WHAT IS FLIP ?

Film Location Incentive Program (FLIP) is a selective cash rebate provided by The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), through its FilmPhilippines Office (FPO), with the aim of promoting the Philippines as a destination for film productions. It is a financial incentive for qualified international projects that involve production, animation, and/or post-production of creative content in the Philippines.
 
This incentive is given to qualified Filipino production companies, acting as line producer or animation/post-production studio, that are servicing an international production company in the execution of content production in the Philippines.
 
Selected projects will receive a 20% cash rebate capped at Php 25 million (approx. USD 450,000) based on the project’s QPPE. Selected projects that will pass the cultural merit test will receive an additional 5% bonus, raising their cash rebate up to 25%, capped at Php 30 million (approx. USD 540,000).
  • Feature-length films (+70min) or short films (-40min) of feature, animated, or documentary films
  • TV and/or VOD content (animation, documentary, reality shows, series, or unit)
  • Web content (series or unit), virtual reality content
  • The project will be wholly or partly made in the Philippines, be it production (studio, location shootings), animation work, post-production (visual effect, 3D conversion, editing, music and scoring, sound design, editing and mixing, voice overs, color grading, etc.)
  • The project must spend at least the following amount:
    ➢ Php 20 million (approx. up to USD 360,000) for feature and animated films
    ➢ Php 8 million (approx. up to USD 144,000) for documentary
    ➢ Php 3 million (approx. up to USD 50,000) for short films
    ➢ Php 3 million (approx. up to USD 50,000) per episode for series; min. of 8 episodes
  • Project that will begin its principal photography, animation, or post-production in the Philippines within six (6) months from selection
  • Project that will submit final verification within two (2) years (three [3] years for animation) from the selection and signing of the MOA

Filipino production companies, animation studio, or post-production office that meet the following qualifications:

  • Organized and registered as a business in the Philippines
  • Serving as a line producer, post-production/animation studio, or specialized audio-visual services to an eligible project
  • Accredited by the FDCP National Registry

Note: Applicants will be considered ineligible for funding if they have overdue and/or outstanding deliverable(s) for a project that received funding from any of FDCP programs

  • Any genre, except for pornography
  • Does not contain issues that are insulting, offensive, and/or portraying the Philippines in a negative light
  • Does not promote violence or pose any threat to the national security

All materials submitted must be written or translated in English.

A. For provisional application

  • Completed FLIP provisional application form (form provided)
  • Evidence proving that the partner foreign company is eligible to conduct business in their country (business or working permit/clearance)
  • Notarized service agreement between the applicant and the foreign producer
  • Copy of the script (if scripted) and/or treatment of the project (8-10 pages).
  • Project dossier (includes logline, cast, mood board, storyboard, filmography, URL to teaser or inspired short film)
  • Original detailed project quote from the Philippine service company, signed by the foreign production company

IF APPLICABLE:

  • For applicants of post-production project – a screening link to a 30 min rough cut
  • Completed cultural test (template provided)

Qualifying Philippine Production Expenditures or QPPE is the fund’s allowable expenditure incurred in the Philippines for the purposes of producing and making the project, pursuant to FPI guidelines.

This covers all qualified expenses from principal photography to post-production/animation that were incurred from the date of selection and signing of MOA up to the date of confirmation of complete final verification. Enumerated below are the allowable expenses under QPPE:

  • Rights Acquisition
  • Salaries, Wages, and Social Contribution
  • Technical Goods and Services
  • Project Related Overheads
  • Post-Production and Animation
  • Accommodation
  • Meals
  • Transportation and Travel Expenses
  • Legal Costs
  • Producer’s Fee (10% of the Fund amount)

All expenses must be paid by the applicant’s company in Philippine peso through a Filipino registered business and/or Filipino citizen under a Filipino contract. Certified True Copy of all original documentary requirements like official receipts, and service contracts, must be submitted to the commissioned auditor. The final and complete audited report with certified true copy of all necessary attachments must be submitted for review and approval by the FDCP during the final verification process for confirmation of the final rebate amount.

Submitted projects for provisional application will be evaluated based on the following:

  • Degree to which the work contributes to the Philippine film industry
  • Degree to which the work promotes the Philippine culture & territory with the cultural test
  • The global quality of the project
  • Successful applicants of FLIP will receive a 20% cash rebate of their QPPE, capped at Php 25Mn (approx. USD 450 000). Projects that pass the cultural merit test will get an additional bonus of 5% in their QPPE, raising the cash rebate to 25% capped at Php 30Mn (approx. USD 540 000).
  • The fund will be released in one (1) installment and will be issued via check from Landbank of the Philippines.
    ➢100% of the cash rebate will be released at the final verification stage within sixty (60) working days from signing of addendum, clearance of audit report, and submission of final deliverables
The application periods for submission for FPI are as follows: 
 
CYCLE 1
Application period: FEBRUARY to MARCH
Selection and Deliberation: APRIL
 
CYCLE 2
Application period: SEPTEMBER to OCTOBER
Selection and Deliberation: NOVEMBER
 
In the event that the FilmPhilippines Incentives budget for the year has already been exhausted, the succeeding application period of that year will be closed.