If you don't expect to see your money grow on trees, you might consider seeking a return from investing in the movies. A number of film-finance projects are due to begin shortly, hoping to raise substantial funds from investors.

These tend to be viewed as fairly risky ventures but carry attractive tax breaks.

Investors in films made in Ireland can deduct the cost of their investment from their taxable income a mechanism which has proved popular. AIBIM is seeking to raise between £10 million and £15 million in two film-finance schemes over the coming months. Initial fund-raising will be for the production of a film version of George Orwell's classic Animal Farm.