Film London Launches New Funding

Film London has launched two new short film-making funds open to London's cinematic talent.
Through London Calling and London Calling Plus, Film London will fund up to 23 short films and provide training and mentoring to new and emerging talent.
With support from the British Film Institute (BFI), Creative Skillset and London borough partners, both funds are part of the new UK-wide talent development programme, the BFI NET.WORK.
London Calling is a continuation of the London Borough Film Fund Challenge (LBFFC).
It is open to all London residents and will award up to 18 short films a maximum of £4,000.
London Calling’s London boroughs partners are Haringey, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth, Redbridge, Southwark, Waltham Forest and Wandsworth, who provide additional opportunities and support to their filmmakers as part of the scheme.
London Calling Plus is for those who already have a track record across film, television or theatre.
Awarding a maximum of £15,000, it champions London’s underrepresented minority voices, and this year will produce up to five shorts from Black and Asian Minority Ethnic film-makers.
Adrian Wootton, Chief Executive of Film London & the British Film Commission said: "This is the largest short film-making scheme Film London has offered, which is fantastic news for the city’s film-making talent. Our extensive experience discovering talent, guiding them to produce award-winning shorts and kick starting careers, combined with increased funding from the BFI and Creative Skillset, allows us work with more new and exciting voices. London is full of diverse and fascinating stories, and our strategy, driven by our new Head of Talent Development and Production Deborah Sathe, aims to find the best of those stories and guide them to the screen. London Calling is central to that and with London Calling Plus we are excited to work with more experienced talent and specifically target those who are currently underrepresented in capital’s film industry."
Film London will provide a programme of training and mentoring for all film-makers, with match funding available.
All films will benefit from an industry showcase, as well as competing for the London Calling Awards, which has a cash prize of £2,000 and is selected by a jury of industry experts.
Now renamed London Calling, LBFFC has produced over 170 short films and has launched the careers of many successful filmmakers, including Alex Taylor (Spaceship), Destiny Ekaragha (Gone Too Far!) and Hong Khaou (Lilting).
Image: Up on the Roof, produced through the London Borough Film Fund Challenge 2012/2013 (courtesy of Film London).
www.britishfilmcommission.org.uk
www.filmlondon.org.uk
www.creativeskillset.org
(IT)