This is our Film Funding Research for our AS media blog.

1. Film Funding in the UK
BY BEN HIGGINS

2. Film Funding in the UK
• Producing a full length feature film can be massively
expensive. As a result developing film makers, need
assistance in relations to funding.
• In the UK, there are various methods for smaller films
to receive funding, such as through various companies
and charities. I have researched some of these, and
have come to a decision about who I would like to help
fund my film.

3. Creative Skillset
• Creative skillset offer bursaries to individuals looking for
careers in various areas of media industry, including films,
games and publishing. These bursaries include:
• Craft and technical – up to £800
• International scholarships – up to £5,000
• Management and leadership – up to £1,000

4. Creative Skilled: Funding
• In order to receive funding from creative skillset. You need
to apply for a job, and then receive funding for the specific
role that has been applied for.
• There are a variety of roles available, such as
apprenticeships, management and trainee roles.

5. BFI
• BFI is a charity founded in 1933 and are governed by the
Royal Charter. They are the largest public film fund in the
UK and use lottery funds to help fund films. Their current
spend is £26M, but their budget is set to increase to £30M
by 2017. The company help all stages of production, and
supports full artistic and creative freedom. First time film
makers can also apply for funding.
• But there has to be a producer working on the film at the
time of application, and it must appeal to a large
audience.

6. BFI funding
• To receive funding from BFI, the film maker needs to
register their company and then apply for funding. Due to
the high number of applicants, unsuccessful applications
are unable to be given feedback about their submission.
‘The Women in Black’ which was released in 2012 was
founded by the BFI.

7. Film4
• Film4 is part of channel 4, and spends £15M annually in
developing and financing films to be dramatically released in
cinemas, working with filmmakers and usually works together
with other funders. After theatrical release, films receive TV
premieres on Film4 and Channel 4.

8. Other Methods Of Funding
• There are other ways of funding and a couple of these
include charities and crowd funding.
• Charities – Some charities may fund certain films if they
bring issues to light which the charity feels strongly
about. For example charities what represent poverty,
would be funding a film which shows poverty.
• Crowd Funding - This is when people donate to the film.
This means if a lot of people donate, hopefully enough
will be raised for the movie to be made.