Advanced Development Fund

Projects applying to the Advanced Development Fund may receive a maximum of $150,000 (including any funds already received through the Early Development Fund or devolved development funds). You must have a director attached to your project to apply to the Advanced Development Fund. The identification of audience, packaging and the potential for marketing the film to that audience are particularly important at this stage.
 
Applications to the Advanced Development Fund can be submitted at any time and will be considered when two or more applications have been received. Projects applying to the Advanced Development Fund will be considered by the following
 
 
Graeme Mason                   Chief Executive
 
Marilyn Milgrom                  Head of Development
 
James Thompson                Head of Sales & Marketing
 
Two industry advisors (normally writer, director or producer with a produced feature credit)
 
Other development staff in attendance

Please read our FAQ for more information.

Application Checklist 
Please send the script (or treatment) in PDF format, and your application in Word or PDF format to jeremy@nzfilm.co.nz in two separate and complete documents. Please include the following in your application and read the notes below.
 
 
  • script
  • development funding cover sheet
  • cover letter
  • a one-page synopsis*
  • notes on directions for future development of the project from key team members relating to script, market, visualisation, packaging etc.
  • expanded notes on the target audience for the film, both local and international, and the proposed means of achieving that audience including, where appropriate, written evidence of both domestic distributor interest and overseas market interest
  • a statement about the genre of the film and further notes about the genre of the film in relation to this audience
  • a strongly articulated director’s vision for the final film
  • details about key personnel attached to the project including one-page CVs, and written expression of interest (not needed if the person has supplied notes).
  • a detailed advanced development budget and an updated cost report outlining project development expenditure to date
  • a preliminary production budget top-sheet
  • a preliminary production budget
  • a clear statement about the proposed financial structure for the film, and timetable to confirm this financing strategy
  • proposed development timetable
  • anticipated timetable for advancing the project into production, including plans for travel etc. associated with advanced development.
  • a breakdown of all development expenditure to date (where the project has previously received NZFC development finance or, in the case of a proposed co-production, money from another funding body)
  • font Times New Roman/Arial, font size 12


     Logline (as required on cover sheets)
    This is the story of the film distilled into one sentence (typically who the main character is, what they want, need or must do, and what will happen if they don’t get it or succeed in doing it). Please note that a logline is not a tagline, e.g. ‘In space no one can hear you scream’ is a tagline.
     
    One-page synopsis
    We suggest you write three paragraphs; please tell the whole story including spoilers. Note this is not a pitch document but a simple, clear record of what happens in the story.
     
    Script
    Please use standard industry screenplay formatting and make sure your script has a dated title page and numbered pages. See our FAQ for more information on scripts and formatting.
     
    Writer notes
    Development notes from the writer clearly identifying current script issues and outlining a proposed path forward to address them are an essential part of any application.
     
What you can include in your development budget

  •       writer fees
  •       script consultant fees
  •       producer fees (except for Writer Development Loans)
  •       workshop costs
  •       script assessments
  •       director fees*
  •       script-related research costs
  •       limited travel costs (e.g. where all team members do not live in the same city)
  •       legal costs
  •       extensions to rights costs
  •       direct script and project-related overheads e.g.: printing, couriers, phone etc
  •       storyboarding
  •       packaging, financing, marketing and other related professional consulting expenses
  •       preliminary casting location scouting costs
  •       preparation of budget and schedule
  •       travel essential to facilitate any of the above

Advanced Development Fund Criteria
  •       The availability of NZFC funds
  •       The quality of the basic idea as cinema
  •       The quality of the writing in the treatment/draft
  •       A strong script with theatrical potential
  •       Clarity about the intended audience for the film, both domestically and, if appropriate, internationally
  •       Clarity about the genre
  •       Compelling notes from the writer outlining their evaluation of the current draft, their intentions for the next and their strategy for achieving those intentions
  •       The talent and experience of the team involved
  •       A credible proposed budget in relation to the likely audience of the film
  •       The intrinsic New Zealand qualities of the project
  •       The possibility of key talent development through the development of the project
  •       The project’s distinctiveness and quality in comparison to other projects funded by the NZFC in development and production
  •       The degree of progress made since the previous application (if applicable)
As projects approach the $150,000 development funding cap, the following items will (alongside evaluation of the script and the team) carry more weight in the assessment of applications:
  •       The proposed strategy in relation to raising finance
  •       The proposed strategy in relation to marketing and distribution
  •       Proposed casting and attachment of key creatives
AppAplications and decision making process
  •       Upon receipt of a formal submission you will receive written confirmation of receipt and the approximate date of the meeting at which the project will be considered.
  •       A project previously rejected by the NZFC may only be resubmitted for funding consideration after it has been substantially reworked. Staff will advise applicants in these cases.
  •       NZFC staff are unable to provide any indication of the likelihood of success of applications for development or production financing prior to consideration before the appropriate committee.
  •       Decisions are made collectively by consensus. The meeting is chaired by the CEO.
  •       A NZFC staff member will contact the applicant directly as soon as possible (usually within 24 hours) after a funding decision has been made. A letter is also written conveying the substance of the decision, outlining any conditions attached to the development financing and, where appropriate, providing suggestions for the next stage of development. Applicants may then contact the development staff member named in the letter for any further discussion.
  •       Successful applicants are required to provide a written report on the progress of their project within six months of drawing down their funding.