07/06/2005

The UK Film Council announced yesterday the launch of a new £3m (around 4.5m euros) National Lottery funded initiative to increase UK audiences’ taste and appetite for lower budget British and foreign-language films such as A Very Long Engagement or Vera Drake.

The UK Audience Development Scheme is open to UK companies or partnerships with UK companies that have a track record in audience development and education. Bidders for the annual £1m contract over three years will be expected to attract significant media partners from both the broadcast and print media, provide contextualised information for audiences both in electronic and hard copy formats, and deliver a communication and awareness strategy aimed at developing non-mainstream film viewing habits from UK cinema-goers.

The applicants will also be expected to collaborate with UK film distributors, exhibitors, and other partners such as schools, local community groups as well as industry bodies on a national, regional and local basis to put the strategy into effect.
The new scheme will act as a complement to the UK FC supported Digital Screen Network also aimed at increasing the access to non-mainstream films across the UK.

Commenting on the new UK Audience Development Scheme, Pete Buckingham, Head of the UK FC Distribution and Exhibition Programme said: "our objective to transform the range and breadth of cinema going in the UK continues with this groundbreaking call for partners to promote film culture. Specialised films are not just the preserve of the cultural elite or audiences in the West End of London. Our goal is for the greatest cinema from around the world to be seen by all UK audiences and to give cinema-goers the chance to learn more about film and filmmaking."

Guidelines to apply for the UK Audience Development Scheme can be found on the UK Film Council’s website.
The deadline to apply is 05 September 2005.