Video Game Support Fund (FAJV)

This writing aid, intended exclusively for authors (i.e. individuals), is designed to support the development of all or part of a video game's design bible (commonly known as a game design document) presenting all the characteristics of the game to come: game mechanics, story elements, graphics bible, programming principles and other technical specifications.
This aid has several aims:

1. ACCESS TO HELP

Grants are awarded to the author or to several authors making up a creative team, in accordance with the distribution agreement included in the application file.

The author, or at least one of the authors, must provide proof of specific training in the field of video games, or significant experience in the creative team of a video game made available to the public, either for a fee or free of charge.

To be eligible for subsidies, authors must either be French nationals, or nationals of a Member State of the European Union, of another State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, of a State party to the Council of Europe's European Convention on Transfrontier Television, or of a third European State with which the Community or the European Union has concluded agreements relating to the audiovisual sector. Foreigners other than nationals of the above-mentioned European states, who hold a French resident card or equivalent document issued by a member state of the European Union or another state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, are treated in the same way as French citizens.

The author(s) must be the sole creator of the project they are submitting, hold all rights to it and be able to present it (e.g.: not have signed a contract transferring the rights to this work to a studio / producer / publisher, not have signed an exclusivity contract with a studio / producer / publisher, etc.).

2. ELIGIBLE PROJECTS

• The project must be an original work of creation specifically designed for a videogame experience.
• The project may be intended for one or more video game platforms.
• The project must be designed and written in French.

3. AWARD PROCEDURE

The application is submitted by the author or jointly by the authors who make up the creative team.
To receive support, the author(s) must submit an administrative and artistic file in accordance with the application form available for download.
Grants are awarded by the President of the CNC, after approval by the Video Game Commission.

4. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

At the time of submission, the project must be presented in a form that enables the commission to assess its current state of progress, and the interest of supporting the writing work that remains to be done. The project must present the author's key ideas in terms of overall concept, gameplay, narrative, graphics and sound, and technical environment.

The committee of experts evaluates the projects and issues an opinion based on the following criteria:

Artistic quality:

• originality of the concept and its contribution to creative diversity
• coherent game mechanics
• quality of the proposed graphic and sound universe
• quality of storytelling (if applicable)

Technical glance:

The author(s) is/are not expected to have systematic expertise in all these fields, but to have a level of knowledge and ambition that will enable him/her to grasp the issues at stake and present the writing avenues envisaged in the submitted project.

5. TYPE OF AID AND RULES FOR COMBINING AID

• The intensity of writing assistance may not exceed 100% of eligible costs.
• This assistance can be combined with other FAJV grants, in order to follow the different phases of game production.
• This assistance is paid in the form of a grant.

6. TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION

Grants are selective. They are granted by the President of the CNC, on the advice of the video game commission.
Assistance is the subject of an agreement between the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC) and the beneficiaries. The grant is paid in two instalments: a first instalment corresponding to 75% of the total grant, and a second instalment of 25% once the writing work has been completed.
The deadline for completion of the writing project is a maximum of 12 months from the signing of the agreement. The agreement must be signed within 12 months of the date of the grant decision.

This assistance covers all the preparatory work involved in the creation of a game: final writing of the design bible, creation of the artistic charter, detailed technical study, production of a prototype that both removes technical and conceptual obstacles and serves as a presentation medium for potential financial partners.

1. ACCESS to HELP

The aid is intended for commercial companies established in France which are not controlled by non-European capital within the meaning of Article L.233-3 of the French Commercial Code. The company's chairman, director or manager, as well as the majority of its directors, must be French nationals, or nationals of a European country, or holders of a French residency permit.

The video game creation company undertakes to :

• comply with social legislation ;
• be up to date with all social security obligations;
• start the prototype within 3 months of the date of the committee meeting

2. ELIGIBLE PROJECTS

• The project must be an original work of creation specifically designed for a videogame experience.
• The project may be intended for one or more video game platforms.
• The project must be designed and written in French.

3. PROCEDURE

The application is submitted by the company responsible for the pre-production of the video game. It must take (or share jointly with another company) the initiative and the financial, technical and artistic responsibility for the development of the video game prototype, and guarantee its successful completion.
To qualify for support, the company must submit an administrative and artistic file in accordance with the application form available for download.
Grants are awarded by the President of the CNC, after consultation with the Video Game Commission.

4. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

At the time of submission, the project must be presented in a form that enables the committee to assess its current state of progress, and the interest in supporting pre- production / prototyping work. The project must include a significant element of game design, particularly in terms of overall concept, gameplay, narrative, graphics and sound, and technical environment.
The panel of experts evaluates the projects and issues an opinion based on the following criteria:

Artistic quality :

• originality of the concept and its contribution to creative diversity
• consistent game mechanics
• quality of graphics and sound
• quality of storytelling (if applicable)

Technical expertise :

• consistency of technological choices
• mastery of tools and technical ability to complete the project

Economic viability :

• competitive analysis
• market potential
• consistency of quotation
• financial capacity

5. TYPE OF AID AND RULES FOR COMBINING AID

The amount of aid is capped at 50% of prototyping expenses, understood as all pre- production expenses for the game up to the production of a playable prototype. It is awarded in the form of a grant.

Pre-production support can now be combined with production support (formerly support for the creation of intellectual property).

Eligible expenses

When calculating the amount of aid, the following are taken into account :

• salaries and social security contributions for pre-production staff and remuneration paid to authors
• the cost of instruments and equipment insofar as and for as long as they are used for pre-production. If these instruments and equipment are not used for the entire duration of the project, only the depreciation costs corresponding to the duration of the project are taken into account, calculated pro rata to the actual time of use.
• the cost of buildings, land and equipment, insofar as and for as long as they are used for pre-production. In the case of buildings, only depreciation costs corresponding to the duration of the project are taken into account, calculated pro rata to the actual time of use. In the case of land, the costs of commercial disposal or the investment costs actually incurred are taken into account
• costs of consultancy and equivalent services used exclusively for pre-production, including research, technical knowledge and patents purchased or licensed from sources outside the company
• additional overheads incurred directly by the company as a result of R&D and innovation work linked to the project
• other operating expenses, including the cost of materials, supplies and similar products incurred directly by the company as a result of R&D and innovation work linked to the project.

6. TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION

The aid granted is the subject of an agreement between the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée and the beneficiary company. This agreement stipulates the company's rights and obligations. The prototype must be completed within 24 months of signature of the agreement. The agreement must be signed within 12 months of the award decision.

Two payments are planned:

A first instalment corresponding to 75% of the total amount of the grant, after the company has submitted the following information:

• the signed agreement ;
• the updated financing plan, taking into account the assistance granted;
• all supporting documents (public or private);
• a provisional list of the project team and service companies;
• subcontracts, if any;
• the prototype production schedule.

A second payment of 25% upon delivery of the following items:

• the playable prototype ;
• the completed and updated application form ;
• Detailed final accounts for the prototype, drawn up by a chartered accountant or certified by an auditor
• Copies of pay slips for the following positions: scriptwriter, director or creative director, game mechanics manager, art director, lead designer, technical director, lead programmer and lead developer ;
• any evidence of public or private funding not provided with the first instalment
• any co-production contract entered into with another company that is not included in the first instalment ;
• a summary of invoices from technical service providers and equipment hire companies, with the names and addresses of the service providers, as well as any service contracts not supplied with the first instalment or which have been amended.
• If the company does not complete the game prototype for which it has received support, it is obliged to reimburse all sums paid.

Production aid (formerly intellectual property creation aid) supports the actual production phase, after completion of preparatory work and before the game is marketed. It is conditional on the development studio retaining the intellectual property rights to its game. This pre-existing condition, specific to this aid, is designed to encourage the development of a network of independent studios that create cultural and heritage value from the games they produce.

1. ACCESS TO HELP

The aid is intended for commercial companies established in France which are not controlled by non-European capital within the meaning of Article L.233-3 of the French Commercial Code. The company's chairman, director or manager, as well as the majority of its directors, must be French nationals, or nationals of a European country, or holders of a French residency permit.

The video game creation company undertakes to :

• comply with social legislation ;
• be up to date with all social security obligations;
• start production of the video game within 3 months of the date of the commission.

2. ELIGIBLE PROJECTS

• The project must be an original work of creation specifically designed for a videogame experience aimed at the general public.
• The project may be intended for one or more video game platforms.
• The project must be designed and written in French.
• The company is responsible for the production of the video game. It must take (or share jointly with another company) the initiative and financial, technical and artistic responsibility for the development of the video game, and guarantee its successful completion.
• The company must hold at least 50% of the tangible and intangible property rights (or at least 30% in the case of an international co-production), even after the game has been marketed.
• Projects based on order or service contracts are not eligible.

3. AWARD PROCEDURE

The application is submitted by the company responsible for producing the video game and owning the intellectual property rights. It must take (or share jointly with another company) the initiative and the financial, technical and artistic responsibility for the development of the video game, and guarantee its successful completion.
To receive support, the company must submit an administrative and artistic file in accordance with the application form available for download.
If you wish, you can add to your file a face-to-face presentation of the project and its editorial features in the form of a secure Vimeo
active link. This video is intended for the committee's experts and should be no longer than 3 minutes.

4. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

At the time of submission, the project must be presented in a form that enables the commission to assess the value of supporting the production work. The project must present the entire game design, notably in terms of overall concept, gameplay, narrative, graphic and sound universe, technical environment, and also the production elements (planning, tools, methodology) enabling the commission to assess whether the project seems effectively ready to tackle this phase.

Artistic quality:

• originality of the concept and its contribution to creative diversity
• consistent game mechanics
• quality of graphics and sound
• quality of storytelling (if applicable)

Technical mastery:

• consistency of technological choices
• mastery of tools and technical ability to complete the project
• Production methodology and team cohesion

Economic viability:

• competitive analysis
• market potential
• consistency of quotation
• financial capacity

5. TYPE OF AID AND RULES FOR COMBINING AID

The amount of aid is capped at 50% of the game's production costs. In addition, the total amount of public funding may not exceed 50% of the final cost of production.

Aid is awarded in the form of a grant.

Eligible expenses

To calculate the amount of aid, the following expenses are taken into account, directly assigned to the creation of the video game:

• remuneration of authors ;
• personnel costs (artistic team, development and programming team and production team) ;
• subcontracting expenses ;
• depreciation and fixed assets ;
• overheads (capped at 10% of budget).

6. TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION

Assistance is subject to an agreement between the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée and the beneficiary company.
The video game must be completed within 36 months of the signing of the agreement. The agreement must be signed within 12 months of the award decision.
Two payments are planned:

A first instalment corresponding to 75% of the total amount of aid granted, after the company has submitted the following information:

• the signed agreement ;
• the financing plan, updated if necessary to take account of the assistance granted;
• all supporting documents (public or private);
• a provisional list of the production team and service companies;
• any subcontracts (if applicable) ;
• the game's production schedule.

A second payment of 25% upon delivery of the following items:

• two copies of the video game or two dedicated accesses if it's an online or mobile game.
• the completed and updated application form
• Detailed final accounts for the game, drawn up by a chartered accountant or certified by an auditor
• copies of pay slips for the following positions: scriptwriter, director or creative director, game mechanics manager, art director, lead designer, technical director, lead programmer, lead developer
• any evidence of public or private funding not provided at the time of the first payment
• any co-production contract concluded with another company and not supplied with the first instalment
• a summary of invoices from technical service providers and equipment hire companies, with the names and addresses of the service providers, as well as any service contracts not supplied with the first instalment or which have been amended
• any contract with a publisher or distributor not previously supplied
• In addition, the company undertakes to provide the CNC with annual figures on the commercial exploitation of the game (number of units sold/distributed, sales) during the first 3 years of the game's exploitation. These data will be used by the
• CNC for global studies and statistics, and will remain confidential.
• If the company does not complete the game for which it has received support, it is obliged to reimburse all sums paid.

Assistance for collective operations finances information and promotional initiatives aimed at the entire industry, in particular: study days, professional days, festivals of national or international scope.

1. ACCESS TO HELP

The aid is intended for associations or commercial companies established in France which are not controlled within the meaning of Article L.233-3 of the French Commercial Code by non-European capital. Their president, director or manager, as well as the majority of their directors, must be French nationals, or nationals of a European country, or holders of a French residency permit.

2. ELIGIBLE PROJECTS

Projects for events (trade days, professional conferences as part of national or international events, trade shows) organized by companies or associations for the video game sector.

3. PROJECT SELECTION

Projects must be submitted by the companies actually organizing the event. Grants are awarded by the President of the CNC, on the recommendation of the committee.

4. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

• Theme of the event / quality of the program and speakers
• Target audience
• Competitor analysis
• National and international benefits for the video game industry
• Financing and organizational capacity

5. TYPE OF ASSISTANCE

The amount of aid is capped at 50% of the budget for the planned operation. Total public funding may not exceed 50% of the final cost of the project.
Assistance is provided in the form of a grant.

Eligible expenses

The following expenses are taken into account when calculating the amount of aid, and are directly linked to the organization of the event:

• organization-related personnel costs ;
• program development costs ;
• costs of conferences and workshops ;
• space and equipment rental costs;
• communication and reception costs.

6. TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION

Assistance is subject to an agreement between the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée and the beneficiary company. The agreement must be signed within 12 months of the award decision.

Two payments are planned:

a first instalment corresponding to 75% of the total amount of aid awarded, once the company or association has submitted the following information:

• the signed agreement ;
• the updated financing plan, taking into account the assistance granted;
• proof of public or private funding;
• all supporting documents (public or private);
• a provisional list of service companies;
• subcontracts, if any;
• the event schedule and list of participants.

a second instalment of 25% after presentation to the CNC of the following items :

• The final detailed accounts showing the exact final cost of the event, drawn up by a chartered accountant or certified by an auditor;
• the final program of the event and the attendance figures generated;
• any evidence of public or private funding not provided with the first instalment;
• a summary of invoices from technical service providers and equipment rental companies, with the names and addresses of service providers, as well as any service contracts not supplied with the first instalment or which have been amended

In addition, the company undertakes to provide the CNC with a complete and detailed report within three months of the event, showing in particular the number of visitors and their status (paying, free, guests, etc.), the number of exhibitors and speakers, and the sales achieved.