Pobídky pro filmovou a televizní produkci v Česku budou přerušeny, protože finanční prostředky již nestačí. Tato situace byla způsobena nečekaným nárůstem produkce pro VOD platformy a streamovací služby, které nebyly zohledněny při tvorbě zákona o pobídkách.
Pobídky byly zavedeny v roce 2010 s cílem posílit konkurenceschopnost českého filmového průmyslu v mezinárodním měřítku. Poskytují vratku ve výši až 20 procent z uznatelných nákladů utracených při audiovizuální produkci v České republice. Vratka je vyplácena žadatelům po ukončení produkce.
Podle propočtů ředitelky Státního fondu kinematografie, Heleny Bezděk Fraňkové, by zahraniční produkce mohla vyčerpat pobídky za dalších 800 milionů korun. Proto byl navržen nový zákon, který umožňuje přerušit příjem žádostí a postupně alokovat finanční prostředky. Žadatelé však budou muset čekat déle na vyplacení pobídky.
Bezděk Fraňková uznává, že to může vadit menším nezávislým produkcím, ale tvrdí, že jiná varianta neexistuje. Buď bude zavřeno a nebude žádná podpora, nebo bude otevřeno s delší čekací lhůtou.
Šéf Asociace producentů v audiovizi, Vratislav Šlajer, v létě vyjádřil obavy, že pozastavení pobídek může poškodit důvěryhodnost Česka. Bezděk Fraňková však doufá, že dobré jméno zůstane zachováno, protože Česko bylo v minulosti považováno za spolehlivého a rychlého poskytovatele pobídek.
Filmaři si na Česku nejvíce cení míry kreativity a zajímavých lokací. Také je zde sranda, kterou nemají všude. Navíc Česko nabízí čtyři roční období, což je pro některé producenty zajímavé.
Novela zákona o pobídkách je v současné době připravována ve spolupráci s ministerstvem kultury. Jejím cílem je vyřešit problém nedostatku finančních prostředků a zajistit udržitelnost pobídek pro filmovou a televizní produkci v Česku.Czech Republic Offers Incentives to Boost Film and Television Production
Since 2010, the Czech Republic has been offering incentives to film and television productions. The aim of introducing these incentives was to restore the competitiveness of the Czech film industry on an international scale. The incentives apply to both Czech and foreign productions filmed in the Czech Republic. They take the form of a refund of up to 20 percent of eligible expenses incurred during audiovisual production. The refund is paid directly by the state to the applicants after the completion of the production. “It’s not a subsidy,” warns Helena Bezděk Fraňková, director of the State Cinematography Fund, in response to a common argument from opponents.
According to her calculations, foreign productions would be able to exhaust the incentives by an additional 800 million Czech crowns. Will the situation from the beginning of this year be repeated in January? “No, let’s say it step by step. The law is currently written in such a way that when the financial resources are clearly insufficient, the director of the Fund must stop accepting applications,” she explains.
“When the law was being written, there were no VOD platforms, no Netflix. Therefore, it was not expected that the volume of production would increase so sharply. That the production for cinemas would be supplemented by production for these platforms. The law that we wrote in 2013 and then amended in 2015 no longer corresponds to the current situation. I feel something we call legislative grief. We keep opening and closing the incentives,” she describes.
A new amendment is on the way: “We have now agreed to cooperate with the Ministry of Culture and have produced an amendment that allows us to temporarily suspend the process. So we will still be open, but the money will be allocated gradually. Only the applicant will have to wait a little longer for the incentive.”
When asked if this will bother foreign productions, Helena Bezděk Fraňková responds, ”Better than being closed. There is certainly some risk involved. It will probably bother smaller independent productions more than the big streaming services, which can manage their cash flow better. We’ll see what happens, but there is no other
What measures are being taken by the Czech government to address the issue of insufficient financial resources and ensure the sustainability of incentives for film and television production in the country
Nt of eligible expenses incurred during audiovisual production in the country. The refund is paid to applicants after the completion of the production.
However, the current financial resources allocated for these incentives are no longer sufficient to meet the demands. This situation has been caused by an unexpected increase in production for VOD platforms and streaming services, which were not taken into account when formulating the incentive law.
According to calculations by Helena Bezděk Fraňková, the director of the Czech State Cinematography Fund, foreign productions could exhaust the incentives by another 800 million Czech crowns. As a result, a new law has been proposed to suspend the acceptance of new applications and gradually allocate the financial resources. However, applicants will have to wait longer to receive their incentives.
Bezděk Fraňková acknowledges that this may be detrimental to smaller independent productions, but she argues that there is no other alternative. Either there will be no support at all, or support will be available with a longer waiting period.
Vratislav Šlajer, the head of the Association of Producers in Audiovisuals, expressed concerns during the summer that the suspension of incentives could damage the credibility of the Czech Republic. However, Bezděk Fraňková hopes that the country’s good reputation will remain intact, as it has been regarded as a reliable and fast provider of incentives in the past.
Filmmakers greatly appreciate the level of creativity and interesting locations in the Czech Republic. There is also a unique sense of humor that is not found everywhere. Additionally, the country offers four distinct seasons, which is appealing to some producers.
A new amendment to the incentive law is currently being prepared in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture. Its goal is to address the issue of insufficient financial resources and ensure the sustainability of incentives for film and television production in the Czech Republic.
