Investigate other agencies and organisations that offer support to filmmakers and make notes on the training they offer and how they help to develop projects.
Examples:
http://www.lighthouse.org.uk/
http://www.raindance.co.uk/site/
http://www.skillset.org/
http://www.scriptfactory.co.uk/
http://www.lighthouse.org.uk/
Lighthouse is a leading arts agency that supports, commissions and showcases new work by artists and filmmakers. Lighthouse help develop the skills of filmmakers, screenwriters, digital artists and animators. The aim is to increase skills in enjoyment of and engagement with film and media arts. They also provide help for further education and the creative industries. The company have many schemes set up to ensure this; these are some of the more recent ones:
Guiding Lights
Guiding Lights is seen as the UK’s most prestigious film industry-mentoring scheme that supports and develops emerging UK-based film talent. The programmes are run by Lighthouse and funded by the Skillset Film Skills Fund, with additional sponsorship from Optimum Releasing.
The MA Digital Media Arts
This programme is run in partnership with the University of Brighton. It’s aim is to allow artists from a range of different creative backgrounds to develop and extend their digital media production skills, to explore a broad range of creative digital practices and to look at critical debates through project work and continuous theoretical study. The use of live project works are encouraged so that students gain direct experience and develop valuable links in the digital media industries and wider cultural industries.
http://www.scriptfactory.co.uk/
The script factory was created in 1996, they are one of Europe’s leading filmmakers’ organisations finding and developing new screenwriting talent. They support the people who work with screenwriters and screenplay material; and presenting live filmmaking events with some of cinema’s top creative talent.
The company offer various help for up and coming filmmakers, such as training, events and performed readings. There are also development help that includes script feedback and one to one sessions to discuss work.
http://www.skillset.org/
Skill set is the Sector skills council for creative media; within this they focus on the categories of film, TV, radio, animation, interactive media, publishing, advertising and photo imaging. They offer various help and resources to all types of people, ranging from students to directors. The aim of the company is to support the improvements of the film industry and to ensure that it remains successful and competitive around the world. In order for this to happen they conduct consultation work within the film business, strategic documents, publish research, run funding schemes and provide any information or help to anyone who is in need of it. All of this is done through the idea of developing skills and training and education policy.
http://www.raindance.co.uk/site/
Rain dance is based in London and is dedicated to fostering and promoting independent film in the UK and around the world. Since 2000 Rain dance has organised workshops, screenings and seminars in many countries. As well as this, they run yearly festivals, where filmmakers screen their films to gain exposure.
The company offers help and support in a number of different methods. These include diplomas and resources that allow people to study specific areas of the industry. The diplomas are based around writing, producing and directing. You will study courses about these certain areas of the industry, so in the future you will be able to make a successful short film and excel in the film industry.
Friday 1 October 2010
Part 6
Short screenplay writing
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tours/shortfilm/tour1.html
This website talks about screen writing in conjunction to 10 minute short films. Institutions such as the British Film Institute, The UK film Council (UKFC), the BBC and channel four, all provide help for directors when making short films. They help by setting up schemes which supply funding; this has helped directors/writers such as Shane Meadows (This is England) and Lynne Ramsey (Gasman).
A lot of attention has been placed on the screenplay of a film. The article gives six questions that you are advised to follow to create a good, well-written screenplay.
1. Who is the protagonist?
2. What is the active question, which is the basis of the action in film?
3. Who or what opposes the protagonist?
4. From whose point of view is the audience being shown the story?
5. What is it about? Or, what is the theme?
6. What is the style of the film?
http://www.shootingpeople.org/
Shooting people is an international networking organisation dedicated to supporting independent filmmakers. It gives details about training in workshops for amateurs and professionals. The site tries to get all types of filmmakers together to offer information and resources to each other.
http://www.netribution.co.uk/features/howto/scriptwriting_5_short_film.html
I read the article ‘Screenwriting Guide’ by Andrew Lowes, in the article he speaks from his personal point of view about short films and the screen writing that’s involved. He begins by saying how making a short film is not pointless and in some respects harder than making a feature film. He explains the difficulties most filmmakers have with the time length of a short film. he also explains how you should not put too much information within the film as it other complicates it all and the film will not have enough time to breathe. He continues by giving advice on aspects such as location, dialogue and even having a low budget, he believes that bigger is not always better and keeping to a smaller scale will make the production of the film easier. Short stories are also good to experiment with different types of narratives, whereas it’s harder to do so with a feature as the expense is greater.
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tours/shortfilm/tour1.html
This website talks about screen writing in conjunction to 10 minute short films. Institutions such as the British Film Institute, The UK film Council (UKFC), the BBC and channel four, all provide help for directors when making short films. They help by setting up schemes which supply funding; this has helped directors/writers such as Shane Meadows (This is England) and Lynne Ramsey (Gasman).
A lot of attention has been placed on the screenplay of a film. The article gives six questions that you are advised to follow to create a good, well-written screenplay.
1. Who is the protagonist?
2. What is the active question, which is the basis of the action in film?
3. Who or what opposes the protagonist?
4. From whose point of view is the audience being shown the story?
5. What is it about? Or, what is the theme?
6. What is the style of the film?
http://www.shootingpeople.org/
Shooting people is an international networking organisation dedicated to supporting independent filmmakers. It gives details about training in workshops for amateurs and professionals. The site tries to get all types of filmmakers together to offer information and resources to each other.
http://www.netribution.co.uk/features/howto/scriptwriting_5_short_film.html
I read the article ‘Screenwriting Guide’ by Andrew Lowes, in the article he speaks from his personal point of view about short films and the screen writing that’s involved. He begins by saying how making a short film is not pointless and in some respects harder than making a feature film. He explains the difficulties most filmmakers have with the time length of a short film. he also explains how you should not put too much information within the film as it other complicates it all and the film will not have enough time to breathe. He continues by giving advice on aspects such as location, dialogue and even having a low budget, he believes that bigger is not always better and keeping to a smaller scale will make the production of the film easier. Short stories are also good to experiment with different types of narratives, whereas it’s harder to do so with a feature as the expense is greater.
Part 5
Online Screening
BBC
What sorts of films are exhibited at these sites?
The BBC shows a range of different short films. These are then separated in to different categories such as animation, artists moving image, drama, comedy, music and documentary.
Who is the audience?
Admirers of short films would be part of the audience, as well as students studying a film course. The site attracts a mainstream audience due to the success of the BBC channel. The site can be accessed by anyone, allowing a larger audience to view the site.
What is the submission process?
In order to have your film published on the website, you must be registered first. You will be asked to fill out a form, involving contact details a synopsis of the film, other film details and crew and cast information. After this you will have to supply a hard copy of your film, if your film gets chosen you will then send in a broadcast version to be uploaded.
What are the benefits to having a film screened on site as opposed to another?
The site is home to directors and their pieces of work; this means others in the industry will be able to look at your work. This means you will receive feedback and ratings. There is also a future for more short films to be seen and become more popular.
What have you noticed about the structure/style of the sites and their presentation of the material?
The site id organised into different categories, these consist of duration, date, popularity and when added. There is a variation in text and colour on the website that is pleasing to the eye.
Film4
What sorts of films are exhibited at these sites?
Film four exhibit films from different genres such as animation, celebrity, comedy and extreme sports. The films on the site are of higher quality compared to other screening sites.
Who is the audience?
Film four’s audience would consist of filmmakers and people who are interested in short films. Also as film four is part of channel four it has a following of channel four viewers.
What is the submission process?
There is no real submission process to get your films uploaded onto the site. This is because film four chooses the films they want to have on the site. These included award winning films and festival winners.
What are the benefits to having a film screened on site as opposed to another?
Having your short film on this site would give you exposure as it has a large following. If your film were to be published on Film four it would be easier to get funding for other film projects.
What have you noticed about the structure/style of the sites and their presentation of the material?
The first thing you see on the site is the top 12 videos chosen by film four. The site is very commercial as it displays several adverts. It’s hard to navigate around the site. Overall the site is aesthetically pleasing but there are difficulties in the way its layed out.
Trigger Street
What sorts of films are exhibited at these sites?
Trigger Street is a place that shows undiscovered talent. These include short films, screenplays, books, comics, short stories and plays. There is a mixture in quality and still of footage shown on this site.
Who is the audience?
Audiences of this site include amateur filmmakers looking for inspiration and to upload their own work to the site. Also people who enjoy short films will be the audience for the site.
What is the submission process?
To submit your film you must first register to the site, once this is done you are allowed to upload your own videos, after accepting the terms and conditions.
What are the benefits to having a film screened on site as opposed to another?
The benefits of uploading your work on this site is that you can review other peoples work on this site and also give and receive feedback on videos. You can have guarantied honest feedback to then use to build upon for future film work.
What have you noticed about the structure/style of the sites and their presentation of the material?
The site does not contain any images, making it look rather dull. The colours and text are slightly harsh on the eyes, which makes it look less attractive. It looks cluttered and messy compared to other film sites.
Atom
What sorts of films are exhibited at these sites?
Atom revolves around the genre of comedy. These include live action and animation comedy videos. They aim to expose new talent on to the Internet.
Who is the audience?
The main audience for this site would be the younger generation, this is because comedy appeals to them and the site allows them to watch all types of comedy videos easily. Also other fans of comedy would be interested in this site, because it is created for any type of person.
What is the submission process?
It is easy to submit your work on this site, as all you have to do is register to the site to become a member, and then simply upload your chosen footage.
What are the benefits to having a film screened on site as opposed to another?
This website gives you the chance to earn money if your work get a lot of views and ratings. The site allows easy distribution via mobile, Xbox, Ipod etc. Which is easy for their mainstream audience. Your work will also get plenty of views and feedback.
What have you noticed about the structure/style of the sites and their presentation of the material?
The website is well structured and easy for the viewer to read and navigate around. It is not as cluttered as other site like Trigger Street making it more aesthetically pleasing. Its simple and easy to find other types of videos on the website.
Virgin Media
What sorts of films are exhibited at these sites?
This website only exhibits short films as it specialises in short film competitions, which are funded by the UKFC. The aim of this website is to find and showcase new talent.
Who is the audience?
The audience for this site would be judges who are marking the short films on the site and also other competitors who are gathering inspiration from the films.
What is the submission process?
Submitting your film is easy as all you need to do is to click the upload and simple upload the footage.
What are the benefits to having a film screened on site as opposed to another?
Having your film on this site would give you and your film exposure and more interest. The site also makes it easier for you to receive funding for future film projects. There are competitions run on this site meaning chances to get your film into cinemas and receive money for funding.
What have you noticed about the structure/style of the sites and their presentation of the material?
The colours, text and layout are appealing to the audience. The information is easy for the audience to read and is separated into different places as well as the videos. The downfall of this site is that you do not receive any feedback or ratings for your work. Overall the site is very appealing but lacks some aspects of other film sites.
Vimeo
What sorts of films are exhibited at these sites?
Vimeo is home to creative filmmakers that use the site to upload their work for others to see and receive feedback. All genres are allowed on the site except for pornography and commercial work.
Who is the audience?
The audience of this site would include film fans that are interested in all styles of films. Also people who are looking for new talent would be an audience to this site.
What is the submission process?
To upload your work onto vimeo all you have to do is register to the site and become a member, this will then allow you to upload various films.
What are the benefits to having a film screened on site as opposed to another?
As with most online screening sites you will be able to get feedback from other viewers about your work and be able to take the comments on and use the criticism in future work. Also if vimeo thinks your work is good then they will put your video on their homepage for everyone to see when they log into the site. This allows more exposure for your film. Competitions are also held, which involve money prizes.
What have you noticed about the structure/style of the sites and their presentation of the material?
The site has an easy mixture of colour, images and text making it pleasant for the audience to use. There is clear categories set up to allow easy navigation for the users. Overall the site is simple and therefore easy to use.
Youtube
What sorts of films are exhibited at these sites?
Youtube allows all types of videos to be uploaded on to the website including music, short films, trailers, film clips and homemade videos. However the site does not allow pornography or violence to be uploaded to the website. Recently youtube has started working with TV companies such as 4od and BBC I-player to bring you TV programmes from their business. This allows them to receive more exposure for their programmes and allows the audience easy access to the programmes.
Who is the audience?
Youtube is a well-known site, meaning it has a large mainstream audience. Users of this site are from all different parts of the world and are of all ages. Only a small portion of the audience on youtube uploads videos, however music institutions have now started uploading musician’s work to claim more exposure.
What is the submission process?
Getting your videos on to youtube is a very simple process. All that is required is to register to the site and then upload your videos, after accepting the terms and conditions of the website.
What are the benefits to having a film screened on site as opposed to another?
The benefits for having your film on youtube are not as good as other online screening sites; the main benefit would be lots of exposure and feedback from other users. Unfortunately the feedback is not always reliable and sometimes has nothing to do with your video as youtube allows their users to say whatever they feel.
What have you noticed about the structure/style of the sites and their presentation of the material?
The site has search bars that allow the user to use key words to find their requested video; this makes it easy to navigate. Youtube has a feature known as ‘recommended for you’, this looks at what you have looked up on youtube in the past and recommended other videos that are like this for you to watch. The colour scheme is very simple which can seem a bit dull. Information is listed easily and clearly for the user. Overall youtube is very organised and is user friendly.
BBC
What sorts of films are exhibited at these sites?
The BBC shows a range of different short films. These are then separated in to different categories such as animation, artists moving image, drama, comedy, music and documentary.
Who is the audience?
Admirers of short films would be part of the audience, as well as students studying a film course. The site attracts a mainstream audience due to the success of the BBC channel. The site can be accessed by anyone, allowing a larger audience to view the site.
What is the submission process?
In order to have your film published on the website, you must be registered first. You will be asked to fill out a form, involving contact details a synopsis of the film, other film details and crew and cast information. After this you will have to supply a hard copy of your film, if your film gets chosen you will then send in a broadcast version to be uploaded.
What are the benefits to having a film screened on site as opposed to another?
The site is home to directors and their pieces of work; this means others in the industry will be able to look at your work. This means you will receive feedback and ratings. There is also a future for more short films to be seen and become more popular.
What have you noticed about the structure/style of the sites and their presentation of the material?
The site id organised into different categories, these consist of duration, date, popularity and when added. There is a variation in text and colour on the website that is pleasing to the eye.
Film4
What sorts of films are exhibited at these sites?
Film four exhibit films from different genres such as animation, celebrity, comedy and extreme sports. The films on the site are of higher quality compared to other screening sites.
Who is the audience?
Film four’s audience would consist of filmmakers and people who are interested in short films. Also as film four is part of channel four it has a following of channel four viewers.
What is the submission process?
There is no real submission process to get your films uploaded onto the site. This is because film four chooses the films they want to have on the site. These included award winning films and festival winners.
What are the benefits to having a film screened on site as opposed to another?
Having your short film on this site would give you exposure as it has a large following. If your film were to be published on Film four it would be easier to get funding for other film projects.
What have you noticed about the structure/style of the sites and their presentation of the material?
The first thing you see on the site is the top 12 videos chosen by film four. The site is very commercial as it displays several adverts. It’s hard to navigate around the site. Overall the site is aesthetically pleasing but there are difficulties in the way its layed out.
Trigger Street
What sorts of films are exhibited at these sites?
Trigger Street is a place that shows undiscovered talent. These include short films, screenplays, books, comics, short stories and plays. There is a mixture in quality and still of footage shown on this site.
Who is the audience?
Audiences of this site include amateur filmmakers looking for inspiration and to upload their own work to the site. Also people who enjoy short films will be the audience for the site.
What is the submission process?
To submit your film you must first register to the site, once this is done you are allowed to upload your own videos, after accepting the terms and conditions.
What are the benefits to having a film screened on site as opposed to another?
The benefits of uploading your work on this site is that you can review other peoples work on this site and also give and receive feedback on videos. You can have guarantied honest feedback to then use to build upon for future film work.
What have you noticed about the structure/style of the sites and their presentation of the material?
The site does not contain any images, making it look rather dull. The colours and text are slightly harsh on the eyes, which makes it look less attractive. It looks cluttered and messy compared to other film sites.
Atom
What sorts of films are exhibited at these sites?
Atom revolves around the genre of comedy. These include live action and animation comedy videos. They aim to expose new talent on to the Internet.
Who is the audience?
The main audience for this site would be the younger generation, this is because comedy appeals to them and the site allows them to watch all types of comedy videos easily. Also other fans of comedy would be interested in this site, because it is created for any type of person.
What is the submission process?
It is easy to submit your work on this site, as all you have to do is register to the site to become a member, and then simply upload your chosen footage.
What are the benefits to having a film screened on site as opposed to another?
This website gives you the chance to earn money if your work get a lot of views and ratings. The site allows easy distribution via mobile, Xbox, Ipod etc. Which is easy for their mainstream audience. Your work will also get plenty of views and feedback.
What have you noticed about the structure/style of the sites and their presentation of the material?
The website is well structured and easy for the viewer to read and navigate around. It is not as cluttered as other site like Trigger Street making it more aesthetically pleasing. Its simple and easy to find other types of videos on the website.
Virgin Media
What sorts of films are exhibited at these sites?
This website only exhibits short films as it specialises in short film competitions, which are funded by the UKFC. The aim of this website is to find and showcase new talent.
Who is the audience?
The audience for this site would be judges who are marking the short films on the site and also other competitors who are gathering inspiration from the films.
What is the submission process?
Submitting your film is easy as all you need to do is to click the upload and simple upload the footage.
What are the benefits to having a film screened on site as opposed to another?
Having your film on this site would give you and your film exposure and more interest. The site also makes it easier for you to receive funding for future film projects. There are competitions run on this site meaning chances to get your film into cinemas and receive money for funding.
What have you noticed about the structure/style of the sites and their presentation of the material?
The colours, text and layout are appealing to the audience. The information is easy for the audience to read and is separated into different places as well as the videos. The downfall of this site is that you do not receive any feedback or ratings for your work. Overall the site is very appealing but lacks some aspects of other film sites.
Vimeo
What sorts of films are exhibited at these sites?
Vimeo is home to creative filmmakers that use the site to upload their work for others to see and receive feedback. All genres are allowed on the site except for pornography and commercial work.
Who is the audience?
The audience of this site would include film fans that are interested in all styles of films. Also people who are looking for new talent would be an audience to this site.
What is the submission process?
To upload your work onto vimeo all you have to do is register to the site and become a member, this will then allow you to upload various films.
What are the benefits to having a film screened on site as opposed to another?
As with most online screening sites you will be able to get feedback from other viewers about your work and be able to take the comments on and use the criticism in future work. Also if vimeo thinks your work is good then they will put your video on their homepage for everyone to see when they log into the site. This allows more exposure for your film. Competitions are also held, which involve money prizes.
What have you noticed about the structure/style of the sites and their presentation of the material?
The site has an easy mixture of colour, images and text making it pleasant for the audience to use. There is clear categories set up to allow easy navigation for the users. Overall the site is simple and therefore easy to use.
Youtube
What sorts of films are exhibited at these sites?
Youtube allows all types of videos to be uploaded on to the website including music, short films, trailers, film clips and homemade videos. However the site does not allow pornography or violence to be uploaded to the website. Recently youtube has started working with TV companies such as 4od and BBC I-player to bring you TV programmes from their business. This allows them to receive more exposure for their programmes and allows the audience easy access to the programmes.
Who is the audience?
Youtube is a well-known site, meaning it has a large mainstream audience. Users of this site are from all different parts of the world and are of all ages. Only a small portion of the audience on youtube uploads videos, however music institutions have now started uploading musician’s work to claim more exposure.
What is the submission process?
Getting your videos on to youtube is a very simple process. All that is required is to register to the site and then upload your videos, after accepting the terms and conditions of the website.
What are the benefits to having a film screened on site as opposed to another?
The benefits for having your film on youtube are not as good as other online screening sites; the main benefit would be lots of exposure and feedback from other users. Unfortunately the feedback is not always reliable and sometimes has nothing to do with your video as youtube allows their users to say whatever they feel.
What have you noticed about the structure/style of the sites and their presentation of the material?
The site has search bars that allow the user to use key words to find their requested video; this makes it easy to navigate. Youtube has a feature known as ‘recommended for you’, this looks at what you have looked up on youtube in the past and recommended other videos that are like this for you to watch. The colour scheme is very simple which can seem a bit dull. Information is listed easily and clearly for the user. Overall youtube is very organised and is user friendly.
Part 3
Outside of the UK Film Council, are there any other schemes that exist to help fund short films?
E.g. http://www.britishcouncil.org/arts-film.htm
The British Council Film Department
The British Council Film Department work in over 70 countries to promote contemporary and innovative work from the UK to audiences around the world. They support film festivals, showcases, workshops and skills developments.
The British Council Film Department’s aims are to help build and develop relationships between the UK and other countries in order to foster partnership, mutual understanding and tolerance. Also they aim to present the UK in all its diversity and multiculturalism.
The company provide grants to enable UK filmmakers to attend festivals, markets and showcase screenings.
Skillset
Aims to maintain the world-class status of the UK creative industries. They also aim to help people gain a wide range of skills, ensuring they thrive within the film industry. The company does all this by ensuring the industry always has professionals, by supporting schemes that are being set up.
The British Film Institute
The British Film Institute aims to widen the audience and increase the popularity of the film industry. They run the annual London Film Festival and also try to broaden the education of films that is being taught to students. To do this they receive 16 million a year from the UKFC.
E.g. http://www.britishcouncil.org/arts-film.htm
The British Council Film Department
The British Council Film Department work in over 70 countries to promote contemporary and innovative work from the UK to audiences around the world. They support film festivals, showcases, workshops and skills developments.
The British Council Film Department’s aims are to help build and develop relationships between the UK and other countries in order to foster partnership, mutual understanding and tolerance. Also they aim to present the UK in all its diversity and multiculturalism.
The company provide grants to enable UK filmmakers to attend festivals, markets and showcase screenings.
Skillset
Aims to maintain the world-class status of the UK creative industries. They also aim to help people gain a wide range of skills, ensuring they thrive within the film industry. The company does all this by ensuring the industry always has professionals, by supporting schemes that are being set up.
The British Film Institute
The British Film Institute aims to widen the audience and increase the popularity of the film industry. They run the annual London Film Festival and also try to broaden the education of films that is being taught to students. To do this they receive 16 million a year from the UKFC.
Tuesday 28 September 2010
Part 2
Part 2
Funding and Support
What is the UK Film Council doing to support short filmmakers and short filmmaking?
As part of the UK Film Councils work, they have introduced new schemes, specifically for the funding and development of short film products. This will include the funding of production and distribution for aspiring directors.
The schemes will enable directors to gain experience, and to prove their talent to other investors, in order to create a feature film.
Some of these schemes are,
The cinema Extreme
In 2002 the UKFC and film 4 joined together to fund a scheme known as The Cinema Extreme. It was created essentially for directors who are close to making a feature film, due to past short films they have made that has shown great talent and ability.
Most of the users on this scheme commonly go on to have their short films screened at various festivals. As for short films that have been sent to festival under this scheme, people like Andrea Arnold have been successful in achieving awards for their films.
The Digital Shorts Scheme
The scheme aimed to encourage the use of digital equipment and to produce films of a high quality, just as if they were filmed on 35mm celluloid.
The course allowed all different filmmakers from all different regions to collaborate with each other and to work with different regional companies.
Short Films Completion Fund
In 2002 short films completion was created to overcome the problem of directors not having enough money to finish their films.
To do this the scheme receives an annual fund of £70,000 every year, so the company can give financial support to any struggling directors. Most directors use this scheme as it is a common problem with in the industry. Over 150 films created under this scheme have gone to festivals and won various awards, showing the effectiveness of this scheme.
The scheme funds directors with the talent and potential to go far in the film industry.
What are the nine Regional Screen Agencies (RSAs) that Film Council funding is delivered through?
The RSA’s were set up between 2002 and 2004, and were set up all around the UK to help fund people in shooting short films. I used the UKFC website to research each of the nine regional screen agencies, to gain an understanding in what they do and how they plan to achieve this.
EM Media
This is located in the East Midlands, they have made over 600 investments, most of these investments have gone onto win awards, an example of this would be the film “This is England”, directed by Shane Meadows. To receive an investment a member of the agency will advice the applicant on what to do and how to go about this. The main aim of the company is to help with support and finance, to allow new talent to grow.
Film London
This is one of the largest agencies in the UK. They have partners within film festivals, and aim to encourage film viewing and increase the audiences through the support the company gives. The funding includes location development, production and research resources.
Northern Film and Media
Was set up in 2002, they cover the north of England. Their aim is to bring people to their highest potential, to support the area and to show people how to use it affectively. They focus on helping people within the film industry to enter into the various types of media, by supplying support in the form of training for professionals and amateurs, workshops, networking events and other schemes.
North West Vision
The North West Vision and Media agency aim to stimulate the creativity within selected areas in the media industry. In order to complete this, they help companies and individuals grow and develop in the industry. Holding festivals attracts larger audiences and also educates in film culture and creativity.
They help with the production of projects, such as helping with location, crew, etc. by doing all this they provide the industry with people who have extensive knowledge.
Screen East
Screen East is set in the east of England, the agency aims to increase the size and quality of the media industry. To achieve this there are four different departments of audiences and education. These consist of skills, production, location and enterprise. Another aim is to support the person with crew and location work.
Screen South
Screen South is set up in the South of England, like most of the regional agencies, screen south has a close relationship with the UKFC in the category of short films.
They try to sustain the film industry in the south. Screen South help get projects in motion, by setting up and covering six department areas. These include,
Exhibition
Film heritage and archive
Training
Production and development
Communities and learning
Film commission and inward investment
Screen West Midlands
Set in the west midlands the agency aims to support the screen industries and increase the wealth of the film industry. They give people with in the industry useful information they would need to expand and improve their skills.
They do this by telling people about events such as, festivals and competitions. A proof of their success would be the film faintheart, this was the first film made through myspace by the audience, under the support of Screen West Midlands.
Screen Yorkshire
Screen Yorkshire helps the people of Yorkshire and surrounding areas. They aim to develop creativity and to increase the wealth of the film industry. To do so they offer schemes that will enhance skills and prepare them for the future in filmmaking. The agency has been involved with successful films like ‘This is England.’ So if they enjoy your short film they normally send it off to film festivals in the hope of winning awards.
South West Screen
Based in the Southwest, they offer schemes to help fund the media industries with in the region. The screen has two other partners apart from themselves that offer funding, these are the UKFC and Skillset. A scheme that has already been put in place by this agency is the Media Box.
As a short filmmaker, what funds could you yourself apply for?
As a short filmmaker who has the ambition to be in the film industry I would firstly apply to the UKFC, as this is one of the largest and well-known agencies for film and media. With in the UKFC I would go into the digital media scheme. I chose this as I am young and have little experience when it comes to film with in the industry.
However after do research of funding and support I believe I would also apply for one of the Nine regional screen agencies. The obvious choice for me to go for would be either film London as I live with in the area of this scheme and it would be easier for me to complete the scheme. But after reading about all the funding prospects I would choose to apply for Screen East, as it is the most appealing for me. Screen East studies the four departments which I would like to explore in the industry. In order to receive these funds I would have to pitch myself and my short film to each of these agencies, making persuasive arguments in my favour.
Funding and Support
What is the UK Film Council doing to support short filmmakers and short filmmaking?
As part of the UK Film Councils work, they have introduced new schemes, specifically for the funding and development of short film products. This will include the funding of production and distribution for aspiring directors.
The schemes will enable directors to gain experience, and to prove their talent to other investors, in order to create a feature film.
Some of these schemes are,
The cinema Extreme
In 2002 the UKFC and film 4 joined together to fund a scheme known as The Cinema Extreme. It was created essentially for directors who are close to making a feature film, due to past short films they have made that has shown great talent and ability.
Most of the users on this scheme commonly go on to have their short films screened at various festivals. As for short films that have been sent to festival under this scheme, people like Andrea Arnold have been successful in achieving awards for their films.
The Digital Shorts Scheme
The scheme aimed to encourage the use of digital equipment and to produce films of a high quality, just as if they were filmed on 35mm celluloid.
The course allowed all different filmmakers from all different regions to collaborate with each other and to work with different regional companies.
Short Films Completion Fund
In 2002 short films completion was created to overcome the problem of directors not having enough money to finish their films.
To do this the scheme receives an annual fund of £70,000 every year, so the company can give financial support to any struggling directors. Most directors use this scheme as it is a common problem with in the industry. Over 150 films created under this scheme have gone to festivals and won various awards, showing the effectiveness of this scheme.
The scheme funds directors with the talent and potential to go far in the film industry.
What are the nine Regional Screen Agencies (RSAs) that Film Council funding is delivered through?
The RSA’s were set up between 2002 and 2004, and were set up all around the UK to help fund people in shooting short films. I used the UKFC website to research each of the nine regional screen agencies, to gain an understanding in what they do and how they plan to achieve this.
EM Media
This is located in the East Midlands, they have made over 600 investments, most of these investments have gone onto win awards, an example of this would be the film “This is England”, directed by Shane Meadows. To receive an investment a member of the agency will advice the applicant on what to do and how to go about this. The main aim of the company is to help with support and finance, to allow new talent to grow.
Film London
This is one of the largest agencies in the UK. They have partners within film festivals, and aim to encourage film viewing and increase the audiences through the support the company gives. The funding includes location development, production and research resources.
Northern Film and Media
Was set up in 2002, they cover the north of England. Their aim is to bring people to their highest potential, to support the area and to show people how to use it affectively. They focus on helping people within the film industry to enter into the various types of media, by supplying support in the form of training for professionals and amateurs, workshops, networking events and other schemes.
North West Vision
The North West Vision and Media agency aim to stimulate the creativity within selected areas in the media industry. In order to complete this, they help companies and individuals grow and develop in the industry. Holding festivals attracts larger audiences and also educates in film culture and creativity.
They help with the production of projects, such as helping with location, crew, etc. by doing all this they provide the industry with people who have extensive knowledge.
Screen East
Screen East is set in the east of England, the agency aims to increase the size and quality of the media industry. To achieve this there are four different departments of audiences and education. These consist of skills, production, location and enterprise. Another aim is to support the person with crew and location work.
Screen South
Screen South is set up in the South of England, like most of the regional agencies, screen south has a close relationship with the UKFC in the category of short films.
They try to sustain the film industry in the south. Screen South help get projects in motion, by setting up and covering six department areas. These include,
Exhibition
Film heritage and archive
Training
Production and development
Communities and learning
Film commission and inward investment
Screen West Midlands
Set in the west midlands the agency aims to support the screen industries and increase the wealth of the film industry. They give people with in the industry useful information they would need to expand and improve their skills.
They do this by telling people about events such as, festivals and competitions. A proof of their success would be the film faintheart, this was the first film made through myspace by the audience, under the support of Screen West Midlands.
Screen Yorkshire
Screen Yorkshire helps the people of Yorkshire and surrounding areas. They aim to develop creativity and to increase the wealth of the film industry. To do so they offer schemes that will enhance skills and prepare them for the future in filmmaking. The agency has been involved with successful films like ‘This is England.’ So if they enjoy your short film they normally send it off to film festivals in the hope of winning awards.
South West Screen
Based in the Southwest, they offer schemes to help fund the media industries with in the region. The screen has two other partners apart from themselves that offer funding, these are the UKFC and Skillset. A scheme that has already been put in place by this agency is the Media Box.
As a short filmmaker, what funds could you yourself apply for?
As a short filmmaker who has the ambition to be in the film industry I would firstly apply to the UKFC, as this is one of the largest and well-known agencies for film and media. With in the UKFC I would go into the digital media scheme. I chose this as I am young and have little experience when it comes to film with in the industry.
However after do research of funding and support I believe I would also apply for one of the Nine regional screen agencies. The obvious choice for me to go for would be either film London as I live with in the area of this scheme and it would be easier for me to complete the scheme. But after reading about all the funding prospects I would choose to apply for Screen East, as it is the most appealing for me. Screen East studies the four departments which I would like to explore in the industry. In order to receive these funds I would have to pitch myself and my short film to each of these agencies, making persuasive arguments in my favour.
Part 1
Part 1
Context
Go to:
http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/feature/237/
Read the article entitled: “Eat my shorts”
Make notes on:
why people go to the trouble of making short films in the first place
the situation with short filmmaking when shorts were still being shot on celluloid
the impact that DV technology has had on the short film
the distribution and exhibition possibilities for short films made in the UK
the limitations of the format (what, according to some, can’t shorts achieve that features can?)
the conclusion reached by the writer about the situation of short film in the UK at the time of the article’s publication
how up-to-date you think the article is (providing reasons)
Why people go to the trouble of making short films in the first place?
The majorities of viewers who enjoy films re more interested in feature films and see short films as a waste of time and are not interested in watching them. This means that cinemas don’t screen short films and programmes such as channel 4 and the BBC only show short films late at night as a time filler. However most filmmakers see short films as a piece of art, filmmakers such as Peter Greenaway and Derek Jarman agrees with this. Other directors see short films as a personal ad for their work to get noticed in order for them t make a feature film in the future.
The situation with shorts filmmaking when shorts were still being shot on celluloid?
In the late 1990s most films were shot on celluloid. Only a few people would gain access to the funding for celluloid, because it was highly expensive, meaning there were limited opportunities for a small group of people to gain healthy funding for their short films. As well as this there was no investment in finding new talent, making it harder for new directors to be noticed and given funding.
The impact that DV technology has had on the short film?
DV is a much cheaper format, so it saves filmmakers money. When editing the footage, it becomes easier and allows most people to edit from their own homes, therefore saving money in post- production. The DV technology has made it easier for people to make short films, this means there is a proliferation of short films being made, which will in turn impact the film industry as it will draw more attention to short films.
However the impact of DV wasn’t all good, people assumed that mistakes made during filming could be fixed when editing. Asif Kapadia said “ When you are a film student you are very aware of how much film costs, so you’re not going to start shooting until you know exactly what you want. Theres a danger with digital that you don’t make any real decisions until you are on set, and then you assume any problems can be sorted in post-production.” By that he means that DV has caused some directors to become clumsier with their work rather than more precise. There is the point that not all mistakes can be edited out in post-production. Overall DV shares a positive impact on short film making as well as a negative approach.
The distribution and exhibition possibilities for short films made in the UK?
There is a big problem with the distribution of short films in the UK. The audiences for short films are small, meaning there are fewer people that are interested in viewing a short film. In the UK it is difficult to get your short films shown in the cinemas but also getting them shown on television programmes like channel 4 and the BBC. The reason for this is that the majority of viewers take no interest in this style of film. However some cinemas like to put a short film and a feature film together in the cinema, this means that if the feature film is 90 minutes long then a short film could be added to the list to be shown at the same time. This would make it easier for short films to gain more recognition. Saying this most people believe that in order for a short film to be most successful using this scheme then the shorter the better.
A UK company known as Short Circuit Films, pride themselves in trying to distribute short films to cinemas and programmers. Due to this several cinemas host monthly short film screenings, others loan filming equipment to independent filmmakers and some even invite directors in for screening events and Q&A sessions.
The limitations of the format? (What, according to some, cant shorts achieve the features can?)
A man called Evan Mather realised that digital looks best when it is watched via the internet. The reason for this is that DV has its limitations, when it comes to the quality. Often when films are produced on DV they can turn out grainy and of poor quality as the dimensions and proxemics can change on different cameras, making it difficult when watching the short on a festival style screen. This is different when a film is produced on celluloid.
Although most DV produced films look best on the Internet this has its positive and negative effects to the director. The director would receive honest and reliable feedback, but the exposure on the Internet wouldn’t have as much impact.
Digital technology is cheaper, but if it isn’t converted to celluloid, it means that many people can maker their short films.
The conclusion reached by the writer of the article about the current situation of short film in the UK?
In this article the writer talks about short films in term of limitations, positives, the impact and the causes. To conclude the article the writer first talks about the UKFC how they carry out government policy to empower Britain’s regions and nations. What this means is that they have a responsibility for looking out for new talent. He then goes on to talking about how new technologies will do well in short films, however just because there is a proliferation in the amount of short films that are being created doesn’t mean there is a higher percentage of directors who are being funded for their work. In turn this means there are more short films but less directors with funding for future projects.
How up-to-ate do you think the article is? (Providing reason)
From reading this article it is clear that it was written some time ago because some f the references can be seen as old news. For example the writer talks about the UKFC and its future plans by saying “the UKFC plans to have 250 screens in 150 cinemas by summer 2005.” Just by reading this we can see it was written around 2004, making some of the information with in it out of date.
In the article it talks about DV as a brand new technology, however now a day’s digital media is the most common form of technology we use in film. In today’s media HD (High Definition) is the new DV as well as other technologies like Blu-ray and 3-D cinema. But as HD is one of he new technologies out at the moment it means that it can be quite expensive, meaning many people resort to using digital media as a cheaper method. In regards to the article the example of DV back then was true but in today’s film industry they are not considered as factual statements.
On the other hand you could consider some of the information in this article to still be true in this time period. For instance the statement about short films not having a big audience is still true, but the difference is that companies like channel 4 have scheduled time to put short films on their TV slots and on their website. The information about short films being mainly shown at film festivals is still true as this is where directors can b noticed and gain funding.
Overall the article could be seen as out-dated however most of the important information is still true to this day.
Catch 22
Short films represent the way that many if not most filmmakers get recognised initially. Done superbly well, they can become a new director’s ticket onto the restricted access ladder that leads to making a feature film. Yet so many obstacles still stand in the way of short filmmakers and the all important “airplay” of the short films they make.
How effectively does the article explain and answer this paradox?
The article explains and answers this paradox well. It talks about how a short film can get a person recognised to be feature filmmaker and explains the difficulties of what would happen. It talks about how you could you the short film to make yourself known and identify yourself in the film industry. The article explores the imitations and possibilities for short filmmakers and why they create them.
Find at least two other articles which examine the importance of short films and their effectiveness as stepping stones to longer format films for emerging filmmakers. Do they address the paradoxes/challenges for short filmmakers?
Context
Go to:
http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/feature/237/
Read the article entitled: “Eat my shorts”
Make notes on:
why people go to the trouble of making short films in the first place
the situation with short filmmaking when shorts were still being shot on celluloid
the impact that DV technology has had on the short film
the distribution and exhibition possibilities for short films made in the UK
the limitations of the format (what, according to some, can’t shorts achieve that features can?)
the conclusion reached by the writer about the situation of short film in the UK at the time of the article’s publication
how up-to-date you think the article is (providing reasons)
Why people go to the trouble of making short films in the first place?
The majorities of viewers who enjoy films re more interested in feature films and see short films as a waste of time and are not interested in watching them. This means that cinemas don’t screen short films and programmes such as channel 4 and the BBC only show short films late at night as a time filler. However most filmmakers see short films as a piece of art, filmmakers such as Peter Greenaway and Derek Jarman agrees with this. Other directors see short films as a personal ad for their work to get noticed in order for them t make a feature film in the future.
The situation with shorts filmmaking when shorts were still being shot on celluloid?
In the late 1990s most films were shot on celluloid. Only a few people would gain access to the funding for celluloid, because it was highly expensive, meaning there were limited opportunities for a small group of people to gain healthy funding for their short films. As well as this there was no investment in finding new talent, making it harder for new directors to be noticed and given funding.
The impact that DV technology has had on the short film?
DV is a much cheaper format, so it saves filmmakers money. When editing the footage, it becomes easier and allows most people to edit from their own homes, therefore saving money in post- production. The DV technology has made it easier for people to make short films, this means there is a proliferation of short films being made, which will in turn impact the film industry as it will draw more attention to short films.
However the impact of DV wasn’t all good, people assumed that mistakes made during filming could be fixed when editing. Asif Kapadia said “ When you are a film student you are very aware of how much film costs, so you’re not going to start shooting until you know exactly what you want. Theres a danger with digital that you don’t make any real decisions until you are on set, and then you assume any problems can be sorted in post-production.” By that he means that DV has caused some directors to become clumsier with their work rather than more precise. There is the point that not all mistakes can be edited out in post-production. Overall DV shares a positive impact on short film making as well as a negative approach.
The distribution and exhibition possibilities for short films made in the UK?
There is a big problem with the distribution of short films in the UK. The audiences for short films are small, meaning there are fewer people that are interested in viewing a short film. In the UK it is difficult to get your short films shown in the cinemas but also getting them shown on television programmes like channel 4 and the BBC. The reason for this is that the majority of viewers take no interest in this style of film. However some cinemas like to put a short film and a feature film together in the cinema, this means that if the feature film is 90 minutes long then a short film could be added to the list to be shown at the same time. This would make it easier for short films to gain more recognition. Saying this most people believe that in order for a short film to be most successful using this scheme then the shorter the better.
A UK company known as Short Circuit Films, pride themselves in trying to distribute short films to cinemas and programmers. Due to this several cinemas host monthly short film screenings, others loan filming equipment to independent filmmakers and some even invite directors in for screening events and Q&A sessions.
The limitations of the format? (What, according to some, cant shorts achieve the features can?)
A man called Evan Mather realised that digital looks best when it is watched via the internet. The reason for this is that DV has its limitations, when it comes to the quality. Often when films are produced on DV they can turn out grainy and of poor quality as the dimensions and proxemics can change on different cameras, making it difficult when watching the short on a festival style screen. This is different when a film is produced on celluloid.
Although most DV produced films look best on the Internet this has its positive and negative effects to the director. The director would receive honest and reliable feedback, but the exposure on the Internet wouldn’t have as much impact.
Digital technology is cheaper, but if it isn’t converted to celluloid, it means that many people can maker their short films.
The conclusion reached by the writer of the article about the current situation of short film in the UK?
In this article the writer talks about short films in term of limitations, positives, the impact and the causes. To conclude the article the writer first talks about the UKFC how they carry out government policy to empower Britain’s regions and nations. What this means is that they have a responsibility for looking out for new talent. He then goes on to talking about how new technologies will do well in short films, however just because there is a proliferation in the amount of short films that are being created doesn’t mean there is a higher percentage of directors who are being funded for their work. In turn this means there are more short films but less directors with funding for future projects.
How up-to-ate do you think the article is? (Providing reason)
From reading this article it is clear that it was written some time ago because some f the references can be seen as old news. For example the writer talks about the UKFC and its future plans by saying “the UKFC plans to have 250 screens in 150 cinemas by summer 2005.” Just by reading this we can see it was written around 2004, making some of the information with in it out of date.
In the article it talks about DV as a brand new technology, however now a day’s digital media is the most common form of technology we use in film. In today’s media HD (High Definition) is the new DV as well as other technologies like Blu-ray and 3-D cinema. But as HD is one of he new technologies out at the moment it means that it can be quite expensive, meaning many people resort to using digital media as a cheaper method. In regards to the article the example of DV back then was true but in today’s film industry they are not considered as factual statements.
On the other hand you could consider some of the information in this article to still be true in this time period. For instance the statement about short films not having a big audience is still true, but the difference is that companies like channel 4 have scheduled time to put short films on their TV slots and on their website. The information about short films being mainly shown at film festivals is still true as this is where directors can b noticed and gain funding.
Overall the article could be seen as out-dated however most of the important information is still true to this day.
Catch 22
Short films represent the way that many if not most filmmakers get recognised initially. Done superbly well, they can become a new director’s ticket onto the restricted access ladder that leads to making a feature film. Yet so many obstacles still stand in the way of short filmmakers and the all important “airplay” of the short films they make.
How effectively does the article explain and answer this paradox?
The article explains and answers this paradox well. It talks about how a short film can get a person recognised to be feature filmmaker and explains the difficulties of what would happen. It talks about how you could you the short film to make yourself known and identify yourself in the film industry. The article explores the imitations and possibilities for short filmmakers and why they create them.
Find at least two other articles which examine the importance of short films and their effectiveness as stepping stones to longer format films for emerging filmmakers. Do they address the paradoxes/challenges for short filmmakers?
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