Film projects consultation tender

Invitation to Quote for ‘Nerve Centre Film Projects’ Consultation Services

Eavan King Nerve Centre 7-8 Magazine Street Derry~Londonderry BT48 6HJ Tel: +44 28 7126 0562 E: e.king@nervecentre.org W: nervecentre.org

About Nerve Centre Film Projects The Nerve Centre is Northern Ireland’s leading creative media centre, providing a wide ranging programme of events, cutting edge projects, community relations activities, creative learning centres, training opportunities, and state-of-the-art production facilities. It is a neutral space and cultural hub for young people who are into music, film, video, animation and digital media.

The Nerve Centre is home to Foyle Film Festival, Northern Ireland’s only Oscar and BAFTA accredited festival. The Festival delivers a comprehensive programme of documentaries, short films and feature films from all over the world; an extensive education programme for schools, and a variety of industry networking events and panel discussions.

The Nerve Centre delivers a range of screen education programmes including three BFI Film Academies and Screen Academies in Animation, VFX, Production Design, Games Design and Construction.

Since 2017, the Ones to Watch Young Programmers project, supported by Film Hub NI, has worked with young people in higher education across the North West who are interested in the business of film exhibition, supporting them in the delivery of unique film events, screenings, talks and workshops.

A key focus of the Nerve Centre’s film programmes is engaging with young people aged 1630 to get involved in film culture and content both in school, at our venue for festival screenings & networking events and for youth curated events at a range of venues across the North West.

Audiences for film programmes have been identified as below: ● Young people, with a particular focus on the 16-30 age group ● General public, visitors and tourists ● Local residents ● Local, regional and national media Foyle Film Festival is managed by Nerve Centre and funded by Department for Communities through Northern Ireland Screen and by Derry City and Strabane District Council. Nerve Centre’s cinema programme and Ones to Watch project is supported by National Lottery through BFI Film Audience Network and Film Hub NI. Film and Screen academies are funded by the Department for Education, BFI, Northern Ireland Screen, Creative Scotland and Belfast Harbour Commission and the Department for the Communities. www.nervecentre.org/content/film www.foylefilmfestival.org

Key Objectives In response to the changing exhibition climate and the challenges presented by Covid-19, the Nerve Centre aims to engage with audiences in new ways, increasing the visibility of our film programmes online over the coming months. We will research new ways to raise the digital profile of Nerve Centre Film Projects through trialling online VoD film content and online education delivery models. Analysing current audience demographics and identifying new target audiences through social media campaigns will be essential to inform our direction with our audience development planning. Audiences aged 16-30 is a key demographic, so that young people can lead the way in both filmmaking and exhibition for an audience of their peers.

Required Services The Nerve Centre is seeking the services of a company / consultant with expertise in cultural cinema audience engagement research and practice to support the development of an Audience Engagement Strategy for Nerve Centre Film Projects.

Audience development through online engagement will be a key focus of the strategy and will require sectoral knowledge and expertise in data driven marketing, mapping and analysis of audience behaviours. Experience of enquiry into and analysis of film and cinema habits for audiences under 30 is essential.

Key outputs:

● Review current audience development activity of Nerve Centre Film Projects

including audience demographics and habits for festival, screening and special events. ● Review current mix of Nerve Centre Film ‘product’, including branding and digital

presence. ● Provide advice on how best to respond to the changing film exhibition

landscape and new audience behaviours, including options for online VoD and digital programming. ● Identify ways of increasing online audiences aged 16-30. ● Support the creation of an Audience Engagement Strategy, including key

metrics, targets, and action plan, for Nerve Centre Film Projects, in partnership with Nerve Centre Communications and Film teams, by end September 2020. ● Evaluate the first three months’ implementation of the Audience Engagement

Strategy October - December 2020.

** In light of the ongoing Covid 19 crisis, it is anticipated that meetings and communications will take place online **

Nerve Centre Input The Nerve Centre will be responsible for providing background information on the project, including data captured to date and evaluation methods currently used. Nerve Centre comms team will provide support around digital marketing, social media and analytics.

Timescale This is an immediate requirement with involvement anticipated throughout the life of the project until end December 2020. The Audience Engagement Strategy, including key metrics, targets, and an action plan, should be delivered by end September 2020, with an evaluation of the initial plan implementation by December 2020.

Requirements for Submission Those interested in submitting quotations for this project should email an electronic copy of a document of no more than three A4 pages under the following headings to Eavan King, e.king@nervecentre.org Experience Composition of proposed project team/individual, relevant qualifications, relevant experience and any other relevant information. Tenderers should include contact information for a referee.

Methodology Provide a description of the creative approach and methodology to deliver requirements above.

Cost A fixed cost with a breakdown of all costs to deliver the required service, including all anticipated expenses. The costs should indicate daily rates where appropriate. Costs should be exclusive of VAT. The project has a budget of no more than ÂŁ3,000. Submissions received above this amount will not be considered.

Evaluation Criteria There will be a two-stage selection process: Stage 1 - Selection Criteria Selection Criteria

Mark

Company/Individual Experience A recent track record demonstrated with reference to at least one clear example of Pass/ delivering consultation services to a project of similar scale or scope. Tenderers Fail should include contact information for a referee.

Stage 2 – Evaluation Criteria Qualifying tenderers will be evaluated against the following criteria: Criteria

Weighting

Cost A budget for the work to include a breakdown of all elements, expenses and VAT where applicable

30%

Methodology A framework and methodology for the consultation services including key 70% milestones and a timeline

Total

100%

Cost will be scored as follows: The fixed cost element of tenders will be assigned a score on the basis of a sliding scale.

All tenders will be scored against the lowest proposed fixed cost with full marks (i.e. 30) being awarded to the party having submitted the lowest fixed cost tender.

A proportionate percentage reduction in available marks will be made for every percentage that a tender is above the lowest proposed fixed cost, e.g. if a tender is 10% higher, 10% of the available marks will be deducted giving a value for money score for this element of 27.

Deadline for Submission

Please email submissions to Eavan King, e.king@nervecentre.org. The deadline for submission is Wednesday 22nd July 2020. It is anticipated that the successful tenderer will be notified by Weds 5 th August 2020. A meeting will be convened shortly thereafter to agree a work plan.

For Further Information Contact: Eavan King Tel: 028 7126 0562 e.king@nervecentre.org