23/08/2005

The UK Film Council and Film Four are aiming to create a ‘mini-studio’ for films under £1m (€ 1,5m) with the launch of the ‘Low Budget Film Scheme’ backed by a £6m (€ 8,81m) investment.
This new ambitious scheme -the biggest single financial boost to low budget filmmaking in the UK- will be run by two production companies: Mark Herbert’s Warp X Films and Michael Kuhn’s Qwerty Films in partnership with Simon Relph’s Fresh Feature Films. Selected amongst 17 applicants because of their industry expertise, talent nurturing skills and enterprising approach, the two successful bidders have been awarded £3m (€4,4m) each over three years by the UK FC and Film Four to select the projects, secure the financing for the films and supervise their national and international distribution. Each company also brings its own financial package to the table: Warp X has teamed up with Screen Yorkshire, EM Media Investments and UK distributor Optimum Releasing, as well as HD Net in New York. As for Qwerty Films/Fresh Feature Films, they haven’t yet announced the details of their financial partners but confirmed regional funding as well as UK distribution support with private and public funding sources.

When announcing the low-budget scheme, Tessa Ross, Head of Film Four said: "Film Four is committed to pushing the doors open to the best of British talent. Distinctive hits such as Dead Man’s Shoes and the upcoming Me and You and Everyone We Know clearly show that by fuelling low-budget filmmaking at every stage we can not only support talent but deliver innovative, smart and exciting films to an audience that is hungry for them."
Paul Trijbits, Head of the UK FC’s New Cinema Fund also added: "We expect the scheme to support filmmakers with a range of feature subjects from the most artistically challenging to the most commercially competitive."

A further announcement will be made soon about when the schemes will launch for applications.