Funding & Support
By Myles Egan
What was the UK film council?
What do they do?
The UK Film Council (UKFC) was set up in 2000 by the Labour
Government to develop and promote the film industry in the UK. It
was constituted as a private company limited by guarantee, owned
by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. It was
funded through various sources including predominantly the
National Lottery.
The UK Film Council aim to broaden the quality, range and ambition of film projects being
developed in the UK. With 12 million of Lottery funding to invest over three years, the fund
aimed to build a talent-driven home for writers, directors and producers. It helped filmmakers
of all experience levels develop their ideas and screenplays into successful feature films. There
were two funding programmes, one for first-time feature filmmakers and one for established
filmmakers. The First Feature Film Development Programme aimed to identify and support
emerging filmmakers (e.g. screenwriters, writer/directors and writer, director, producer teams)
who had not made a feature film or who had not yet had a feature film released theatrically or
broadcast on UK television. The fund also offered Signature Awards to help further encourage
ambitious and original filmmakers and projects.
Funded films included Andrea Arnolds
second feature film Fish Tank
How did they help short films and short film
makers?
There are three funding programmes:
The First Feature Film Development Programme aimed to identify and support emerging
filmmakers (e.g. screenwriters, writer/directors and writer, director, producer teams) who had
not made a feature film or who had not yet had a feature film released theatrically or
broadcast on UK television. The fund also offered Signature Awards to help further encourage
ambitious and original filmmakers and projects.
The New Cinema Fund supported emerging talent and established filmmakers working outside
the mainstream, focusing on the most innovative writing and the most gifted directors. The
fund had 15 million of Lottery money to invest over three years and funded eight to ten
feature films each year. It had a strong commitment to supporting work from minority ethnic
filmmakers and encouraged the use of digital technology in the production, distribution and
exhibition of films. It also supported over 100 short films each year through its short film
schemes.
The Premiere Fund invested 8 million of Lottery funding per year into mainstream,
commercially-driven films encouraging the involvement of British creative talent in a range of
films to attract audiences the world over.
What was the position and role of the BFI prior to
the creation of the film council?
The BFI was introduced in 1933 and helped with funding etc. It
has been around for far longer than UK Film Council as it is still
very knew and was founded in 2000 by Labour, which took over
funds and left the BFI in charge of film archives, schedule for
National Film, education, Sight&Sound Magazine and The
Museum of Moving Image Theatre. With the UK Film Council in
charge, they attempted to make it more democratic and easier
for shorts and the BFI was thought to be making feature films to
artistically develop, but the two companies couldnt agree and
had mixed views on funding etc. and by 2011, the UK Film
Council were taken over by BFI and therefore BFI re-received
the responsibility back for the funds.
How has the position and role of the BFI changed
since the recent government decision to
dismantle the UK Film Council
On the 26
th
of July 2010 the Conservatives suggested that the
UK Film Council should come to an end, and so on the 31
st
of
March 2011, John Woodward, the Chief of the UK Film Council
stepped down, which resulted in the UKFC shutting down and
the BFI taking over.
In 1983 BFI received a Royal Charter (A formal document issued
by a monarch as a patent granting the power to a corporation
and is used to establish significant organizations). This was then
brought up to date in 2000 and the newly-established UK Film
Council were made responsible for providing the BFIs annual
Grant-in-aid. As an independent registered charity, the BFI is
regulated by the Charity Commission and the Privy Council.
When the BFI became in charge of the UK Film Council, it took
control and lead to a small amount of people being made
redundant.
What is the role and remit of the BFI?
The transfer of responsibility from the UK Film Council in 2011 left the BFIs role and
responsibilities as:
Public Money This is passed through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Curing 2011-2012 the funding by the public made a total of
20,000,000.
Commercial Activity BFI London IMAX Theatre and the distribution of DVDs.
Funding grants, sponsorship and donations The National Lottery funded grants and
private sponsors.
The BFI has three different types of income:
BFI Roles:
Distribution of all Lottery Funds for film The UKFC would make the UK a global hub for film
in the digital age compared to BFI whos role was the production and development of the Film
Fund. Theyre given 15,000,000 a year to invest in development, production and completion
of feature films.
To support and assist film makers producing there film In 2012 there was the BFI Shorts
which Lighthouse was in charge of, although now is closed. However, in 2013 if you wanted to
fund a short film, you could turn to Creative England, Creative Scotland, Film Agency for
Whales, Northern Ireland Screen or Film London.
In what respects and to what extent does the UK
Film Council continue to exist as an institutional
and cultural film body?
After the UK Film Council shut down, a lot of the staff
transferred to BFI as they were similar companies and due to
them re-receiving responsibilities for funding, they would now
have more vacancies within the company. This shows us to an
extent that the UKFC is in some respects still exists but within
the chambers of the BFI.
The policies within the UK Film Council are also very dominantly
influential towards those of the BFI due to the government
plans that install the organization.
Ed Vaizey announced The BFI would take on the bulk of
responsibilities previously handled by the outgoing UK Film
Council. This shows that although the new BFI leadership, the
UK Film Council will remain true to the way in which it was run.
Noel Clark, an actor and
director told the BBC Im
very sad that theyre
breaking down but the BFI is
going to continue what they
do this tells us that to an
extent the UKFC is still an
institutional and cultural film
body as it still has the same
effect in the way it was run
and therefore effects the
same sorts of directors,
artists, audiences etc.
What were the Regional Screen Agencies (RSAs)
that Film Council funding was delivered through?
The UK Film Council funded 9 regional screen agencies due to its Regional Investment Fund
for England. These were:
EM Media East Midlands
Film London London
Nothern Film & Media Newcastle
North West Vision & Media
Screen East
Screen South Folkestone
Screen West Midlands
Screen Yorkshire Leeds
South West Screen
These all took part in helping provide and
support within production, training, screen
commissions, cinema exhibition, archives
and education
Examples of films funded by the UKFC
these:
Boy (2008)
Curfew (2008)
Bus Stop Boogaloo (2008)
Tandem (2008)
The Rain Horse (2008)
September (2009)
Shadows and Dust (2009)
How is funding for shorts handled now by the BFI?
Film Fund by BFI is how BFI fund short films, the Film Fund is funded by the
National Lottery and it was created in order to support filmmakers within the UK.
By having the support from this program when making a film means that you will
be able to receive help within the developing and creating of the film from a
variety of well trained associates. This program is heavily funded by the National
Lottery as the BFI are given 18,000,000 to invest through the development,
production and completion of feature films; although this doesnt quite compare
to Hollywood production costs.
The BFI Shorts scheme was introduced in 2012 and is a scheme that helps and supports
filmmakers by giving them the chance to create feature films and also gives them the chance
to show off their talents and skills. The BFI Shorts is managed by the company Lighthouse. In
2012, the budget for live-action fiction projects was around 25,000 - 50,000.
A few short films funded by the BFI Shorts 2012:
- The Portrait
- To Leech
- Sidney
- Field
- The Beast
- The Line
- Mohammed
- SLR
- Antony
- Gutpunch
- LAssenza
- Keeping Up With the Jonese
- Liam & Lenka
- Orbit Ever After
- Sea View
Has funding and support for shorts altered since the
Governments changes to the power structure of the
national film agencies?
The UK Film Council sorted funding demographically:
If you lived in
London = Film London.
Leeds = Screen Yorkshire.
Newcastle = Northern Film & Media.
Folkestone = Screen South.
East Midlands = EM Media.
North West Vision and Media.
Screen East.
Screen West Midlands.
South West Screen.
However, when the BFI took charge, funding changed and they
had a new system which was run by Lighthouse, based in
Brighton.
As a short filmmaker, what funds could you yourself
apply for?
As a short filmmaker, I could apply for three different funds:
1. London Borough Film Fund Challenge
This is a challenge for short film makers and if the applicant is successful, LBFFC provide
production funding, mentoring and training in order for the applicant to develop new
skills. The usual amount of production funding it offers for successful applicants is
around 4,000.
2. The Shorts Support Scheme
This scheme was built in order to raise awareness and showcase short filmmakers as a
representation of the UK talent to audiences all over the world.
3. BFI Lighthouses Shorts
This programme helps and supports filmmakers by giving them a chance to showcase
their talent and skills and in some cases create feature films.
Other Funding Sources
Outside of the BFI there are numerous amounts of short
film funds in the UK:
The British Film Council
The British Council Film Works with a worldwide network
and a range of international partners to develop
imaginative film projects, including organizing
programmes of contemporary British films, advising on
international events (festivals, seminars, master classes,
workshops, UK/European film weeks, multi-arts festivals
etc), and arranging for filmmakers and expert film
industry specialists to represent the UK abroad.
They are committed to showcasing new UK talent for all
audiences and operates a programme called the Short
Support Scheme selecting new UK short films to promote
at international festivals, and runs an associated Travel
Grant fund launched in May 2012.
Charities are also a possible source for
funding that are somehow linked to the
goals/aim of your short film. As an
example, the Welcome Trust, one of the
UK's largest medical research charity, has
an Arts Awards which funds projects, as
well as short films, that are inspired by
biomedical science.
CineCrowd is a crowd-funding platform for feature films,
animation films, documentaries and video clips, and
welcomes all types of audiovisual projects. Over 80% of
all CineCrowd projects are successful in finding financial
support - more than on any other crowd funding
platform.
CineCrowd
It is possible to gather funding from Local
Councils who will put money towards short
film making, especially if it is dealing with
social exclusion or aids the local community
in some way.
