10/07/2003

Although it is still a draft, the Schwarz Report into French audiovisual funding is creating waves. Commissioned by the culture minister, Jean-Jacques Aillagon and initiated on 5 February, a preliminary version of the study was presented at the end of June with explosive results.
The recommendations include ulterior cuts to advertising of TV dramas broadcast on private channels, and gives terrestrial TV the opportunity to avoid its financial obligations to film production (currently the minimum investment required by law is 3.2 per cent of the given company’s turnover) on condition that they air fewer than 52 films per year. In that case, the companies would see the minimum amount raised to between 4.2 per cent and 4.7 per cent of the turnover) but they could choose whether to invest the money in films or audiovisual production.
The draft report emphasised the dizzy increase in TV actors’ salaries (up 70 per cent between 1997 and 2002, against a 40 per cent rise in budgets and a 10 per cent rise in the money earned by writers). The draft sets great store by the revenue that will be generated from the imminent arrival of TV advertising for films, distribution and publishing- something which is currently banned in France.
However the figures quoted in the Schwarz Report draft failed to convince USPA (the French Audiovisual Producers’ Guild) who believe that Antoine Schwarz and his team have failed to deal with the real issues at hand. USPA lists these as too little obligatory funding forthcoming from TV companies, a lack of proper fiscal incentives and support schemes, a lack of regional support to stem the haemorrhage of productions outside of France, the blurred definition of audiovisual products. USPA’s pessimistic forecast that the whole cultural creativity sector will go under if the report, which is scheduled for completion and presentation at the end of 2003, continues hiding the real problems afflicting the audiovisual sector.

(Translated from French)