14/03/2008

The National Endowment for Science, Technology & the Arts (NESTA) and the UK Film Council have launched an initiative designed to drive growth in British independent cinema using the online route.

The Digital Innovation in Film project will team up independent film companies with specialist partners who will help them explore the potential of online sales, distribution and marketing across various platforms, including DVD.

The £500,000 project is the first in a series from NESTA’s new Innovators Growth programme. Over the coming months, 10 film companies will be selected to participate in a pilot programme that will also involve national and regional development agencies.

If successful, the UKFC estimates that over a 100 film companies could benefit from the business model that will emerge from the pilot.

Margaret Hodge, Minister for Culture, Creative Industries and Tourism, said, “The UK’s creative industries are among the best in the world. But to remain competitive they must be prepared to rise to the challenge of the rapidly changing business environment. This new project is an exciting example of how the sector can move forward and really use the new technologies to its advantage.”

UKFC CEO John Woodward, added, “Consumers increasingly want to be able to access film any time any place, anywhere and that means online. This is an incredible opportunity for the film industry but it also presents some considerable challenges and means that film companies are going to need to adapt to survive and flourish. That’s why this is such an exciting initiative as we are going to give companies who have the right kind of pioneering spirit the tools to be true trailblazers.”