Creative Europe MEDIA CALLS are a corner stone for the internationalization and sustainability of audio-visual companies. How to face the challenge of applying? Taking the experience of previous years as a starting point, both Oficina MEDIA España and The Film Agency organized an encounter to shed light on this question.

The CEO of The Film Agency, Sarah Calderón, provided some useful tips and tools to avoid the most common mistakes when presenting the required documents. Here is a wrap-up!

1. Empathize with the Creative Europe Agenda and readers. In Media, it’s a priority to ensure the circulation of international contents in different territories… But not at any price. A digital, green and inclusive agenda is crucial: Take the lead and give arguments that make it clear that your project is more international, green and inclusive than the others.

2. Every point counts: avoid falling into the grey zone. In Media, the 100 points given to proposals are distributed in different sections. Try to reach the highest mark in each and all of them. The average won’t drag you to a good score. In other words: not a single paragraph should be too short or poorly developed.

3. Professionalize the areas you don’t control. You don’t have to cover in-house all the aspects required to go through a project, but it’s vital to identify when and where synergies are needed. In MEDIA, generating synergies with other independent groups and organizations from other countries is highly welcome.

4. Hone your vision when it’s time to do the final check. Spelling mistakes or poor writing will prevent you from transmitting a competitive and professional message. Make sure you reread the dossier, ask a third person to look through it, and search for a proof-reader or English translator,

5. If you contact your Media Desk ahead of time, they will be able to help you. Find the time and make the effort to properly identify the questions you have, showing some sections and asking for rereads. Their strategic advice makes the difference!

6. Use data and information sources to create your dossier. MEDIA appreciates a factual and argumentative narrative. Therefore, it is highly recommended to lean on data sources and argue your purpose and goals based on facts.

7. Avoid wishful thinking. To MEDIA, understanding why they should trust you to guarantee funds are distributed in the best way possible is crucial. Expressions like “We hope” our “Our aim” won’t help you. Instead, use data, facts, plans and concrete information.

8. Take care of every detail with regard to the presentation of projects and the enterprise. MEDIA will only invest in quality projects, managed by enterprises that build trust and care about what they do. Every detail and corporate image, including the web, must be visually clear, neat and precise.

9. If you are small, give the impression you are the future of the Audio-visual industry. There is no doubt MEDIA invests in small enterprises… But only when they have the certainty that they are a safe bet. Always strive for innovation, show you are even more prepared than those who are bigger than you.

10. Last, but not least: Search for the approval of quality International and European seals. MEDIA will appreciate that you are supported by professional training programs, bigger co-producers, local funds, training programmes or festivals. If you want to make sure you achieve this purpose, start working on it as soon as possible.

Were these tips useful? Share this post on social media! If you want to find out more, don’t miss the complete session recording on the Oficina MEDIA España channel.