Film Finance
Grimm Pictures is structured to access a full suite of international film finance incentives across Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Our production model is built around these pathways — maximising returns for investors and co-producers.
Ireland's primary film tax incentive — a 40% tax credit on qualifying Irish expenditure (Scale Uplift rate), paid directly to the production company by the Irish Revenue Commissioners. One of Europe's most established and bankable production incentives, now enhanced to reflect Ireland's commitment to attracting high-quality international production.
Widely recognised by international sales agents and gap financiers. Usable as collateral for production financing and a core component of any Ireland-structured finance plan.
Key Points
The IFTC (Independent Film Tax Credit) is the enhanced rate of the UK's Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC), delivering a 53% gross offset (approximately 39.75% net after corporation tax) on qualifying UK core expenditure — subject to production eligibility, BFI certification, and lender diligence. It is among the highest incentive rates available in any major production territory.
As a Northern Ireland–registered company, Grimm Pictures has direct access to the IFTC pathway. Where eligibility is confirmed and structure is in place, the credit is widely recognised across the international finance community as a component of production financing packages. All applications are subject to advance approval and individual qualification assessment.
Key Eligibility Points
AVEC is the UK's primary film and high-end television incentive — a 34% gross credit (25.5% net after 25% corporation tax) on qualifying UK core expenditure. Introduced in January 2024, AVEC replaced and consolidated the former UK Film Tax Relief and related TV credits under a single, modernised framework.
Administered by HMRC in conjunction with the BFI. Payable as cash where eligibility and certification requirements are met, and recognised across the international finance community as a component of structured film finance. Notably, AVEC can be claimed on qualifying UK post-production expenditure — including editing, VFX, sound, and colour grading — even where principal photography takes place outside the UK, making it highly accessible for international productions finishing in the UK or Northern Ireland.
Key Points
With principal photography in Asheville, NC and New York, Helen's Bridge qualifies for two independent US incentive streams — the NC Film & Entertainment Grant (25%) and the New York State Film Tax Credit (up to 30%).
US incentives operate independently from UK and Irish credits, meaning each territory's qualifying spend generates its own return — a multi-territory structure that materially reduces net production cost.
North Carolina
New York State
Our Structure
01
UK-Registered Entity
Grimm Pictures Ltd (NI687511) is registered in Northern Ireland — a UK jurisdiction — giving the company direct access to UK Film Tax Relief and Northern Ireland Screen funding pathways.
02
Multi-Territory Structure
UK-registered with Irish branch operations and Atlantic Way as US development partner. Structured to access Section 481 on qualifying Irish spend, and IFTC or AVEC (including post-production expenditure) via UK & Northern Ireland pathways.
03
US Production Presence
Principal photography in Asheville, NC and New York State enables qualification for both the NC Film & Entertainment Grant and the New York State Film Tax Credit — independent of and combinable with European incentives.
Investment
Grimm Pictures offers carefully structured opportunities in international film production — backed by government incentives and institutional capital frameworks, with global distribution reach.
Official Co-Production
We love hearing about films that are still being built, so take a minute and run yours through the short test below. It scores where the project stands today, tells you exactly what would move it forward, and points you at the right way in. There is no wrong answer and no score too low to send — we would far rather see it early than never. Prefer to just write? films@grimmpictures.com.
A Note on Financing
Grimm Pictures is a pathway to film finance — not a financier. Through official co-production status and structured access to government incentives (Section 481, IFTC, AVEC, and US state credits), we help productions unlock soft money and qualifying spend. Our US development partner, Atlantic Way, selectively develops and may fund development on projects that meet its own criteria — but Grimm Pictures does not finance, guarantee, or underwrite production budgets directly.
Our role is to structure the incentive pathway and support introductions to financiers and sales agents. This is covered by a production management fee, agreed prior to production.
Route one · funded
You already hold 50–60% of the budget.
Committed, accessible, ready for drawdown, and evidenced well enough to put in front of a financier. It is the strongest position a film can walk in with — and it means we can get straight to the rest of the stack: official co-production status, Section 481, IFTC, AVEC or a US state credit, and introductions to financiers and sales agents.
Projects on this route move quickly, because the incentive structure finally has something to attach to.
Route two · development
You’re on your way there.
This is where most good films start, and there is nothing wrong with it. The script is still moving, the budget is an estimate, the money is a conversation you have not finished yet. All it means in practice is that there is not yet a package for an incentive structure to attach to.
So we build one with you — script, budget, schedule, territory plan, the documents a financier actually reads — as paid bespoke development, scoped and agreed before it starts. That buys a package which can be taken to the incentives structure. It does not buy a promise that the money follows, and we would rather say so now than sell you a dream.
Development starts at £12,000. That is the minimum engagement, quoted in full before anything begins, and work starts once the invoice is paid rather than when it is agreed.
Got it — thank you.
Your film is with Producers Stephen Presley and Cindy Harris, and we aim to come back within five business days. If you would rather send a deck, a lookbook or a link straight over, we would love to see it — films@grimmpictures.com.