UK Film Council launches digital program

The UK Film Council is driving digital innovation through a new funding programme that will help the industry transition into the new format and bring film content to a wider audience.
Under the initiative, funding will go to support new business models and services that maximise revenue streams for content creators and rights holders, while putting access to film firmly in the mainstream.
The UK Film Council will join forces with the Technology Strategy Board for the programme, which is being sponsored by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.
Programme funding totals £5 million and the UK Film Council will be joint funding successful film related applications with up to £1 million of funding. The UK Film Council’s contribution comes from National Lottery funding.
The initiative should inspire innovation across a number of projects, including schemes to:
* make it easier to identify content and rights holders
* help rights holders collect revenue
* and develop new business models to monetise Intellectual Property.
Pete Buckingham, Head of Distribution and Exhibition at the UK Film Council stressed the importance of the joint initiative;
“As the UK film industry moves into the digital age, it is essential that issues such as rights revenue and ensuring access to content are revisited. New business models that work in the digital world are needed to ensure that audiences continue to have the widest possible access and that content creators and rights holders work in an environment that recognises the value of content.
“Programmes such as this, encouraging collaboration between the worlds of film and technology have a vital role to play in ensuring that the UK industry remains at the forefront of innovation and makes that transition successfully.”
Those interested in applying for funding should submit an expression of interest by 23 April 2009.

Leave a Reply