Within the specific objective of promoting competitiveness, scalability, cooperation, innovation and sustainability, including through mobility in the European audiovisual sector, one of the priorities of the MEDIA strand is: to nurture talents, competence and skills and to stimulate cross-border cooperation, mobility and innovation in the creation and production of European audiovisual works, encouraging collaboration across Member States with different audiovisual capacities.

The MEDIA strand shall provide support for the following action:

Training and mentoring activities to enhance the capacity of audiovisual professionals to adapt to new creative processes, market developments and embrace digital transition that affect the whole value chain.

Particular focus will be put on supporting new creative processes (e.g. creative collaborations including across disciplines, innovative storytelling blending different skill sets), harnessing digital innovation in audiovisual production (e.g. virtual production, post-production) and distribution (marketing, promotion, audience engagement); uptake of digital tools for videogames production and distribution; development of new business models and enhancing IP rights exploitation; green transition (aiming at promoting sustainable practices across the entire value chain).

Activities that can be funded: Training and mentoring activities to enhance the capacity of audiovisual professionals to adapt to new creative processes, market developments and digital technologies that affect the whole value chain:

• Supporting new creative processes (e.g. creative collaboration including across disciplines, innovative storytelling blending different skill sets).
• Digital transformation: trainings to equip professionals along the whole value chain with state-of-the-art digital tools and data analytics for creative storytelling, production including virtual production, post-production or marketing, promotion, audience engagement and new modes of distribution, monetization and exploitation.
• Adaptation to new market trends: including development of new business models and IP rights exploitation (eg. remakes, spin-offs, sequels, merchandising).
• Videogames: trainings to equip professionals with state-of-the-art digital tools for creation, development, production, distribution, promotion and marketing and adapt to new market trends.
• Green transition of the audiovisual industry: green consultants, aiming at promoting sustainable practices across the entire value chain; trainings on the implementation of sustainability plans, including the use of tools measuring CO2 emissions.

Activities may be physical or on-line or a combination of both. Programmes based on innovative methods, including Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and interactive learning are encouraged to enhance access and effectiveness. The focus should be on the improvement of skills and competences adapted to the evolving technologies and market practices.

Applicants shall ensure that a majority of the participants in the proposed training and capacity building come from a different country than that of the applicant. Projects should ensure a good representativeness of gender and diversity both in project organisers and participants. In addition, projects addressed to women and for participants with a diverse and disadvantaged background are encouraged. As part of the European Commission commitment to sustainability, applicants are encouraged to limit travel activities to what it is absolute necessary for the fulfilment of their objectives of the action. At the end of the training, participants should receive a certificate, specifying the competences acquired.

At least 20% of the total number of participants must be offered reduced fees. Reduced fees must be granted to participants coming from low-capacity countries Group A or Group B3 or being from an eligible country not providing scholarships for this kind of training or participants from eligible countries in any other proven situation of need for financial support.