Sasha King and NYC music producer Bill Snodgrass founded Princess Pictures with a slate of features, documentaries and music driven projects. Sasha's previous productions include the Conrad Gallagher documentary for RTÉ TV, Nostradamus & Me (New Line Cinema funded and winner of Galway Film Festival 2004), Shaving the Baby, Ros, and she is producer of two IFB/RTÉ TV Short Cuts for 2005 Never Judge a Book and The Anarchic Hand Affair.

Esther Terradas: How did you fund your first short?

Sasha King: I put together a visually stunning package for The Irish Film Board Oscalit application 2003. The script was great, obviously, but also the director and I had a lot of additional information, including cast suggestions and pictures, amazing photos from recces done already, and the presentation of the application, I think, showed the panel the enthusiasm and seriousness of the team on their first project together.

What do you think is most important when you apply to funding schemes (script, interview, awards previously received, application form...)?

It's all about the script. As a producer a really vital part of my job description would be to constantly read scripts that are submitted to Princess and try to grasp the potential story – from a funder's point of view, an audience's point of view, and then a realistic shooting aspect. Once that's been determined, packaging the story in such a way that sells it is essential. Obviously if all that is working along with the director's experience it really helps to have a reputable production company attached.

Animation funding and exhibition in Ireland; is it another world?

I have a huge amount of respect for animation. It is an amazing media dimension that one can have 99% control over. It's a developing medium here, yes, but we have some really talented animators training at colleges like Ballyfermot and breaking ground in this field. Also it's individually recognized by funders such as The Irish Film Board through their Frameworks award. They also fund animated feature films. My favourite animated short is Jason Tammemagi's Dublin 1– brilliant!

What are the advantages and disadvantages of making films funded by film centres?

The advantages are that you have the centres' facilities at your disposal, like Filmbase who are always striving to introduce new competitive equipment and editing facilities, this is a fantastic way to make a film very well on a low budget with support. The negatives – can't think of one. It's all good.

Once the film is finished, how do you deal with promotion and distribution? What do you think of the existing options?

For producers of short films it can get financially tough to outlay costs to promote the finished film when the budget is well spent. But there are ways around that. It is becoming more affordable to run off DVDs from laptops now and do really pro artwork. If a film is funded then sometimes they are attached to distributors. If not you have to zone in on and target the film festivals that you think will receive your film well, and figure out a way to get your film there. But promotion and distribution can be a cost that's overlooked! I rarely optioned short film scripts in the past, but recently it's become part of some funding application requirements for the ownership of the story to be with the production company. I try and keep my options as basic and as 'clean' as possible for all concerned on a short!

How many short films should you make before going to feature length?

Well I never thought I would produce this many short films – over 10 since 2003 – and have just been awarded funding for another great script, The Beekeeper's Son written by Jamie Hannigan, that will go into production at the end of Summer. Over a year ago I started concentrating seriously on Princess's slate of features, and now am delighted to have three strong feature scripts awarded development funding by the Irish Film Board. I am sent short film scripts constantly, and I think continuing to produce them is a great way to continue making films in-between features and stay up fresh with talent and facilities out there. It's also a fantastic way to develop working relationships with directors and writers who you may be working with on features or docs. With this in mind I just completed two great short films recently: In this Way, RTÉ/Filmbase funded directed by Andrew Keogh, and The Hotel Trade, NIFTC funded directed by Martin Brennan.