On Wednesday 10 January Directors UK members attended our first event of the year, “Meet the BFI Film Fund”. Ben Roberts, Mary Burke and Matimba Kabalika discussed the fund with our Film Chair Susanna White, with topics ranging from application pitfalls to the fund’s new representation targets.
We can't wait for our first event of the year, "Meet the BFI Film Fund". We'll hear from @bfiben, @timbles and @crackerjaw - chaired by @_susannawhite. Follow #DUKBFI from 7 for the tweets! pic.twitter.com/TTde1iSIrq
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
And it's time for a packed out "Meet The BFI Film Fund" session! #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Ben Roberts is the director of the BFI Film Fund. He has 15 years of experience in multiple areas of the film industry, and was previously CEO of Protagonist Pictures. He is responsible for overseeing the BFI’s Lottery investments in film development, production and distribution.
Mary Burke is Senior Production and Development Executive at the BFI Film Fund. Mary previously worked at Warp Films, and her production credits include Berbarian Sound Studio, The Bunny and the Bull and Submarine.
Matimba Kabalika is Talent Development Manager and looks after the BFI Network. Matimba previously worked at Partizan, and worked in production on a number of commercials, short films, and music videos.
Susanna White is the twice Emmy-nominated director of several critically acclaimed TV series, including Parade’s End, Generation Kill, Bleak House and Jane Eyre. Television one-offs include Volvo City and Tell Me the Truth About Love. Her feature films include Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang and Our Kind of Traitor. Susanna is also the Film Chair for Directors UK.
Susanna asks Ben about the size of the fund and what it does. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Ben: It's lottery funded - we look after lottery funds for talent development as well audience development, and we also have an international fund. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
It's a broad range of activity, and the biggest focus of activity is our film work. We spend about 2.5 million a year on feature film development, and have a production fund of around 16 million. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
We're not a commissioner and we don't think of ourselves that way - we're an open access fund. I feel it's better in terms of accessibility, we're more focussed on what comes into us than reaching out. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Mary: In my role I'll have a strong relationship with producers and directors, to make sure the film we're setting out to fund is on track. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Matimba: We have professional development plans, networking and mentoring schemes. My role is to keep abreast of all these opportunities. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Susanna asks the panel "What are you looking for?" #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Mary: It's not really taste led, but more priority led. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Matimba: We love to be surprised - "I Am Not A Witch" is a great example. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Catch a trailer for I Am Not A Witch, directed by Rungano Nyoni.
Ben: Early career, diversity and inclusion, films from outside London and the South East are priorities for us. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
We look for a sense of narrative envelope pushing, some progressive ideas - and a sort of justifiable element of risk. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
If you look at where success is in a busy film calendar, the most successful films are bold and distinctive - there's a commercial imperative to that now. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Mary talks us through the application process. A form asks about your experience, and what it is your seeking support for. A separate production form looks at questions of budget. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Ben: It can take a minimum of 12 weeks to go from an application to a declaration of support. Though we try to be sympathetic when things are time sensitive. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Ben: It can take a minimum of 12 weeks to go from an application to a declaration of support. Though we try to be sympathetic when things are time sensitive. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Susanna ask what the most common application pitfalls are. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Susanna ask what the most common application pitfalls are. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Ben: Length! Strong, pithy pitching is great - and be realistic. Finance plans need to be viable. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Give us a sense that you know exactly what you want to make, and how you're going to make it. We need to see that you know what you're doing. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Matimba: We like things to be visual, give us links to your previous work. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Mary: Be personal and honest - we want to know why you want to work with us, and why you want to do it now. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Mary: Be personal and honest - we want to know why you want to work with us, and why you want to do it now. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Ben: We don't see enough layered genre material. We want more genre material that has more than an A plot. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Ben: We want socially responsible genre material - ah, that'll read really badly in the tweets...(Sorry Ben!) #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
🤣
— Ben Roberts (@bfiben) January 10, 2018
We see ourselves as custodians of the vision of the project, particularly where there are multiple financiers. Once we make a positive decision we're kind of all in! #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Mary: We can also be zoomed out and hands off- we are mostly led by what the teams need. Quite often that's creative support. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Matimba tells us about the BFI Network. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Matimba: It's not really a club you join. There are lots of avenues that are ways in: schemes we support, our partnership with Creative England. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Ben: The network allows to reach out and encourage members to have a go. We can be freer in our communication with filmmakers. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Matimba: My role is not to build a brand, it's to support new filmmakers and get them noticed. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Susanna asks about the recent changes made to the BFI Film Fund, with regards to diversity and inclusion. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Ben: The industry is never going to diversify if industry gatekeepers continue to ignore new formats and platforms - so we made our guidelines less restrictive. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Ben: We wanted to set some targets on diversity and inclusion in our funding - and I think it's quite right as a public funder that we have them, and are accountable for them. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
We delegated to the Doc Society as a lottery funder, to make the most of their expertise. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Susanna asks what success looks like to the fund. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Mary: It's great if you go on to make a commercial success and never need our money again, that's good! #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Ben: If my mum's heard of it, that's success. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Now Susanna hands over to the audience for questions. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
A member asks about the new talent fund. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Mary: You can apply to the new talent fund now through the BFI. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
A member asks combining BFI money with other financial backing. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Ben: We need to know in the finance plan who we're benefitting, and then the question of rights comes up. We can do it though. We've partnered with Amazon, for example. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
A member asks how the fund's selection process will change to meet their new 50:50 gender representation targets. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Ben: We had a really illuminating unconscious bias training course. The new targets will also mean representation is at the front of our minds in the selection process. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Ben: We had a really illuminating unconscious bias training course. The new targets will also mean representation is at the front of our minds in the selection process. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
A member asks about prospects for animation. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Ben: We're aware that it's something that seems to be missing from our current offer, and we're looking on developing something in the coming year. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
A member asks about applying without an attached producer or production company. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
Ben: If you're early career we can sometimes provide an opportunity to connect with producers, but it's a difficult role to fulfil ourselves. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
We're not looking for a partner that shows us that they have hit every commercial beat. #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
And that's a wrap! Thank you so much @bfiben, @timbles and @crackerjaw for that illuminating discussion - and thanks so much to @_susannawhite for chairing! #DUKBFI
— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) January 10, 2018
As ever, the conversation continued on Twitter after the event.
Thanks Directors UK for inviting us over this evening to talk about what we do @BFI. Full chat highlights on the @Directors_UK feed👇🏾 https://t.co/b2Lfvz0wDN
— Ben Roberts (@bfiben) January 10, 2018
Sounds like it’s been a fascinating evening. I wish I had been there. https://t.co/007ycJjVUq
— Steve Smith (@dirstevesmith) January 10, 2018
Thanks for the interesting thread - appreciate it. Rest your thumbs.
— Tessa Sheridan (@tessa_sheridan) January 10, 2018
Gr8 first event of the year last night @Directors_UK with @BFI talking all things #filmfund Thanks @bfiben @timbles & @crackerjaw for your time and in depth explanations. Also 4 good news on the horizon re #animation #funding. #film #britishfilm #lovefilm #shortfilm #featurefilm https://t.co/015GA3WgdY
— Rebecca Manley (@ManleyRebecca) January 11, 2018
Pretty darn nice to have my old crew in with my new crew ‘Meet @BFI Film Fund’ 1st event of 2018 @Directors_UK @timbles @crackerjaw @bfiben pic.twitter.com/oEMB9jHo3P
— Laura Adams (@AdamsLaura) January 10, 2018
Thanks for having us! it was great to meet you all.
— Mary Burke (@crackerjaw) January 10, 2018
Thanks to our guests and to everyone who made it along for making it such a successful start to events programme for 2018.
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