The U.K. MEDIA Desk is now offering U.K. industry professionals the opportunity to apply for development funding for long fiction, documentary, animation and multimedia projects. The MEDIA Plus program, based in Brussels, is calling U.K. production companies to apply for development funding for their projects throughout the first six months of 2003. The funding covers single projects and slate funding. The final date for submissions is June 16, 2003. In 2002, £1.6 million was awarded to U.K. companies to help develop their projects, 18% of the total amount allocated to all member countries, only second highest to France. U.K. submissions were up from 48 in 2001 to 108 in 2002. In all, 18 U.K. companies secured three-year contracts for credit lines up to €125,000. The U.K. MEDIA Desk is an initiative of MEDIA, the European Union program, which aims to strengthen the competitiveness of the European film, TV and new media industries and to increase international circulation of European audiovisual product. Among other production initiatives, MEDIA partners with CARTOON, the European Association of Animated Film, to promote Cartoon Forum, dedicated to animated television initiatives, and Cartoon Movie, dedicated to funding European animated feature films. For further information or to obtain an application form please email: england@mediadesk.co.uk, or visit the Website at www.mediadesk.co.uk/

John Bullivant reports on Europe's 2002 Cartoon Forum, covering the hot properties and some issues that should be addressed for the future.