Who Can Apply? Eligibility Criteria
Who Can Apply?
The fund is designed to support post-production activity delivered by a post-production facility permanently based in Scotland.
We welcome applications from:
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must have an eligible screen project in an advanced stage of financing.
Projects should have either:
Productions that have already started principal photography or post-production may still apply if they meet the fund criteria. However, the fund cannot cover retrospective costs and post-production work must not have been originally planned for to take place in Scotland.
Fund restrictions
Project Post funding cannot be used in conjunction with any other Screen Scotland production funding including the Film Development and Production Fund , Broadcast Content Fund or the wider Production Growth Fund .
How much you can apply for and Scottish Spend Requirements
How much can I apply for?
The Post Project Fund has an annual budget of £1 million.
You can apply for a grant of between £5,000 and £100,000 to cover post-production costs for a project that will be completed wholly or partially in Scotland.
If partially in Scotland, the funding can only be used to contribute to post-production work undertaken in Scotland.
Scottish Spend Requirements
To be eligible, your project must meet the minimum Scottish Spend ratio of 5:1.
This means that for every £1 awarded, the production must spend at least £5 in Scotland.
For example, if you are applying for £100,000, your project must have a minimum Scottish Spend of £500,000 (excluding VAT).
Key fund information
Timescales - When to apply and decisions
When can I apply?
There are no deadlines for this fund and applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the budget has been fully allocated in each financial year.
You need to submit a full and complete application at least 12 weeks before your anticipated first day of post-production in Scotland.
How long will it take to get a decision?
Decisions will take up to 12 weeks from the date we receive your application form, and all the relevant information required to make a full assessment.
If you apply with less than 12 weeks before your anticipated first day of post-production in Scotland, your application may be deemed ineligible.
How to apply
Applications to the Project Post Fund should be made through the Application Form available below and submitted by email to [email protected]
As this fund is highly competitive, we strongly recommend speaking with Screen Scotland before applying. To request a call, please contact Screen Scotland – with Project Post Fund Call in the subject line – by emailing [email protected]
Before applying, all applicants must ensure they have read these fund guidelines and the application form in full.
Ensure you have read the information on who can and cannot apply, and ensure your project meet the eligibility criteria. Please pay particular attention to the Essential Documents required.
If you cannot access the internet to make an application, or need additional support, contact our Enquiries Service by emailing: [email protected]
Essential Production Documents
In addition to the application form, you must provide the following supporting materials:
Applicants are also encouraged to include a plan outlining inclusive training and crew development opportunities within the production - see guidance in Appendix A .
What criteria will we use to assess your application?
To be considered for funding, your project:
Must be in an advanced stage of financing or set to begin principal photography within 12 weeks of funding approval.
Productions that have already started principal photography or post-production may still apply if they meet the fund criteria. However, the fund cannot cover retrospective costs and post-production work must not have been originally planned for to take place in Scotland.
If eligible, applications will be assessed on the following:
Delivering on other career development initiatives
Scottish Spend: Applications will be prioritised if they demonstrate a higher estimated Scottish Spend ratio than the required 5:1.
Industry Growth: Projects that contribute to the sustainable development of Scotland’s production infrastructure will be prioritised.
If you have any questions about the fund, its processes or eligibility criteria that are not addressed in this guidance, please email Screen Scotland with information on your project: [email protected]
Supporting Materials: Strategic Priorities
Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
Screen Scotland expects EDI principles to be embedded both in your public activity and working practices. True representation both on and off screen is vital for the sustainability and equity of the screen sector.
Inclusion is about creating opportunities for people to work in, engage with, participate in, and experience arts and creativity throughout the country.
Your application will be stronger if it actively supports and embeds EDI.
We will assess how projects:
Demonstrate commitment to and consideration of EDI throughout development, planning and delivery of activity, including within the key staff, production team and crew.
EDI Action Plan
If your production is funded, you must submit an Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan detailing how your production will be accessible and inclusive within the Scottish screen sector.
Creative Scotland offer a toolkit to support the development of an EDI Action Plan which contains valuable guidance for organisations.
BFI Diversity Standards
The BFI Diversity Standards are a framework designed to improve representation and equality in the Screen Industry. Screen Scotland has adopted these standards, ensuring more diversity and inclusion in Scotland’s screen sector.
The standards are a requirement for some of our funding programmes. While applying to the BFI Diversity Standards it is not a requirement of the Project Post Fund, we recommend looking at the Scotland-specific criteria when developing your application.
For more information, visit Screen Scotland’s website .
Additional resources
Environmental Sustainability
Screen Scotland have a statutory obligation to respond to the causes and impact of climate change which is embodied by our Environmental Sustainability Strategic Priority and our Climate Emergency and Sustainability Plan .
Your application should:
Fair Work
We expect fair pay, respect, and opportunity for all workers in your project. Fair Work is defined in line with Scottish Government’s Fair Work First guidance.
Your application should show:
Fair Work applied to everyone you work with, including all staff, freelancers, consultants etc. Fair Work principles can also be extended to partners and participants, depending on the scope of your project.
How Effective Voice operates in your organisation and this production, including how you provide channels for workers to speak individually and collectively, the right to be heard for the purpose of open, constructive dialogue and routes such as trade union recognition.
You will be asked to confirm that you pay at least the Real Living Wage to employees and that your team have Effective Voice. Learn more about Creative Scotland’s approach to Fair Work .
International
International relationships are a key aspect to the growth of the Scottish screen industry.
This fund is designed to attract inward investment and understanding activities that will:
Learn more about Creative Scotland’s approach to International .
Decision Making Process
Stage 1: Submission and Initial Checks
If incomplete, you’ll be given a short time to provide the missing information. If you don’t supply this, your application will not be assessed, and you’ll be notified by email.
Stage 2: Assessment
Stage 3: Recommendation
Stage 4: Decision
If successful, you will receive:
An award letter with grant conditions (if applicable)
A Funding Agreement outlining the terms of your award
Details of any conditions that must be met before funding is released (e.g. proof of additional funding, insurance, or project milestones)
Recommendations to help you achieve your project goals (optional).
If unsuccessful, you will receive feedback and can request the full assessment.
Stage 5: Payment & Conditions
Funding instalments are agreed on a case-by-case basis.
However, full payment will only be made once Creative Scotland has received a signed Funding Agreement and the following:
Since funding is paid in instalments, you will need to arrange alternative funding to cover costs before receiving the full award.
Final Award Amount
Payment Schedule
First payment (typically 50% of the award) is made once:
Final payment is made after:
Please note, your award offer is valid for six months from the date of the award email. If the Funding Agreement is not signed within this time, the award may be withdrawn, and a new application will be required.
Legal and Financial Responsibilities
If these requirements are not met, Screen Scotland has the right to cancel or reduce the award.
Cost Report
The Cost Report is a detailed report that provides a breakdown of post-production cost, which must:
Stage 6: End of Project
For full Terms and Conditions of the funding, please visit our website . If you have any questions about your Funding Agreement, conditions, or recommendations, contact your assessing officer.
Data Protection and Complaints
Data Protection
Creative Scotland requires some personal information about you/your organisation to consider your application for funding. Without this information we will be unable to process your application.
If you would like to see a breakdown of the personal information we require, why it is required, what we do with that information and how long we keep it, please refer to our Privacy Notice on our website .
Creative Scotland may share your personal information with third parties to comply with the law and/or for our legitimate interests and/or the third parties concerned.
Where the personal information you have provided to Creative Scotland belongs to other individual(s), please refer to our Privacy Notice. Please ensure you share this Privacy Statement and Creative Scotland’s Privacy Notice with the respective individual(s).
You have some rights in relation to the personal information that Creative Scotland holds about you under data protection law. Our Privacy Notice contains information on how to exercise these rights, or you can contact our Data Protection Officer by emailing: [email protected]
If you have any concerns with how we have processed your personal information, you should contact our Data Protection Officer in the first instance, as we would welcome the opportunity to work with you to resolve any complaint. If you are still dissatisfied, you can submit a complaint to the Information Commissioners Office .
Complaints Procedure
As an organisation, we will always listen to and respond to any concerns that you may have. If you would like to make a complaint about either the service you have received from Creative Scotland or the way we have handled your application, we have a process that you can use.
Please note that Creative Scotland does not have an appeals process and for this reason, we are unable to accept complaints that relate solely to the decision we have made rather than how we have made it. For more information, please visit the Complaints section of our website .
Appendices
Appendix A: Training Plan
To strengthen your application, consider including a training and career development plan for Scotland-based crew.
This plan should be submitted with your application form and will form part of the assessment process. Once finalised, it will become part of the Funding Agreement, and you will be expected to deliver on it.
Training and Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) are a key part of all Screen Scotland’s work. Your plan should reflect these values and help develop skills within Scotland’s screen sector.
We recommend working with Scotland-based training providers to:
All trainees must be paid at least the Real Living Wage for all work and training undertaken.
Examples of proposed initiatives could include:
Industry Placements
Outreach
This list is not exhaustive, and we are open to any proposals you might have or bespoke plans that the production can provide.
Appendix B: Scottish Spend
Scottish Spend under Project Post refers to the money spent on services related to visual effects and post-production work in Scotland, employing Scotland-based crew only.
Eligible Spend:
Ineligible Spend:
Expenses essential to principal photography e.g. production insurance, production legal fees, equipment, crew fees associated with the prep and shooting period
Contingency costs, however, if these costs are spent in Scotland, they will count in your final cost report
To simplify the qualification and reporting criteria, Scottish Spend is defined as the total amount (excluding VAT) that Scotland-based post-production facility can invoice for services provided to a project.
For final reporting, proof of Scottish Spend must include:
Appendix C: Contracting
Applicants can use more than one Scotland based facility as long as each facility can provide an invoice for the work and is party to the Creative Scotland Funding Agreement.
For example, the production could apply and use services across multiple companies such as:
There is no limit to the number of post facilities that a production could use but they must be a Scotland based facility, be party to the Funding Agreement and issue an invoice to evidence the service provided to the production.
UK based applicants
Productions that qualify for UK Tax Relief will be contracted via the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) and Creative Scotland will pay the award instalments directly to the production bank account.
Non-UK based applicants
To mitigate against foreign exchange fluctuations, productions based outside the UK (e.g. North American Studio or Streamer etc.), Creative Scotland will pay its funding directly to the Scotland based facility who is party to the Funding Agreement.
Scenario A: Non-UK based applicant
If a US Studio applies for funding to use a range of Scotland based post-production facilities. e.g.:
Picture Post Facility
Sound Post Facility
VFX Facility
Creative Scotland would expect all three facilities to enter into a multiparty agreement along with the US Studio and Creative Scotland.
If the applicant received an award of £100k based on £500k (excluding VAT) of Scottish spend at the minimum qualifying ratio of 5:1 (i.e. 20%), then the US Studio would pay the Scotland based facilities 80% of their invoice directly and Creative Scotland would pay the remaining 20% directly to the Scotland based facility, once Creative Scotland has received evidence that 80% of the invoice had been paid.
Illustrative Example based on Scenario A
Scotland Based Facility
Final Invoice for services rendered by Post-Production Facility (£) (excluding VAT)
US Studio Contribution (£)
Creative Scotland Contribution (£)
Picture Post Facility
£250,000
£200,000
£50,000
Sound Post Facility
£200,000
£160,000
£40,000
VFX Facility
£50,000
£40,000
£10,000
Appendix D: Delivery Schedule
Project Post Delivery Materials
Please note, documents and digital files should be uploaded to Screen Scotland’s digital delivery platform. Please contact [email protected]
Physical deliverables should be posted recorded delivery to:
FAO Screen Deliverables, c/o Creative Scotland, Waverley Gate, 2-4 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3EG
A
Visual and Audio Materials
1
1 x Pro-Res File
Supplied as one of the following:
If the film has been produced in a foreign language the file shall incorporate dialogue subtitles in the English language.
2
1 x H264
B
Publicity Materials
1
Digital set of approved production stills (Min 6; Max 50), can include behind the scenes, any special stills publicity campaigns, a portrait of the director(s), producer(s), writer(s) and main talent.
Where possible, please supply files as uncompressed TIFFs, ideally 600ppi at true size (minimum 300ppi at true size). If TIFFs are not available, JPEGs should ideally be high-resolution uncompressed JPEG 2000s, 600ppi at true size (minimum 300ppi at true size).
Please also include a copy of the log sheet, labelled clearly to indicate name of film and who or what the still depicts. e.g. Film title - Still reference number – Individuals credited – Description
Any necessary rights credits, restrictions or proof of clearances should be supplied,
including studio rights, photographer rights, and approval rights of any individuals featured.
2
A brief publicity pack to include details such as biographies of Principal Cast, the Individual Producer, the director, the writer and key crew; brief synopsis of the project; any available feature stories and news releases.
A brief quote about the benefits of Project Post to the production.
C
Documentation
1
1 x copy of final approved front and end credit list as included in the final film.
2
Cost Report signed by company director, confirming Scottish Spend.
3
Completed Equalities Monitoring Form.
4
Evidence that there is an errors and omissions policy in place for the project.
D
Disability Access Materials (if available)
1
Written confirmation from a recognised authoring house of the creation of a subtitle file (to include dialogue and sound effects of the project suitable for use for captioning/subtitling purposes for the hearing impaired) and audio description track (for the visually impaired) in appropriate format for use in theatrical distribution.
and/or
Written confirmation from the studio, streamer or broadcaster that disability access materials will be created for the transmission of the programme.
