GSS EU Science Funding Gateway

The purpose of this preparatory action “Writing European” is to help the European audiovisual industry to develop excellence in creating and writing high-quality drama content and foster innovative storytelling. It aims to promote co-writing practices, thereby also enlarging the experience of creative talents working on fiction series.

Applicants are invited to setup creative hubs that can achieve the above objectives as well as the following priorities:

• Improve the knowledge and capacity of creative talents in the creation of fiction series and foster the emergence of strong teams/hubs of European creative talents (e.g. scriptwriters, editors, showrunners, producers) coming from diverse backgrounds and nationalities;
• Facilitate collaborations that follow a learning-by-doing approach, enabling creative talents to work on a set of different projects in parallel;
• Identify and implement working methods for co-writing, from the conceptualisation and early stage of storytelling, to matchmaking with potential buyers;
• Ensure contacts with industry leaders, producers or commissioners of audiovisual works (e.g. distributors, buyers, platforms, broadcasters) to enhance the talents’ understanding of the market trends and dynamics;
• Scout and select talents, for instance through open calls or prizes;
• Enhance the use of:
  • innovative technologies and market intelligence that can affect the creative process (e.g. cognitive neuroscience, data analytics, artificial intelligence);
  • intellectual property rights management as it secures creative autonomy and fair remuneration of creators.

The following types of activities are eligible under this call for proposals:

• activities related to co-writing/concept development/pre-writing/conceptualisation for the creation of high-level European fiction series content (including through support to third parties such as scriptwriters, authors, showrunners, producers or other members of the creative team);
• activities of the collaborative hub/writers-room, in particular organising the process of co-creating European fiction series, including coordination tasks, mentoring activities, governance or management, activities of match-making with potential buyers;
• advertising or promotion, in particular to scout for new talents or organise a competition to ensure excellence and diverse participation in the project;
• activities aimed at the creation and dissemination of replicable innovative models and methodologies for writing high-end European audiovisual content;
• data studies, research, including the use of digital technologies that can affect the creative process (e.g. cognitive neuroscience or artificial intelligence tools) or market intelligence and audience measurements directly related to the needs of the project.