Structuring a UK Co-production.
All treaties have different requirements, but the common principles are:
- A co-producer from each co-producing country needs to make both a financial contribution and an effective creative, technical and artistic contribution to the film. These need to be broadly in proportion.
- The creative, technical and artistic contribution of the film needs to be made using personnel, goods and services from the co-producing countries (including personnel from the EEA).
- The film needs to be made in the co-producing countries (you may be able to shoot in a third country location and some third country personnel may be allowed, but this must not exceed 20%-30% of the budget depending on the treaty being used not exceed 30% of the budget).
- The co-production status must be applied for at least 4 weeks BEFORE principal photography commences.
In the UK, films can qualify as official co-productions under either:
The European convention on cinematographic productions
In June 2021 The UK signed the revised European convention which means:
- Bilateral, the minimum finance is now 10% (previously 20%) and the maximum 90% (Previously 80%);
- multilateral, the minimum finance is now 5% (previously 10%) and the maximum
90% (previously 80%)
The above changes apply only where all countries participating have ratified to the new convention. The revised treaty will continue to be regulated by the 1994 Convention.
One of the UK's official bi-lateral co-production treaties
Active Treaties:
Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, India, Israel, Jamaica, Morocco, New Zealand, Occupied Palestinian Territories, South Africa
Financial contributions:
- 20% minimum for all countries except for Australia (minimum of 30%)
Please note the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-production does
not allow for TV, and only the Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, New Zealand,
Occupied Palestinian Territories and South Africa bilateral treaties allow for TV.
China has a separate TV treaty with the UK.
Unofficial Co-Productions
The UK can also co-produce with countries with whom it does
not have a treaty. This involves qualifying as a British film under the
Cultural Test (see It’s all about WHERE’)
Image: A Gaza Weekend (dir. Basil Khalil)