All costs must be incurred during the eligibility period of the
action
• Duration action: normally not more than 36 months (extensions
possible if justified and requested through an amendment)
• Start of the action:
• Default: after signature of the Grant Agreement
• Retroactivity to date of submission with justification + approval
Financing
Video games and immersive content development
Q&A
STRETCH YOUR LEGS …
TAKE A CUP OF COFFEE …
BACK IN …
How are proposals assessed?
How are the proposals assessed?
ADMISSIBILITY
CRITERIA
‣ Submission
requirements
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
‣ Eligible participants
‣ Eligible activities
FINANCIAL AND
OPERATIONAL
CAPACITY AND
EXCLUSION
‣ Expertise and
solvency
‣ Situations of
exclusion
(eg bankruptcy)
AWARD CRITERIA
‣ Evaluation of the
quality of the
proposal
Video games and immersive content development
• Submit before the deadline (No late submissions)
• BUT: you can resubmit revised versions up till the deadline
• Submit electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic
Submission System (No applications by email/on paper)
• Submit using the templates provided in the Submission System (Not the
templates on the topic page -> for info only)
• Submission only possible when complete (all mandatory parts and
mandatory annexes)
• Respect the page limitations (Part B max. 70 pages – does not include the
other annexes)
Admissibility criteria
Video games and immersive content development
• Financial capacity: have stable and sufficient resources to
implement the project and contribute their share
• Based on annual accounts (to be uploaded in Participant Portal in case of
selection)
• Operational capacity: have the know-how, qualifications and
resources to implement the project
• evaluated based on ‘project management’ criterion
Financial and operational capacity
Video games and immersive content development
Exclusion - declaration
Amongst others: if the applicants
misrepresented information
required as a condition for
participating or failed to supply
that information
Exclusion criteria are based on a
declaration in Part A of the
application.
Read each declaration carefully
Video games and immersive content development
• Common structure
1. Relevance (35 points)
2. Quality of content and activities (25 points)
3. Project management (20 points)
4. Dissemination (20 points)
• Overall threshold: 70/100
Award criteria
Video games and immersive content development
Consult breakdown of the criteria in the Call
and keep all elements in mind when
preparing your application
1. Relevance (35 points)
a) Originality and creativity of the concept against existing
work, including originality of the story (10 points)
b) Level of innovation: “cutting edge” technique and content,
such as use of new or latest technologies or platforms,
innovation in gameplay, level of immersion and interactivity,
innovation in visual/graphic approach, innovative use of
cinematography and viewing (15 points)
Award criteria
Video games and immersive content development
1. Relevance (35 points)
c) Adequacy of the strategies presented to ensure a more
sustainable and environmentally-respectful industry (5
points)
d) Adequacy of the strategies to ensure gender balance,
inclusion, diversity and representativeness, either in the
project/content or in the way of managing the activity (5
points)
Award criteria
Video games and immersive content development
2. Quality of content and activities (25 points)
a) Quality of storyteling
b) Quality of visual approach (e.g. artwork, mock-ups, sketches,
mood boards)
c) Quality of the graphic and sound design
d) Accessibility measures for users with disabilities and other
impairments
Award criteria
Video games and immersive content development
2. Quality of content and activities (25 points)
e) For non-immersive video games:
Quality and originality of the gameplay
Integration between gameplay and storytelling
Quality of the level and character design
f) For interactive immersive video games and experiences:
Quality of the immersive experience
Level and quality of interactivity
Award criteria
Video games and immersive content development
3. Project management (20 points)
a) Adequacy of the development strategy (10 points)
Adequacy of the development plan, schedule, development
budget and foreseen partnerships to the needs of the project
b) Adequacy of the financing strategy and feasibility
potential of the project (10 points)
Award criteria
Video games and immersive content development
4. Dissemination (20 points)
a) Potential for European/international exploitation and
distribution (10 points)
b) The marketing strategy allowing to reach audiences at an
early stage (10 points)
Award criteria
Video games and immersive content development
How to apply?
• Any application must consist of:
• Part A: Administrative information (but also duration and max. EU grant)
• Part B: ‘Technical’ description of the project (information that allows to
assess the award criteria) + definition of work packages and deliverables
• Part C: KPI-related data linked to the applicant
• PDF with information about film(s)/work(s) to be generated via the MEDIA
Database: data related to the previous work(s) and works submitted for
funding
• Mandatory annexes (downloaded together with Part B)
How to apply
Video games and immersive content development
• Mandatory annexes:
Detailed budget table (mandatory template)
Creative dossier (description of gameplay, information on GUI/HUD,
level and character design, pictures, grahpic bible, script, storyboard,
creative director’s note, etc.)
Proof of ownership of rights (and rights of adaptation) for the project
Supporting documents of co-production, distribution and financing
Information on independence and ownership and control: breakdown of
shareholding of the company (mandatory template)
How to apply
Video games and immersive content development
• Part B: A correct definition of work packages and deliverables are
crucial elements in order to obtain the full EU grant
• Work package structure (mandatory, use these exact names):
• WP1: Artistic development (narrative part, characters, graphic
approach, etc.)
• WP 2: Technical development (GUI, HUD, etc.)
• WP 3: Financing, distribution and marketing activities
How to apply
Video games and immersive content development
• Deliverables:
• Will need to be submitted during the lifetime of the project
• Be realistic: reduction of EU grant in case of partial
implementation (request amendment if needed)
How to apply
Video games and immersive content development
• Minimum mandatory deliverables (use these names!):
• WP 1: Updated creative development (treatment, script,
bible, game design document)
• WP 1 and/or WP2: Update on key crew/casting
• WP 2: Link to prototype / trial version / trailer / teaser if
produced
• WP 3: Updated financing/budget and production schedules
• WP 3: Updated distribution and marketing strategies
• Interoperable standard identifier
How to apply
Video games and immersive content development
• Acronym and short summary (to be encoded when starting the
application)
• Acronym: helpful if it refers to the company/project (i.e. not
VG2023 for example)
• Short summary (abstract): must deal with objectives, activities,
type and number of persons benefiting from the project,
expected results, type and number of outputs to be produced.
Do not include confidential info. The synopsis of the
project goes in the MEDIA Database
Common mistakes in submission system
Video games and immersive content development
• Budget (EU grant requested) incorrectly encoded in Part A
• Entire production budget instead of EU grant requested
• Different amounts than in the budget
• Zero(s) too much or too little (e.g. 10M instead of 1M)
Common mistakes in Part A
=
• Max. grant amount and max. co-financing rate incorrectly encoded in
‘Instructions’ sheets incorrect calculation of the max. EU contribution in
the ‘Proposal Budget’ sheet incorrect requested EU grant !!!!
• Do not forget to break the type of employees down
Common mistakes in estimated budget
Max. grant amount = EUR 150.000 Max.
Co-financing rate = 50%
• Encode applicants correctly and click on apply changes!
• Encode work packages correctly and click on apply changes!
Common mistakes in estimated budget
Work packages in Part B
Partnership in Part A
Only encode eligible costs! (≠ entire production budget)
Eligible costs:
1. Actually incurred by the beneficiary(-ies) and not by third parties
2. Incurred during the eligibility period of the action (not before, not after)
3. Declared under one of the eligible cost categories
4. Incurred in connection with the action and necessary for its implementation
5. Identifiable and verifiable (i.e. recorded in the beneficiary’s accounts)
6. Comply with national law on taxes, labour and social security
7. Reasonable, justified and comply with the principle of sound financial
management
Common mistakes in estimated budget
Ineligible costs – most relevant examples:
- Costs incurred before/after the eligibility period
- Costs for ineligible activities
- In-kind contributions: e.g. deferrals
- Financial support to third parties
- Costs for loans
- Deductible or refundable VAT
- Costs covered by the flat rate for indirect costs: office rent, electricity,
telephone, postage, copies, internet, etc.
Common errors in estimated budget
Encode staff costs under the correct categories:
- Employees: personnel working for the applicant under an employment
contract (or equivalent appointing act) and assigned to the action.
- Natural persons under direct contract: persons working with the applicant
under a contract other than an employment contract but assigned to the
action. These « in-house consultants » should work under similar conditions
than those of an employee concerning tasks, premises, results and salaries.
- Seconded persons: natural persons employed by a third party against
payment but temporarily assigned to work on the action proposed in the
application, and this for an organisation (i.e. the applicant) that is not theur
current employer. The applicant must reimburse the actual costs incurred by
the third party (not with profit).
Common errors in estimated budget
- SME owners (and natural person beneficiaries): SME owners that work on
the action without receiving a salary. You need to estimate the number of
days and units that the person will work on the action and apply unit costs
established in Decision C(2020) 7115 and set out in Annex 2a. Note that you
need to keep proof of the number of units declared.
- Volunteer costs: not eligible
In case of doubt, consult the Annotated Grant Agreement:
https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-
2027/common/guidance/aga_en.pdf
Common errors in estimated budget
Provide explanations on units and grouped costs in the ‘Any comments’ tab of
the budget
Particularly important for:
- Subcontracting costs (must also correspond with info detailed in PART B)
- Equipment if not depreciated (if depreciated, detail to be provided in tab ‘Depreciation
Costs’). Equipment should – as a rule of thumb – be depreciated!
- Production costs and technical costs of prototyping
- Other
Common errors in estimated budget
• Do not forget to fill in the Requested EU Grant Amount and make sure that
it corresponds to the budget in Part A
Common mistakes in estimated budget
Amounts in Part A
• Use the template!!! (goes for all mandatory templates)
• Do NOT put it in another format
• Do NOT add other types of documents such as CVs
• Do NOT leave mandatory sections blank (no info = 0)
• Provide information in the correct section
• Ensure that the info is coherent with the rest of the documents in
the application
• Ensure that it is readable
Common errors in Part B
• First encode the applicant company (i.e. not natural persons) in
the ‘Instructions’ sheet, and – if any – the affiliated entity (must
respect eligibility conditions!)
• Encode the entire shareholding of the company and make sure
that it is coherent!
• If the shareholder is a company Legal person
• If the shareholder is an individual Physical person
• Do not forget to encode the nationality, i.e. either country where
the company is registered or nationality of the physical person
Common errors in info on shareholding
• Main activity: only to be filled in for legal persons, i.e. companies!
• If the shareholder is a legal person, provide the full chain of
shareholding as requested, with all the necessary elements
(nationality!), until the level of physical persons (or stock market) is
reached
Common errors in info on shareholding
MAIN source of requests for additional information
Enormous workload which is easily avoidable
• Do not forget to encode the work(s) in the MEDIA Database –
may render the application ineligible
• Do not forget to upload the PDF generated from the MEDIA
Database in the application
• Do not forget to complete Part C (and detail the languages used
in the application correctly
)
• Make sure to upload the annexes in the right slot!!!
• Make sure to upload the annexes in the right slot!!!
Frequent errors in applications - Other
If not all mandatory documents are there, the
application can be considered inadmissible
• Do not add documents that are not requested
• Do not use old templates
• Submit on time!
Frequent errors in applications - Other
The better applications are structured, the quicker the
evaluation, the quicker the decision!
Q&A
Content questions?
Creative Europe desks:
https://ec.europa.eu/culture/resources/creative-europe-desks
EACEA functional mailbox:
EACEA-MEDIA-DEVV[email protected]
Technical (IT) questions?
IT related individual questions regarding the Portal Submission
System: https
://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-
tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/helpdesks/contact-
form
F&TP support section: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-
tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/support
Thank you
© European Union 2021
Unless otherwise noted the reuse of this presentation is authorised under the CC BY 4.0
license. For any use or reproduction of elements that are
not owned by the EU, permission may need to be sought directly from the respective right holders.
Slide 7, source: pixabay.com
