• As a general rule, the applicant must be organized as a limited liability company and have its headquarter in Vestland or Møre and Romsdal counties.

• To apply for production support, the applicant must have a limited liability company.

• The company must have audiovisual production as its main purpose.

• The company cannot have the public as its main owner, or have significant commercial ties to the project's primary distribution platform.

Exception:

• Companies that are not registered within the Western Norway Film Fund's geographical area may, in special cases, be considered for support based on the project's use of regional film talent and film resources.

• Documentaries and documentary series can apply.

• For applications for development funding, the following applies:

  • A development project is an independent project that must be budgeted and described independently of production.

  • We can provide development support for a documentary in several installments. We emphasize the further possibilities for full financing and implementation of the project.

  • When assessing second- and, exceptionally, third-time development support, we place particular emphasis on the project's market strategy and distribution platforms.

• The project must meet 3 out of 4 requirements in the culture test, cf. forskrift om tilskudd til audiovisuell produksjon:

  • The script or literary source material are originally written in Norwegian or Sami.

  • The main theme is linked to Norwegian history, culture or society.

  • The story takes place in Norway or another EEA country.

  • The work has a significant contribution from authors or performers resident in Norway or another EEA country.

• The following requirements apply to development applications:

  • Project description with a defined problem and goal description.

  • Idea sketch, synopsis or treatment.

  • Budget.

  • Financing plan.

  • Progress plan.

  • CVs for key personell.

  • The applicant must be able to document that the necessary rights to carry out the project exist.

  • Name of registered accountant. For grants over NOK 200,000, we must have the name of a state-authorized public accountant.

• The following requirements apply to production applications:

  • Script or treatment.

  • Budget with approved chart of accounts for film. This can be found in the calculation form from the Norwegian Film Institute. [Link to calculation form]

  • Progress plan.

  • Director's note: The director's ambitions for the film's visual language and content.

  • Producer's note: How will the producer aim to get the film finished and out on the market?

  • Crew list, including CVs for key functions such as director, screenwriter and DoP.

  • Financing plan.

  • Liquidity plan specifying own financing.

  • Distribution plan.

  • Production plan specifying the project's assumed completion date.

  • For grants over NOK 200,000: Name of registered accountant. For grants over NOK 500,000: Name of state-authorized auditor.

• Applications for Western Norway Film Fund must be sent via RegPortal. We encourage everyone to familiarize themselves with RegPortal well in advance of the application deadline.

• You must first create an applicant profile on RegPortal with a bank ID. You then fill in and send your account for approval by Western Norway Film Fund.

• Once your account with RegPortal has been approved, you can go ahead and submit your application.

• In order to be approved as an applicant by Western Norway Film Fund, the CEO, or your company's contact person in the Brønnøysund register, must register on RegPortal.

• If several people are to use RegPortal from the same company, the CEO approves "her/his" people in the system.

• NB: You can submit the application while waiting for approval.

• Our production advisor registers and approves the applications and checks the formal requirements.

• The film consultant and production adviser then process the application, and may ask applicants for updates and/or meetings to clarify elements.

• During this period, the applicant can request a meeting with the film consultant.

• The film consultant then gives their assessment, and together with the CEO, they prepare a recommendation for the Western Norway Film Fund's Board of Directors.

• The board makes the final decision. All applicants are notified of the outcome, before we publish the decision on our website and in our newsletters.

• We provide grants based on a comprehensive assessment of artistic qualities, financial, technical and market considerations, with an emphasis on the former.

• We prioritize applications where key functions such as scriptwriting, directing and producer/production company are located in the region, and which otherwise provide good activity in the film field in the region.

• We prioritize within the framework and objectives set by our grant letters from the Ministry of Culture and the Norwegian Film Institute, and from our owners. Specific objectives will be announced on the Western Norway Film Fund's website. 

• We give additional considerations to talents and those seeking development and project support for the first time. We can thus prioritize projects that are considered to be talent-building.

• If your application is successful, you will receive information about payment and reporting in RegPortal.

• Updates and reporting must take place via RegPortal.

• Requests for grant payments must be sent as an EHF invoice.

• NB: You should not add VAT when requesting grant payments.

• Development support is paid in two installments. Installment 1 is 70% of the support amount, installment 2 is 30%.

• Accounts under NOK 200,000 are not subject to audit. In these cases, the accounts must be signed by the general manager of the company and the relevant manufacturer.

Decisions made by Western Norway Film Fund can be appealed in accordance with Forvaltningsloven. The deadline for appeal is 3 weeks from the time you were notified of the decision.

Vestnorsk Filmsenter's board is the first appeal body. The final appeal body is the Media Appeal Board (Medieklagenemda) .

The complaint must be in writing and include:

-Reference to the decision being appealed

-Reason for the complaint

-Changes that are desired

-Date and signature

Complaints are sent to Western Norway Film Fund's Board of Directors (post@vestnorskfilm.no). The Board can reverse the decision, cf. Forvaltningsloven Section 33. If the decision is upheld and the complaint is rejected, the board prepares the case and sends it to Medieklagenemda for further processing.