Scottish Screen accused of wasting millions

Published on Sunday 2 August 2009 22:46

SCOTLAND'S film development agency has been accused of wasting public money by repeatedly backing projects that have failed to materialise.

Industry insiders claim that the way the funding system is geared has seen some companies receive hundreds of thousands of pounds without putting out finished films.

Accounts seen by The Scotsman show that of nine companies receiving more than 4.6 million in financing over the past eight years, just three have made feature films. Four were run by former Scottish Screen executives, while one is led by a current executive.

Yesterday, Paul McGuigan, one of Scotland's top film-makers, claimed Scottish Screen's funding policy had led to commercial losses and a "cultural cul-de-sac". The accounts showed that of the 26m of National Lottery funding given out since 2001, over 4.6m was earmarked for just nine production companies.

Scottish Screen's funding system works on the basis that money given out is recouped on completion and distribution of the project. But cash awarded for the development of scripts and projects only has to be paid back if the project goes ahead.

Only funding earmarked for feature projects is returned if filming does not go ahead. Since 2007, this type of funding is ring-fenced for three months before being reappraised, and possibly retracted. Before that, it was earmarked for between six months and a year without being used.

One independent film producer said: "Scottish Screen was created to support new and existing talent, but over the past ten years the figures show that they haven't. Almost all of the film-makers and projects they've identified as supposed talent have failed to recoup even their most basic costs.

"If Scottish Screen were intending to stimulate creative industries in Scotland, the figures show they've failed in a spectacularly profligate fashion."

Among the companies receiving high levels of funding are 4Way Pictures – set up by Mark Cousins, former head of Edinburgh International Film Festival, along with author Irvine Welsh, actor Robert Carlyle and director Antonia Bird. It was granted 103,000 in company development funding at the start of the decade. Since then it has been earmarked 649,250 in repeated funding for four projects, 550,000 of which went back into the funding pot. None of the projects, including Welsh-penned feature The Meat Trade, has reached screens.

Mr Cousins said none of the films had completion dates, but pointed to the company's successful involvement with Scottish Screen in a series of festivals.

When contacted, all companies involved who responded stressed that film production was a long-term venture, an argument echoed by Scottish Screen chief executive Ken Hay: "The nature of film development is that it can take many years. A simple example being The Flying Scotsman, which had been in development for ten years before it was made into a feature film."

Poor return from funding across Scotland's screens

GABRIEL PRODUCTIONS – Set up by former BBC producer Ros Borland and Catherine Aitken, who has since left, but previously sat on the projects committee at Scottish Screen (SS). Received 422,894 for 12 productions; four have been completed. Also received 61,750 in company development. 24,412 was not drawn from the funding pot.

MOCO/OSCAR FILMS/BLINDED FILMS – All run by Oscar Van Heek, a former director of development for SS. Only Blinded produced a feature film, costing 127,000 out of 178,250 of funding over four years. Oscar Films got 49,250 for three projects; none have been completed. Moco, given 2,000 for company development, has produced no projects.

BROCKEN SPECTRE – Independent production company run by David Smith, co-head of Digicult, which runs SS's scheme to develop shorts. Received 153,389 for seven projects since 2001, with four shorts completed at a cost of 110,389. A main feature project remains unfinished, having received 36,500 in development and earmarked 500,000 last year for production, which fell back into the funding pot when the film collapsed.

HOPSCOTCH FILMS – Run by John Archer, former head of SS, it received 358,200 for 14 projects, with seven shorts completed. Of this figure, 200,000 earmarked for a feature was not taken up. Also received 20,500 in company development funding and a 40,000 business loan.

MAKAR PRODUCTIONS – Run by former Scottish Film Production Fund head Eddie Dick, it was earmarked more than 1.3m for 16 productions, of which four have been completed. Of that figure, 507,650 fell back into the funding pot.

SALTIRE – Run by Peter Barber-Fleming, it has had 681,682 earmarked for ten productions, with three shorts completed at a cost of 42,770. 500,000 earmarked for a feature, still in development, fell back into funding pot. Also received 99,800 for company development.