EWA Network Acceleration Programme Financing Audiovisual in Times of Transformation
The audiovisual sector is undergoing dramatic changes in the way content is produced, distributed, and consumed. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transition of the sector and highlights mismatches between existing financing instruments and actual financing needs in a deeply transforming environment. This is the moment to reassess the value proposition of audiovisual content und to identify arising financing and investment opportunities.
EWA Network's Acceleration Programme ‘Financing Audiovisual in Times of transformation’ offers female entrepreneurs in the European film and television industry a tailored support for re-evaluating not only their audiovisual projects but their companies as well.
By enabling participants to create suitable alternative financing options the programme will lay the foundation for improved strategic business and financing decisions, ultimately for building sustainable audiovisual companies and lucrative professional careers.
The sessions are designed in form of impulse and workshop presentations, of group- and homework and intensive individual mentoring rounds. The programme will be held in English and is designed to entirely take place on-line. We're proud to have Juliane Schulze as trainer and mastermind behind this programme.
MODULE A: September 6, 7 and 14 (morning time)
MODULE B: October 13 and November 8, 10, 22 and 23 (morning time)
All described modules of the programme build on each other and aim to prepare participants to pitch their projects or companies to public or equity investors. Identifying and maximising participant’s value proposition in times of a transforming audiovisual sector lies at the core of the acceleration programme.
Modules can be taken separately. You do not need to take module A to enroll yourself into module B and vice versa.
Presentation: 'Financing Audiovisual in Times of Transformation'
- Which alternative financing strategies help independent audiovisual professionals to succeed in an ever-changing value chain?
- What do we need to consider when re-assessing our offer to audiences and financiers?
- How can we convince investors or other players to come on board?
- What do we need to present to them why and how do we best start the dialogue?
This presentation by Juliane Schulze, Board Member at Media Deals, will offer participants a broader look at business development and resulting financing options to develop investment strategies for their projects or companies.
Seminar: Why do you do what you do?
- Why do we or our companies need a Mission Statement?
- Who wants to know why we do what we do?
- What can we learn from the communication of creative leaders?
- Introduction to how to write a mission statement.
This seminar will help participants to drill into their project or company DNA and to build a foundation for their business and financing strategies. By crystallising their values as assets, they will create a distinguishable profile of their projects or ventures.
Group Work: Mission Statement
Participants of the acceleration programme will apply the learnt lessons and present their mission statements, receiving feedback from the whole group and the expert.
The objective of this interactive session is to identify weaknesses and strengths of the mission statements and to highlight understated opportunities leading to attractive market positions and competitive advantages.
Presentation : 'Investor Pitch'
- Why do we need Investor Pitch Decks?
- What are logic and structure of a 5 mins Business/Investor Pitch?
- How does it help us to attract alternative financiers?
Different from creative pitches, the business or investor pitch covers more than the content-related focus by including e.g. key decisions around business development, marketing strategies and revenue expectations.
The presentation will introduce the organisation of the Investor Pitch and offer participants all the tools they need to create their own Investor Decks. Afterwards partakers will build their Investor Deck by using the template discussed in the workshop. This deck will serve as a professional starting point for them when initiating important finance and investor discussions.
Test Pitches. Two rounds of Group pitches
We will hear partakers business presentations in two group sessions. The whole group and the expert will give feedback on each 5 min investor pitch and suggest improvements for about 20 min. After this first round participants have time to amend their decks and to present their advanced version in a second group session for feedback and comments.
The goal is to finish this acceleration programme with a ready investor deck for projects and/or companies and to know how to create a compelling business presentation that attracts financiers and investors as well as co-production partners and industry allies.
Juliane Schulze is a Strategic Creative Economy Expert in Business, Finance, Investment and Sustainability. She was member of the board of Media Deals, established in 2008 as a pan-European investor network constituted of business angels and early-stage venture capital funds focusing on creative economy and digital media. At the same time, she was Senior Partner at strategic audiovisual financing consultancy peacefulfish, founded in 2001.
As Executive Advisor with more than 30 years of experience in the creative economy, Juliane holds an extensive cross-industrial knowledge, consults European and international funding institutions and business agencies, and specialises in financing and business strategies for audiovisual and technology driven entrepreneurs. As coach and mentor, she supports founders and SMEs in investment readiness, access to finance and in creating sustainable business and revenue models, and lectures at international festivals, conferences, and international business summits.
Juliane is Fellow at the Competence Centre Cultural and Creative Industries of the Federal Republic of Germany, board member of European Women’s Audiovisual Network (EWA), and Associate Partner of EIT Culture & Creativity. Being a voting member of the European Film Academy, she lectures at the Free University Berlin, at Eave (European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs) and is head of studies of the Film MBA/LLM as well as the Innovation Workshop at the Erich Pommer Institute (EPI).