Short films
Short films can help new film-makers to develop their talent. We fund short films through several different schemes.
Short Films Completion Fund 2009/10
The Short Film Completion Fund provides finance and support for short films that show outstanding potential but lack the funds to finish. A fund of £70,000 has been made available to support projects across the Fund's only call for entry in 2009/10.
Completion Fund films have achieved outstanding success gathering over 150 international awards including Best British Short at Edinburgh and the BAFTA for Best British Short.
Applications to the 2009/10 call of the UK Film Council's Short Film Completion Fund are now closed. For further information please visit our Short Film Completion Fund 2009/10 section.
Digital Shorts
The New Cinema Fund has partnered with organisations in each region and nation of the UK to enable filmmakers to make innovative shorts using digital technology. The New Cinema Fund also has two UK-wide partners, B3 Media, which supports the next generation of black and minority ethnic filmmakers and 104 Films which supports disabled filmmakers.
Please contact the appropriate organisation to find out more about the scheme in your region. Go to Digital Shorts 2009/10 for a list of organisations.
Cinema Extreme
The Cinema Extreme short film programme will not be issuing any further calls for new applications.
Since being launched in 2002 the scheme has been highly successful and both the UK Film Council and Film4, as joint funders of the programme, are incredibly proud of all the filmmakers who have made films through the scheme including Andrea Arnold (Wasp, Red Road, Fish Tank), Duane Hopkins (Love Me or Leave Me Alone, Better Things) and Jens Jonsson (A Changed Man, The King of Ping Pong), and the hard work and support that has been provided by The Bureau in managing the Cinema Extreme programme and by Lifesize Pictures in managing it on behalf of the UK Film Council.
The New Cinema Fund of the UK Film Council will continue to support short filmmaking through short film schemes such as Digital Shorts, Digital Nation, Completion Fund and its support of the Virgin Shorts Competition and continues to work with first time feature filmmakers through its production funds. The UK Film Council's Development Fund offers support to first time filmmakers through the First Feature Film Development Programme.
The UK Film Council and Film4 will continue to work together to support new talent and short film makers, and Film4 remains committed to developing and funding short film making talent through its development budget.
The Bureau is grateful to the UK Film Council, Film4 and Skillset for having entrusted the important mission of unearthing and training Britain's new cinematic voices and will continue this mission beyond Cinema Extreme.
Further information
If you have any questions about any of our short film funds or want to sign up for news updates email us at shorts@ukfilmcouncil.org.uk.
Lifesize Pictures manages the UK Film Council's investment in short films.
You can watch films in the UK Film Council short film catalogue, powered by BBC.
