Most of our productions are developed for a specific client or in close cooperation with a funding partner or end user. Even productions which are the result of our own creative ideas are usually funded prior to production, sometimes in close cooperation with editorial partners who will be involved in the distribution and use of the finished production.

Project development covers all the work involved in defining the production, the target audience and the budget up to and including the funding of the project. As most productions are produced according to a fixed-price contract, the project will be sufficiently well-defined so as to give a reliable production budget. During this phase the following aspects of the project will be defined -

• The subject, content and goals of the production

• The key participants and production team

• The locations and external people to be involved

• Any particular technical requirements

• The desired production style

• The proposed production period and deadline for completion

• The role of the client and funding partners

• The distribution strategy and media

• A plan for funding and implementation of the production

• The proposed form of contract

Depending on the amount of work involved, some projects will require funding for the project development phase, though for smaller projects this work may be undertaken by the producer and the client without funding. The goal of the project development phase is to arrive at the basis for a decision by the client or funding partner and the producer to enter into a production agreement and to proceed with production.