Not so long ago, it used to be the case that film-makers with a burning desire to finish their opus, faced the Goliath-sized obstacle of raising the ludicrous volumes of filthy lucre required to make the damn film.  Film Production funds and film finance is not usually high up the agenda at film school so it’s fair to say most film students just graduating find it tough to find independent film financing.

Assuming you didn’t own a Rembrandt and your credit card has less than a 7 figure max limit, your options were limited.  Once the family silver was melted down and the budget all gone after day 1 of location filming, these options would be reduced to sticking it all on a blind, knackered nag on the National, or planning a jewel heist, Pink Panther-style, on a Faberge exhibition in Paris.

Needless to say, the knackered old nag never came in and each spring, groups of disconsolate film-makers would trudge homewards from the bookies, amid a flurry of torn betting slips, whilst checking the Paris Jewellery exhibition calendars and the going rate for all-black onesies and superhero winches on Ebay. Well, guys and girls, you can chuck away the form guide for the horses at Aintree this year!  We have gone to the trouble of assembling a small number of film-maker’s grants for both Doc and Narrative film-makers for you to peruse from the entirely legal and debt-free environs of your own home!

We can only hope these will help you get over the finish line – or even get off the starting blocks but whatever your after, go get ‘em tigers!

BFI UK

There’s a comprehensive guide to UK-based film-makers funding via the BFI Net.Work Funding Finder here:

BFI FUNDS

Wether you are Welsh, Scottish, English or Irish you’ll find something you can apply to, it’s for feature-makers as well as shorts.

HUBERT BALS

A script and project development fund for developing scripts and other project development aspects. Entry forms available below:

HUBERT BALS FUND

 

WOMEN IN FILM

Not open yet but due to re-launch again in the Spring, so well worth a bookmark. Aimed at helping female film-makers complete their film and funds both features and short films.

WIF FILM FINISHING FUND

WELLCOME CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

Intended to bring collaborations between artists and scientists to assist in improving public understanding of science issues affecting society and public perception of scientific matters. If you think your project might fall into this category, its probably worth checking out

WELLCOME FUNDS

We’ll have more info on some more grants and funds pretty soon, so stay tuned!