Creative Europe MEDIA — Supporting high-quality audiovisual content

The support of the MEDIA programme focuses on actions with a strong European added value, encouraging cross-border cooperation among producers and content developers and stimulating innovation in terms of content. It does so through high quality storytelling, business models, use of technology by content companies and more.

The supporting actions in 2022 under the content cluster are:

• TV and online content to provide opportunities to independent producers to take the initiative and pursue their own original productions. Such opportunities are key to creative freedom and financial independence and MEDIA will reinforce the capacity of European independent producers to retain the IP rights and exploit them globally, thus reinforcing European brands. European cooperation will be encouraged.
• European slate development to incentivise production companies to build a portfolio of 3 to 5 works, thereby increasing creative options and favouring quality. This should also allow production companies to reduce risks and increase their capacity to attract and retain talents, ultimately promoting long-term growth strategies. Beneficiaries will also be encouraged to support emerging talents by producing a short film.
• Video games and immersive content development to increase the capacity of European video game producers, Extended Reality (XR) studios and audiovisual production companies to develop video games and interactive immersive experiences with the potential to reach global audiences, and to improve the competitiveness of the European video games industry.
• European  co-development  to enable scaling up of projects and allow producers from different countries to start working together at development phase, with an expected increase of the quality and market potential of the final works. Cooperation amongst producers from different territory sizes and linguistic areas will be encouraged, to contribute to a more level playing field, foster talent, wherever it comes from, thereby preserving and stimulating cultural diversity.
• European mini-slate development to respond to the specific need of producers from lower capacity countries to ensure increased investment in quality works. By encouraging a limited portfolio approach (2 to 3 works) this support takes into account the size and specificities of their markets by offering a pathway to scale up, develop business strategies, invest in creativity and increase production capacity.