KZN Tourism and Film authority provides film related funding in four categories:

• Development Funding
• Production Funding
• Marketing and Distribution
• Markets and Festivals

Applicants has to meet the following criteria in order to qualify for funding:

• The story must be located In KwaZulu-Natal,
• Be of cultural , historical or social relevance in KwaZulu-Natal,
• Portray the Zulu culture
• Be shot in KwaZulu-Natal, with the location representing a location as another i.e Durban City centre as downtown Johannesburg

To qualify for funding the company must spend at least 70% of the total production budget in KZN, production team must comprise of people from KZN. Where it not possible to 50% of the development budget in KwaZulu-Natal, the Commission may consider supporting a project for up 25% of the development budget spent in KwaZulu-Natal, subject to the funding ceiling in the category.

To apply visit www.kwazulunatalfilm.co.za or collect application form at 101 The Marine, 22 Dorothy Nyembe Street, 1st Floor.

Recoupment is when the beneficiary repay the fund back to KZN Tourism and Film authority film fund.

Recoupment will only take place when the project starts to generate income from the sales and exploitation of the film. The beneficiary will have to pay off all other used to investors in the production budget of the film. KZNFC would be the last investor receiving reimbursement in relation to the investment made.

Turnaround time for funding takes 3 months.

For each of the four categories an evaluation panel with relevant expertise in that area is consulted and the evaluation panel is comprised of peer industry practitioners with a proven track record in their areas of expertise however the selected panel members do not make decisions on funding but merely advise and recommend projects which are deserving of funding there after the executive team of the KZN Tourism and Film authority makes the final decision.

The evaluating panel looks at the following:

1. Script Evaluation
2. Synopsis and Treatment
3. Experience of Technical Team
4. Realistic budgets and sale forecasts are accurate

This is over and above required documents.

To establish a career in film in KwaZulu-Natal you can study through the following schools:

1. AFDA Durban (afda.co.za)
2. Durban University of Technology(info@dut.ac.za)
3. Creative Arts College (admin@creativearts.co.za)
4. University of KwaZulu-Natal (info@ukzn.ac.za)
5. Center for fine art animation and design (cfad.co.za)

To qualify for the KZN Tourism and Film authority bursary fund the incumbent must have applied at KwaZulu-Natal based tertiary institution and have received a letter of acceptance, incumbents can either apply for 1st year up until the of their tertiary qualification, they must also be residents of the KwaZulu-Natal province and be South African citizens and are also required to submit a new application for every of study.