Film Funding
Advice on Funding : Not all the funds below are open for entry right now, but our advice is to sign up to their newsletters as you will be notified immediately when they re-open. If you can download an application form in an advance then read up on what is required and begin preparing. Try and watch any of the films that have been funded before by the commissioners and get a sense of what they like. If you can, arrange a 1:2:1 with them and pick their brains on a good approach to a successful funding bid. If you are a producer or co-producer try to identify the right scripts, directors, cast and crew that best fit for each different funding avenue. Likewise if you are a writer/director try and identify producers who are right for your script. Those who are the most successful with gaining funding are those who are best prepared in advance of the funds opening - take action now before the funds open.
Slick Films Fund
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Slick Films invites writers, directors, and producers from across the UK and EU to submit their original, compelling narratives for a chance to receive £10,000 in production funding and mentorship support.
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IRIS - LGBTQ Film Fund
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The Iris Prize LGBT+ Film Festival have established a fund to finance documentary film produced by emerging British LGBT+ filmmakers. The fund will award up to £20000 towards a production annually for at least three years.
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Guardian Docs
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We’re looking for films with a unique creative vision based on compelling original journalism.
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Bertha Film Fund
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Up to £5k for documentaries. The fund is looking for films that use strong visual treatments to tell compelling stories and have the potential to reach a global audience.
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Pears Short Film Fund
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The Fund’s goal is to create new opportunities for filmmakers in the UK, and to encourage and support the production and exhibition of short films on themes that engage with British-Jewish life, history and culture.
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Channel 4 Talent
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A number of exciting initiatives for those with no experience to learn more about Channel 4 and the media industry.
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Paid Trainee Scheme
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Investing in the people driving the success of UK film, TV, VFX, animation and games.
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The Pat Llewellyn Bursary Fund
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The 2022 Fund will give four successful applicants £10,000 each to develop their TV proposal. To celebrate Pat Llewellyn’s Welsh roots, and to encourage other women from Wales to follow in her creative footsteps, two places this year will be held specifically for any woman either born in or living in Wales, or with a Welsh parent.
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Disney Imagine UK
Shorts Incubator
Disney Imagine UK is an opportunity to make a short film with creative support from Disney executives which will have potential to premiere on Disney platforms, feature in a showcase event, and be submitted to international festivals.
Each team will receive a £25,000 production budget with equipment and facilities provided for free by the NFTS.
New Cinema Days: Open Call
Devised to offer support structures for cinema that emerges beyond the borders of current institutional infrastructure the Lab will be a catalyst for new digital cultures and technologies for innovative, live, virtual and immersive cinema production. This funded programme will offer editorial support, technical facilitation and industry connection for three teams of new cinema projects in development or early production
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BMW Filmmaking Challenge
Five successful films will be provided with access to the latest 8K camera equipment on top of a £10,000 production budget to bring your idea to life, as well as editorial and production support from an exec producer from the British Film Institute.
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YARNS
YARNS is a not-for-profit short film competition for aspiring filmmakers.
A FREE critically acclaimed short film competition with a proven track record for producing great films and launching careers.
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Sky Documentaries
The Sky Documentaries Shorts Initiative will provide up to £500,000 to fund several documentary shorts throughout the year, with a runtime of 10-30 minutes. The initiative will support creative talent from underrepresented minorities who face barriers to opportunities, due to mental health or disability, and those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic or traveller communities.
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European Doc Fund
The European Documentary Journalism Fund supports the production of independent journalistic nonfiction storytelling by European filmmakers.
Designed to maintain the richness of debate and discourse that are the very hallmark of healthy democracies, the fund seeks to bolster a more sustainable ecosystem for independent media in Europe.
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The Edinburgh Pitch
The Edinburgh Pitch is Scotland’s only public pitching forum and the 2023 edition will take place in person in Edinburgh. The event is aimed at international independent filmmakers and production companies raising finance for ambitious and urgent feature documentaries in late development, production or post-production.
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Films You Want to See
The M&M’S brand has recently launched an initiative called the M&M’S FUNd, which aims to push diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity in the entertainment industry. Find out more about the M&M’S FUND here.
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RTS Bursaries
The RTS runs three pioneering schemes – the TV Production and Journalism Bursary, the Digital Innovation Bursary and the Steve Hewlett Scholarship. In addition to the core schemes, the RTS introduced the Beryl Vertue Scholarship in 2022, to support an applicant with an interest in producing.
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Roundhouse Film Fund
Do you have an incredible short film idea? Roundhouse Film Fund supports 3 emerging filmmakers to create new short films exploring social and political issues from their unique perspectives. We’ll give you £1,000 plus support to make it happen, and have it screened at the Roundhouse!
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Diverse Film Fund
Together TV is offering five emerging filmmakers up to £20,000 each to produce a twenty minute documentary on Queer lives today, a five month mentorship scheme and broadcast on television. The Diverse Film Fund is a unique opportunity to support developing filmmakers and showcase LGBTQ+ stories yet to be told.
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Netflix Documentary
Talent Fund
The Netflix Documentary Talent Fund was created to break down barriers of access for filmmakers. The scheme was made with support from WDM Entertainment, Triple Exposure and Molinare.
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Impact Partners Fund
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Impact Partners is dedicated to funding independent documentary storytelling that entertains audiences, engages with pressing social issues, and propels the art of cinema forward.
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Reel Brum Film Funds
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Several separate funds here for Birmingham based filmmakers;
Reel Brum is proud to support local filmmakers through film funds, ranging from £750 to £5000.
Reel Brum aims to fund 7 short films in 2024/25.
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The Pitch
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The Pitch Film Fund exists to give emerging filmmakers a chance. We offer an array of training and support and have £60,000 to spend on two short films.​​​
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Grey Moth Originals
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Grey Moth Originals launched in 2020. The rationale of supporting these projects is based on:
The value of the idea, the competence of the filmmaker to deliver to the project’s full potential and a realistic grasp on how the film is to be completed with our help.
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BFI FilmHub North
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Apply for up to £15,000 of production support through the BFI NETWORK Short Film Fund.
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(Egg)celerator Lab
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The (Egg)celerator Lab is focused on identifying and supporting nonfiction directors working on their first or second feature-length documentary. This program brings together ten projects, with a special focus on stories by self-identifying women and gender nonconforming directors.
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Bridging the Gap
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Bridging the Gap offers film development training, a cash budget & production support, and one year of international festival distribution.
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BBC Academy
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A number of interesting resources and insights into the industry.
BBC also offer an apprenticeship scheme.
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FLAMIN Fellowship
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The Fellowship aims to support the most exciting, innovative and challenging moving image practices from filmmakers at the early stages of their careers, with development and funding for new work.
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Differently Does it
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Differently Does It will launch on May 4th in the UK, US, Shanghai, Singapore and Mumbai, with a brief themed around ‘Difference’. The four winners will be selected in July, each receiving a budget of £20,000 to create four short films.
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Intermission Film Fund - Next Up
Intermission are looking to collaborate with the most innovative British filmmakers, those taking risks, doing something formally daring and exciting, and telling stories from fresh perspectives. We are seeking filmmakers with a demonstrable commitment to a career in filmmaking, who will benefit from our support at this point in their career.
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Catapult Film Fund
Catapult Film Fund is dedicated to supporting nonfiction filmmakers with critical early stage funding and mentorship to launch distinctive, story-driven, and cinematic films. We believe in taking a chance on filmmakers who have ideas for artful and compelling nonfiction films that make us think differently about the world.
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ITVS - Get Funded
Open Call provides documentary funding and co-production support so you can complete your nonfiction work in progress, then air it on public television.
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LOOP - Audio Drama
The fund is aimed at published film, TV, games, radio or literature writers who’ve not been exposed to opportunities in the immersive audio drama space.
Applications for Loop opened this morning in the UK on the Screen Yorkshire website
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Pillars Fellowship
The Pillars Artist Fellowship—created by Pillars in partnership with Riz Ahmed and Left Handed Films—champions and mentors Muslim directors and writers whose presence behind the screen will be game-changing for the film and television industries. In addition to an unrestricted award of $25,000, each fellow will receive mentorship from industry experts on how to navigate the business of Hollywood
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Beacons Short Film Fund (Wales)
Beacons provides funding as well as creative and practical support, training and mentoring opportunities to help filmmakers advance their careers. Beacons short films have achieved success at festivals, won numerous awards, been broadcast on BBC Wales and released on iPlayer.
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Sundance
The Sundance Institute Feature Film Program (FFP) has championed leading independent filmmakers of the past 40 years whose distinctive films have engaged audiences worldwide. Embracing each artist’s unique vision, the program encourages a rigorous, in-depth creative process while focusing on original and deeply resonant storytelling.
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Northern Heart Doc Fund
We want to support two emerging North West documentary filmmakers by providing a £1000 grant to help make a short documentary, plus mentoring and a chance to showcase your work on the big screen.
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The Phoebe Francis Brown Film Fund
The Phoebe Frances Brown Film Fund is a £1000 grant that Mister Tibbs will award to an up and coming female filmmaker with a comedy idea they want to produce.
So if you’re a writer, director, producer, performer, animator, or some combination of those disciplines, if you identify as female, and if you make comedy, then we want to hear from you.
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Bloomberg Green Docs
The Bloomberg Green Docs competition is open to all eligible filmmakers who would like to compete to win a $25,000 grand prize for a short climate documentary.
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At HOME with Jerwood
At HOME with Jerwood will support four artists to make a step change in their practice and careers. This opportunity is open to individuals and companies across all art forms who are: Currently living and making work in the North West
In their first three to ten years of practice; Working in any discipline HOME is involved in.
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Genera
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Genera Films offers funding of up to £5000, showcasing short films on unique profiles, and connecting filmmakers to the industry - as well as each other.
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Miles Ketley Fund
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This bursary is available to any debut British feature filmmaker who features in the ICO Screening Days programmes or any British filmmaker featured in their ‘Introducing’ shorts programmes ​​
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Blue Ice Fund
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Development grants of up to $10,000 CAD and production grants of up to $40,000 CAD to four to ten projects annually. Up to five funded projects will be invited to participate in a year-long mentorship program.
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First Flights
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First Flights exists to harness and support emerging filmmakers to create bold and ambitious films for a global audience.
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BFI Doc Society
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Made of Truth is part of BFI Network and the Fund uses National Lottery money to support all forms of non-fiction: personal stories, hybrid fiction/non-fiction, artist films, essays, observational and social issue projects. We’re also open to looking at VR and immersive projects, which are firmly rooted in the documentary genre.
Shorescripts
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Our Short Film Fund offers an opportunity for emerging screenwriters and filmmakers to have their short films financed and produced.
We will finance and produce two short films through our Spring Fund.
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The Film Fund
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Get up to £7,600 in short film funding in the UK to produce your independent short film by writing one sentence.
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Whickers Award
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We seek to use the generous legacy of our namesake, pioneering broadcaster Alan Whicker, to support emerging film and audio documentary-makers in the funding and production of director led programmes.
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ITV Academy
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Our ITV Academy provides development programmes for our own production staff, as well as traineeships and entry-level pathways into one of the world’s largest commercial production companies.
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Engine Film Scheme
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ENGINE Shorts is a short film development and production scheme for emerging film talent in Limerick, Tipperary and Clare (Ireland).
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SIGN Bursaries
SIGN bursaries are financial awards to support those who face challenges getting into and getting on in the screen industries in Yorkshire and the Humber.
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Filmmakers without borders
Supports independent filmmakers around the world via grants and other funding initiatives. Supported projects include narrative films, documentary films, and new media projects that align with themes of social justice, empowerment, and cultural exchange.
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Grierson DocLab
UK-based people aged 18-25 have until 5pm on Friday, 24 February 2023 to apply for this prestigious training programme. Grierson DocLab, with support from The Rank Foundation, aims to help people without connections to the factual TV and documentary industry take their first steps into securing the work experience and networks to succeed in the sector..
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Coverfly - For writers
Coverfly helps aspiring writers get their work in front of Hollywood industry professionals through top writing programs and fellowships.
Many of the listings on Coverfly are competition listings with paid submission fees, but it can still be a useful resource.
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Chicken & Egg
Chicken & Egg Pictures, which provides support and funding to women and non-binary documentary filmmakers, is teaming up with Netflix to announce the Chicken & Egg Pictures Research & Development Grant, a new fund for seasoned filmmakers working on their next feature-length film. These grants will offer funding to up to 30 filmmaking teams for research or development of their projects
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Michael O'Pray
The Michael O’Pray Prize is an award for new writing on innovation and experimentation in the moving image. Entry is free, with a first prize of £750 and £350 each for two further awardees.
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The Rogovy Foundation
The Miller / Packan Film Fund supports documentaries that Educate, Inspire and Enrich. Each year, grants totalling $200,000 are awarded to between eight and twelve filmmakers. The fund operates an open call submission process, and awards are announced bi-annually.
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Prince William Bafta Bursary
The Prince William Bafta Bursary is a fund to assist junior creatives with the costs of progressing their career in film, games and television.
Following a succesful pilot year in 2021, the 2022 bursary fund allowed applicants to apply to up till £2,000 towards specific costs such as a training course (including driving lessons), the costs of equipment or software, or relocation costs.
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British Council Travel Fund
Short filmmakers, as well as makers producing virtual reality / immersive storytelling experiences and installations, can apply for Travel Grants to attend international film festivals and events where their work is being screened.
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Centreframe
Centerframe is a club for filmmakers, created and led by filmmakers, where members vote to choose which projects to fund. There are three levels of membership and pricing currently.
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The Listening Pitch
Aesthetica and Audible have teamed up for The Listening Pitch 2023 and are inviting filmmakers to submit proposals for a documentary on how hearing new stories can change our lives. The successful filmmaker will win £20,000 to make their project, as well as premiering at the Festival.
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Unsolicited Scripts Short Film Fund
The Short Film Fund initiative supports the production of a short film screenplay (20 pages max) or the completion of a short film (under 20 minutes) with a grant of up to £5,000, a kit rental package, and in-kind post production services. Filmmakers can apply without a producer.
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IDFA - Bertha Fund
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The IDFA Bertha Fund (IBF) is the only fund in the world dedicated solely to stimulating and empowering the creative documentary sector in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Oceania.
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Simon Relph Bursary
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The Simon Relph Memorial Bursary will continue his legacy by supporting emerging producers in the early stages of their profession.
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