Netflix is re-launching the UK Documentary Talent Fund for a third year “with the aim of providing opportunities for under-represented filmmakers in the UK and Ireland”. This year’s brief for short film makers who want to get involved is simple: “You’ll never believe this…”
The streaming giant announced the news at a panel at the Edinburgh Television Festival on Wednesday. The fund will provide five filmmakers and their teams with the opportunity to produce a short documentary film with a budget of £30,000 ($) each. All teams will receive mentorship from Netflix and other filmmaking professionals.
“In the third year of the program, we’re highlighting directors and producers who really want to work and stay in the documentary field,” said Kate Townsend, director of documentaries at Netflix. “We want to develop and empower the next generation of documentary makers and help support the next stage of their careers.”
The streamer said the selected team will attend Netflix-hosted workshops throughout the year “covering all aspects of production, including legal, creative, human resources, production and finance.” “In its final form, each documentary must be between 8 and 12 minutes in length and will remain [the] Netflix See YouTube channel “What’s Next”.
In the first two years of the fund, 15 short films have been produced and screened more than 60 times at film festivals. “iran yellow pagesproduced by Anna Snowball and Abolfazl Talooni, and black strokeThe film directed by Olivia Smart has been shortlisted for this year’s Grierson Award for Best Documentary Short. and love languageDirected by Jason Osbourne, it was shortlisted for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) British short films last year.
Townsend will lead a panel of industry professionals on the judging panel to select this year’s winners. Elisabeth Hopper returns as the fund’s lead producer for a third year, along with producer Georgie Yukiko Donovan, unit director, undefeated spirit) and Daisy Ifama (2021/22 Netflix Documentary Foundation Alumna).
