Netflix launches Documentary Talent Fund for UK filmmakers
David Farnor | On 04, Jan 2021
Netflix has launched a new Documentary Talent Fund to support emerging filmmakers from across the UK/
The opportunity, which is open to all residents of the UK, will give 10 filmmakers and their teams the chance to make a short documentary film with a budget of between £20,000 and £40,000 each.
The scheme aims to nurture the most innovative and creative minds of the future. The winning teams will be under the guidance of Netflix and other filmmaking professionals, to ensure that filmmakers and everyone involved in the production are fairly paid, and in a bid to open doors to those most under-represented in the industry.
“Have you always fancied yourself behind the camera? Are you a film student? Have you got a burning idea that needs to be shown to the world? Did you train in filmmaking but then life got in the way? Then this is the opportunity for you,” says Netflix. “Whether you’ve picked up a camera before or have limited experience, do not be shy. The Documentary Talent Fund is designed to guide you through every step of the way: to nurture and encourage.”
In their finished forms, each documentary must be between 8 and 12 minutes long and will live on Netflix UK’s social channels, with the potential for further development in the future. The brief for these fully funded short documentaries is “Britain’s Not Boring And Here’s A Story”.
Kate Townsend, Netflix’s Director of Original Documentaries, comments: “We’re really excited to open up this opportunity to ambitious documentary filmmakers in the UK. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never picked up a camera before, we want to encourage anyone with a great British story to tell, to go for it. We are on the hunt for the bravest, wittiest, most surprising stories out there and we can’t wait to see what you’ve got!”
For the first round, applicants are required to submit a logline (one sentence), a short synopsis and creative statement about their documentary idea. Entries are open from today until 31st January 2021. Further details on how to apply can be found at www.netflixdocfund.co.uk