Timeline for decision making
At the Finnish Film Foundation, the process of handling and evaluating production support applications, preparing a support proposal, and publishing the support decisions takes approximately 10 weeks from the application deadline.
Here is a description of what happens at the Foundation during the different stages of the decision making process:
Week 1
Application deadline
Applications are assigned to Film Commissioners and the information is entered into the application system.
- The name of the Film Commissioner assigned to the application is added to the application’s information in about a week’s time from the application deadline.
- If a film has previously received support from the Foundation, the same Film Commissioner is assigned to the new application.
Weeks 2 – 5
Processing applications
Each Film Commissioner receives approx. 40 to 60 applications in a single application round, depending on the Film Commissioner.
- Support decision proposals for production support are prepared by Film Commissioners and other rapporteurs familiar with the application and the production process.
- If the application requires amendments during processing, the Film Commissioner or rapporteur will contact the applicant.
- We are not able to provide information about the support decision proposal while the application is being processed.
Weeks 6 – 7
Preparing the support decision proposal
A preparatory meeting and putting the support decision proposals together for the Finnish Film Foundation’s Managing Board.
- The preparatory meeting is attended by Film Commissioners, other support decisions rapporteurs, members of the Foundation staff named in the Foundation’s Rules of Procedure as well as the Foundation’s CEO.
- The purpose of the meeting is to ensure that a supported project complies with public funding criteria.
- The CEO’s role in the meeting is to ensure that the decision proposals are in line with the policies set out by the Foundation’s Managing Board before the Board make the final support decisions.
Week 8
Managing Board studies the support decision proposals
The Foundation’s Managing Board considers approximately 200 support decision proposals in one support round.
- The Board makes decisions on over 1 700 support applications every year in addition to their other duties.
- The Ministry of Education and Culture appoints 5 to 8 members to the Finnish Film Foundation’s Managing Board for a term lasting three calendar years.
Week 9
Support Decision Meeting
The Managing Board allocates Production Support based on the Film Commissioners’ proposals. Other support decisions are made based on proposals presented by the Foundation’s CEO.
- After the Support Decision Meeting, all information regarding the support decisions is entered by hand into the Application System.
- A Decision Letter is generated for each application and the letters are signed.
Week 10
Support decisions are made public
Once the support decisions have been processed and ready, an email notification is sent to the email address provided by the applicant.
- The Support Decisions are made public to all applicants at the same time, as soon as they have been input into the Application System and the Decision Letters have been signed.
- The decisions are made public by the date announced in the Grant Announcement.
- The applicant may inquire about the grounds for the decision from the Film Commissioner.
- The next support application round is opened as soon as possible once the decisions have been made public to the applicants.
- There are only 2 to 3 weeks between the support decision meeting and the deadline for the next application round, excluding the summer break.