Support for film and television production in small nations: the role of Screen Ireland

This article examines the role and significance of national screen agencies focusing on Ireland's support agency, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland. It considers Screen Ireland's contributions to enhancing the professionalisation and capacity building of the Irish production sector. The agency's role in expanding screen support and developing local creative talent is highlighted, alongside its non-funding interventions that foster networks of collaboration and action between industry and policy stakeholders. It highlights the agency's role in facilitating co-productions as it attempts to transform the nation from a service provider to a more strategically diverse sector. Using strategy documents and interviews, the article underscores the constant need for such agencies to define and attribute value to their work. By comparing Screen Ireland with similar bodies in other European countries, the study considers global transformations in the screen industry and how they are mediated by national publicly funded bodies.