2. What was the UK Film Council?
- The UK film council governs British films it was set up in 2000, it funds for films
which are under influence of the UK’s background and economy. They are the
Governments strategic agency for film within the UK. They create the UK to become
a natural home for film within digital age, this helps within the competitors of film
and the cultural aspects of film.
So what do they do?
The UK Film Council work within the Government and the film industry, they help with what
can disrupt films and get in the way for example: economic and cultural issues can really affect
film so the UK Film Council offer advice on ways to deal with these issues. and many others.
- The UK Film Council roughly distribute £27,000,000 by the government to support film
production, script development, film export and distribution, short films, cinema and
educational film etc.They distribute £27,000,000 from the national lottery.
Overall the UK Film Council supports films that have
British identity and aim to make the films a success and
promote UK films.
Tuesday, 11 June 13
3. What did it do to support short filmmakers and short
film making?
The UK Film Council helped support short film makers and short film making by Direct fund for short films and feature.
-There were three funds which offered nearly £17,000,000 for the production and development of the films.
– The Development Fund :This funds aim was to widen the quality, range and ambitions of films being produced in the UK.There
was to separate funds within this The First Feature Film Development Programme which supported film makers and then there
was The Feature Film Development Programme which was a funding programme for filmmakers and producers.
- The New Cinema Fund:This fund was used to help and support film makers who were working outside the mainstream. The
schemes of this fund supported over 100 short films each year.
UK Film Council > regional screen agencies > national screen agencies > Digital Shorts Scheme
- The Premiere Fund:This fund was where the lottery put in £8,000,000 funding which helped and
influenced the idea of British talent which would create a wider and more of an international audience.
These three funds helped support short film making and filmmakers in many different ways.
-The UK Film Council also helped by trying to create a wider audience for non-mainstream films by using distribution and
exhibition e.g.The Prints and Advertising Fund,The Cinema Access Programme,The Digital Fund for Non Theatrical
Exhibition,The Digital Screen Network and Capital funding.All of the following helped and supported the film.
Tuesday, 11 June 13
4. What was the position and role of the BFI prior to the creation of the Film Council?
The 26th of July 2010 the Conservatives said that the Council was to be put an end to.The chief
of the UK Film Council John Woodward stepped down and later the UK Film Council closed on
the 31st March 2011 which then passed down to the British Film Institute (BFI).
In 1983 a Royal Charter was received.This was then brought up to date in 2000, also the newly-
established UK Film Council took control for providing the BFI's annual grant-in-aid.As an
independent registered charity, the BFI is regulated by the Charity Commission and the Privy
Council.The BFI became the leader of the UK Film Council and took control some people lost
jobs however not many.
How has the position and role of the BFI changed since the recent government decision
to dismantle the UK Film Council?
The BFI was introduced in 1933 and was held responsible for funding etc, it had been around
a lot longer than to when the UK Film council was introduced in 2000 by labour and took
over funds which left the BFI responsible for the film archives, schedule for National Film,
education, Sight and Sound magazine and the museum of moving image theatre.This shows
how the BFI did not handle funding anymore. Later on in 2011 the UK Film Council got
closed off and taken over by the BFI who received there original responsibility back. When
the UK Film Council was in power they tried to make it more democratic and easier for
short films.They also thought that the BFI had made feature films to artistically developed.
They both had different views of funding etc.
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5. What is the role and remit of the BFI?
The transfer of responsibility from the UK Film Council in
2011 left the BFI’s role and responsibilities as:
The BFI has three different ways of income, one of the main one is through the publics money which
gets passed through by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. During 2011-12 the funding by
the public made a total of £20,000,000.
The next important way of income was commercial activity for example BFI London IMAX theatre
and the distribution of DVD’s.
Finally another important way of income was funding grants, sponsorship and donation, the National
Lottery funded grants and private sponsors.
A role and responsibility of the BFI is the distributor for all Lottery funds for film.The UKFC role was
to try and “help make the UK a global hub for film in the digital age, with the world’s most imaginative,
diverse and vibrant film culture, underpinned by a flourishing, competitive film industry,” whereas the
BFI’s role and responsibility is the production and development of the Film Fund.The BFI have
£15,000,000 a year to invest in development, production and completion for feature films.The BFI
responsibility is to support and assist film makers producing there film. In 2012 there was the BFI
Shorts which was managed by Lighthouse which is now closed however currently in 2013 if you
wanted a fund for a short film you could turn to Creative England, Creative Scotland, Film Agency for
Whales, Northern Ireland Screen or Film London.
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6. In what respects and to what extent does the UK Film
Council continue to exist as an institutional and
cultural film body?
The actor and director Noel Clarke told the BBC “ I'm very sad that they're breaking down but the
BFI is going to continue what they do." It shows how in some aspects the UK Film Council continues
to exist as an institutional and cultural film body as all that has changed is the BFI have taken the role
of the UKFC. Show that the UKFC still seize to exist.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/apr/01/uk-film-council-british-institute-bfi
Shows the overtake of the UK Film Council to the British
Film Institute and how it is only new leadership and UKFC
exists still through the BFI.
When the BFI took control for funding, the staff from
the UK Film Council transferred to the BFI which
shows us how they do still exist as the same
employment for the jobs within the UKFC has been
moved across to the BFI.This shows the BFI is run
the same way as the UKFC.
When the BFI took over Greg Dyke welcomed the governments plan that instals his organisation at the
helm of the UK film policy. Shows the UKFC still exist as there policies are still existing within the BFI.
EdVaizey announced “ The BFI would take on the bulk of responsibilities previously handled by
the outgoing UK Film Council.This shows that all the BFI was only a new leadership of control
for funding, it shows by them taking on responsibilities already handled by the UKFC it is still
ran the same way and how the UKFC still exist.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/nov/29/bfi-uk-film-council-dyke
The UKFC was responsible for distributing lottery money to film-makers based in the UK which the
BFI have now taken responsibility for. It shows that the UKFC do exist its just been handed over to the
BFI. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12924307
Tuesday, 11 June 13
7. 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 it’s Regional
Investment Fund For England. These were...
1.EM Media - East Midlands
2. Film London - London
3.Northern Film & Media - Newcastle
4. North WestVision & Media -
5. Screen East
6. Screen South - Folkestone
7. Screen West Midlands
8. ScreenYorkshire - Leeds
9. South West Screen
All of the following helped support and provide within
production, training, screen commissions, cinema exhibition,
archives and education.
Examples of some films that were funded when the UK
Film Council was in control...
Screen yorkshire:
Film in 2008 - Boy
Directed by Joe Morris and produced by Gemma
Ferguson and Alex Usborne.
Screen south:
Film in 2008 - Curfew
Directed by Katie Aidley and produced
by Mark Blaney and Jackie Sheppard.
Northern Film and Media:
Film in 2008 - Bus Stop Boogaloo
Written and directed by Gus Hughes and
produced by Siobhan Fenton.
2008-2009 Film slate, funding with digital shorts;
EM Media:
Film in 2008 - Tandem
Written and directed by John and Tom Turrell and
produced by Rachel Dargavel.
Film London:
Film in 2008 - The Rain Horse
Written and directed by Sebastian Godwin and
produced by Hugo Godwin.
South west screen
film in 2009 - September won the short film BAFTA
awards
made by Esther May Campbell and
produced by Stuart Le Marechal
Screen East
Film in 2009 - Shadows and dust
wtitten and directed by Jon Dunleavy and
animated
no producer
Tuesday, 11 June 13
8. How is funding for shorts handled now by the BFI?
It is handled by the Film Fund for shorts which is through the National Lottery funding.
The film fund by the BFI supports filmmakers within the UK. They have £18,000,000 to invest
through the development, production and completion of feature films. By having the support of
the BFI it means you can have all the help you need with developing and creating your film.
In 2012 the BFI Shorts scheme was introduced, it is a scheme which helps and supports
filmmakers by giving them the chance to create feature films and also gives them the chance to
show off their talent and skills. The BFI Shorts is managed by the company Lighthouse.
Budgets of £25,000 - £50,000 in 2012 for live action fiction projects.
A few of the Short Films through the BFI Shorts 2012:
1. The Beast
2. Field
Study
3. Anthony
4. Gutpunch
5. Keeping Up with the Jonese
6. L’Assenza
7. Liam + Lenka
8. Mohammed
9. Orbit Ever After
10. Sea View
11. Sidney
12. SLR
13. The Line
14. The Portrait
15. To Leech
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9. Has funding and support for shorts altered since the
government’s changes to the power structures of the
national film agencies?
When the UKFC ran the funding, depending on
where you live you would turn too...
EM Media - East Midlands
Film London - London
Northern Film & Media - Newcastle
North WestVision & Media
Screen East
Screen South - Folkestone
Screen West Midlands
ScreenYorkshire - Leeds
South West Screen
However when then the BFI took control funding
became different by...
- There is an extreme difference in the
ways of funding between the two. From
going to the UKFC to the BFI’s way of
funding. The BFI i use the management
of Lighthouse which is based in
Brighton for funding.
Screen South only talks about previous
films they have helped and supported
nothing about currently helping Short films.
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10. As a short filmmaker, what funds could you yourself
apply for?
There are 3 funds I could apply for…
- London Borough Film Fund Challenge – It is a challenge for short film makers,
if successful the LBFFC provides production funding, a mentoring and training
programme and help you develop new skills. It offers around £4,000 towards the
production of a short film.
- The Shorts Support Scheme – Is a fund for short filmmakers to represent to
audiences all over the world the UK talent. It also helps and support filmmakers.
- BFI Lighthouse Shorts – It helps and supports filmmakers by giving them the
chance to create feature films and also gives them the chance to show off their
talent and skills.
Tuesday, 11 June 13
11. Different schemes for funding of shorts:
1.Virgin Media Shorts
2.The Shorts Support Scheme
3.London Borough Film Fund Challenge
Part 3Other Funding Sources
Outside of the BFI, are there any other schemes that
exist to help fund short films?
Tuesday, 11 June 13
