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PART 2 - Funding & Support

What was the UK Film Council?

The UK Film Council is the Government-backed lead agency for film in the UK ensuring that the

economic, cultural and educational aspects of film are effectively represented at home and abroad.

What did it do to support short filmmakers and short film making?

The UK Film Council powerfully states that they have 15 million pounds a year to invest in new-

fangled and imminent directors who produce individual and pleasurable work. As suggested in the

'Eat My Shorts' article, a great way for new film maker to propel themselves onto the scene is to

create short films. The UK Film Council helped filmmakers who are on all different types ofexperience levels develop their ideas and screenplays into viable feature films, be they fiction,

documentary or animation, up until the moment they were ready to get production finance.

What was the position and role of the BFI prior to the creation of the Film Council?

The UK Film Council and British Film Institute became associated with each other in the year 2000

when the UK Film Council took responsibility for providing the BFI's annual grant-in-aid. The BFI had

been running a long time before this however, and was actually founded in 1933. Since April 2011

BFI was responsible for distributing lottery money to film-makers based in the UK. The BFI and Film

London will take on roles which beforehand were performed by the UK Film Council. The BFI will be

the flagship body for the deliverance of the UK film policy; it will also take allege of public funding to

sustain film in the nations and the regions, as well as audience expansion and education. However at

the moment the institute currently looks after the national film archive, runs education programmes

and organises the London Film Festival, among other things.

How has the position and role of the BFI changed since the recent government decision to

dismantle the UK Film Council?

After the UK Film Council was closed on 31 March 2011 many of its functions and fundings passed to

the British Film Institute. The BFI was therefore responsible for all Lottery funding for film. UKFC

invested $1.6m for a 34% share of net profits, which will pass to the British Film Institute, making it

more profitable and important amongst the UK film industry.

What is the role and remit of the BFI?

The BFI has three different ways of income. The main way is through the public's money which willthen get passed through by the department of culture, Media and Sport. During 2011-2012 the

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funding by the public made a massive total of 20,000,000. Another way of income is commercial

activity such as BFI London IMAX theatre and the distribution of DVDs. Lastly, the other way of

income is by Funding grants, sponsorship and donation. The National Lottery funded grants and

private sponsors. The BFI's role and responsibility is the distributor for all Lottery funds for film.

In what respects and to what extent does the UK Film Council continue to exist as an institutional

and cultural film body?

Currently, the UK Film Council has no input or involvement into the funding or distribution for films

in the UK. A passage on its website's homepage states: 'From 1 April 2011 the UK Film Council's

responsibilities for ensuring that the economic, cultural and educational aspects of film are

effectively represented at home and abroad transfer to the British Film Institute (BFI) and Film

London'.

What were the Regional Screen Agencies (RSAs) that Film Council funding was delivered through?

During the year 2000 the UK Film Council set up 9 regional screen agencies to deliver support for

film-making, exhibition and related media activities. The agencies were set up in different regions of

England, they were:

Screen East

EM Media

Film London

Northern Film and Media

Vision+Media

Screen South

South West Screen

Screen West Midlands

Screen Yorkshire

The agencies focus on activities such training schemes, administration of funding for activities, and

the operation of investment funds and local services designed to make a region an attractive place

for film-makers to bring inward investment.

How is funding for shorts handled now by the BFI?

It is handled through the National Lottery funding. The film fund by BFI supports Filmmakers within

the United Kingdom, they have a budget of 18,000,000 to invest through the development,

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production and completion of feature films. By being supported by the BFI means that you can have

all the help which is needed on developing and actually creating your film.

Has funding and support for shorts altered since the governments changes to the powerstructures of the national film agencies?

When the UKFC ran the funding, depending on what area you live in you would have to turn to:

EM Media - East Midlands

Film London - London

Northern Film & Media - Newcastle

North West Vision & Media

Screen East

Screen South - Folkestone

Screen West Midlands

Screen Yorkshire - Leeds

South West Screen

However, Then the BFI took control and the whole process of funding became different as the BFIuse the management of Lighthouse which is based in Brighton for funding.

As a short filmmaker, what funds could you yourself apply for?

Because of the situation I am in and the level of film making I am involved in, it would be extremely

hard to find someone or an institution to fund me to make a short film. However, due to the ever

growing number of new upcoming film makers, there are many competitions available on the

internet (most famously the 'Virgin Media Shorts') which are easy ways to get yourself noticed and

many of these competitions give away a huge cash prize which the winner can put towards fundingfor their next film. However, there are also different funds that i could apply for such as; London

Borough Film Fund Challenge, the Shorts Support Scheme and also BFI Lighthouse Shorts.

PART 3

Outside of the BFI, are they any other schemes that exist to help fund short films?

Virgin Media Shorts Provides services to become a better film maker by 5 sessions: The

writer/director dynamic, from script to screen, Making your film successful, and case study: VirginMedia Shorts winner Luke Snellin and Beyond Shorts: from shorts film to feature.

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The Shorts Support Scheme (British Council) Presents UK film talent to audiences around the

world. It includes the promotion of the high standard shorts within their programming contacts.

Work with the British Council offices in 110 countries to make it easy access for screenings to make

the UK short films an international audience. It offers a Travel grant Fund so short filmmakers can

represent their work internationally.

London Borough Film Fund Challenge It is linked with the BFI however is a borough film fund

within Redbridge, Haringey and Islington, Lambeth and Southwark, Wandsworth, Lensington and

Chelsea. Its aim is to recognise short film talent and help support the shorts. It is a fund which is

open to the whole of London which provides production funding and a mentoring and training

programme.