Northern Alliance - BFI

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Filmmakers and producers involved in the positive action schemes, Blank Slate and The Magic Hour, suggested that broader definitions of talent would be helpful in addressing access and diversity issues. Traditionally, shorts are seen as a calling card mainly for directors. This might miss an opportunity to identify talent across the industry spectrum. However, given the consensus of opinion that advancing the careers of directors is the principal function of short films, this might also divert attention from the key performance indicator - new feature directors from minorities. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to determine this information and, therefore, reveal the real legacy of both mainstream and targeted schemes. What we are left with is the assurance that the specialist schemes are, unsurprisingly, efficient at engaging the minorities they target in short filmmaking activity (though appear no more effective at engaging women directors than the mainstream schemes). This could, however, be a false friend, mistaking activity (making short films) for impact (new feature filmmaking talent). There seems little doubt that people who participate in the targeted schemes appreciate them. In addition to receiving funding to make short films, filmmakers consulted in a focus group about access and diversity issues cited networking as one of the most powerful additional benefits of public support; as one disabled filmmaker put it, “Getting into the secret world is the hardest thing. No-one would think to invite me in, but once I‟m there it [my disability] is not an issue.” Stakeholders consulted spoke positively about Blank Slate and The Magic Hour, but tended to agree that, as one interviewee stated, their “contribution to diversity in the industry is work in progress”. While there appears to be real short-term value in introducing targeted remedial schemes to develop talent from specific, under-represented groups, this strategy carries with it a danger that the mainstream believes that diversity issues are being dealt with somewhere else. “Digital Shorts is not a diversity scheme (ie selecting primarily for diversity). Diversity schemes are already in place – eg B3 – and partners already work with these.” Strategic partner The second equal most popular measure of success identified in our survey of strategic partners was diversity, with 95.5% approval. However, only eight out of 22 respondents were able to cross-reference this with career development data. This indicates that even though the strategic partners appear to regard diversity targets as a key measure of success, they do not appear to systematically monitor whether the people representing these figures go on to develop their filmmaker careers. In practice, 'diversity' as strategic partners view it appears to be an activity, rather than an outcome. Sometimes it is disregarded entirely. Page 36
“We have no brief to work towards specified quotas of black, female or disabled filmmakers‟ films, and in that sense we are not directly encouraging diversity – our selection is based on the quality of the film, not who has made it or what the subject matter is.” Strategic partner 55 If the value of short film is instrumental, and there is no credible method for tracking the progression of minority filmmakers from short filmmaking into feature filmmaking, there is a risk that the work of the UK Film Council is predicated too much on instinct and not enough on evidence. There is also the risk that it does not remain focused on securing primary objectives such as encouraging more diversity among new feature film directors The UK Film Council appears to be at risk of repeating errors made by its predecessors in focusing on activity as opposed to impact, and thereby allowing mainstream production to remain exclusive of minorities. Further analysis regarding access and diversity is included in Appendix XV. 4.5 The management of programmes: partners and projects 4.5.1. Lifesize Pictures The role currently delegated to Lifesize Pictures was originally undertaken by the UK Film Council in house. The strategic partners feel that Lifesize Pictures adds value by providing a feedback and coordinating function, and by contributing towards a level playing field in the UK‟s short film sector. There is particular appreciation of its contribution of expertise to smaller strategic partners which may not have a strong track record in all aspects of production and distribution. However, there appears to be a strong sentiment amongst the strategic partners that the involvement of Lifesize Pictures does not add value to the short film scheme management outside these areas. Lifesize believes that it is important to have a regional avenue into filmmaking, and that filmmaking should develop from the grass-roots upwards rather than UK Film Council downwards. It thinks that each region should have a hub where filmmaking takes off, but feels that the National and Regional Screen Agencies can be bureaucratic and often have the mentality of one size fits all. Lifesize Pictures sees itself as fighting the NCF corner in terms of taste and talent development, whereas strategic partners may give preference to regional considerations. 55 Not involved in the Digital Shorts programme. Page 37
Page 1 and 2: Northern Alliance Review of short f
Page 3 and 4: Appendices I Case studies 56 II Def
Page 5 and 6: 1. Executive summary 1.1 Introducti
Page 7 and 8: support a single disabled filmmaker
Page 9 and 10: emerge as a result of the structure
Page 11 and 12: target audience consists of the var
Page 13 and 14: While our interviewees had sympathy
Page 15 and 16: 3.2 The UK Film Council‟s strateg
Page 17 and 18: Table 2: Summary of the NCF‟s pro
Page 19 and 20: All of the entities in the table ab
Page 21 and 22: Table 4: Recent applicants and awar
Page 23 and 24: Table 5: Strategic partners‟ prio
Page 25 and 26: There is a need to ground all futur
Page 27 and 28: Table 8: Success and its cost, from
Page 29 and 30: Shorts appears relatively efficient
Page 31 and 32: As noted in section 4.2 above, the
Page 33 and 34: Given that Cinema Extreme positions
Page 35: Figures for the Digital Shorts prog
Page 39 and 40: 4.5.2. Revenues Table 14: Scheme re
Page 41 and 42: Others were more critical, openly q
Page 43 and 44: 4.7 Support for showcasing films at
Page 45 and 46: The provision of culturally signifi
Page 47 and 48: less than a quarter of the cost of
Page 49 and 50: Recommendation: The UK Film Council
Page 51 and 52: emove the perceived element of comm
Page 53 and 54: As part of our review we checked th
Page 55 and 56: films produced in the UK. We would
Page 57 and 58: million in only a few weeks. I was
Page 59 and 60: That dedication and persistence has
Page 61 and 62: Appendix II Definitions Exactly wha
Page 63 and 64: Directors, started in 1989 and prod
Page 65 and 66: Appendix IV Why short films are mad
Page 67 and 68: Appendix V The public value of shor
Page 69 and 70: Social networking sites, such as Be
Page 71 and 72: Investment in the production of sho
Page 73 and 74: Agency Scheme Number of shorts Budg
Page 75 and 76: Appendix VIII Overview of the UK Fi
Page 77 and 78: Some rules, such as the requirement
Page 79 and 80: The future The short film schemes h
Page 81 and 82: Appendix XI Short film internationa
Page 83 and 84: Beyond Europe 1: New Zealand Film C
Page 85 and 86: Appendix XII Data availability Summ
Page 87 and 88:
it subject to loss because of staff
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Appendix XIII Platforms and audienc
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“There isn‟t much of an audienc
Page 93 and 94:
Appendix XV Access and diversity Pa
Page 95 and 96:
Appendix XVI Business affairs Short
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(b) VAT is paid on awards and provi
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Completion Fund, and from the Natio
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The training scheme is best known f
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Appendix XVIII The role of film fes
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Appendix XIX List of interviewees O
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Appendix XX Sample survey questionn
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3. Measuring success How does your
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4B. Festival screenings of short fi
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4E. Revenue generated: Please provi
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4H.Of the above, how many have subs
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'Developing exceptional talent' and
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for making and reporting distributi
Page 121 and 122:
Of the filmmakers supported by resp
Page 123 and 124:
Filmmaker activity On average, each
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Appendix XXII Northern Alliance Nor
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Northern Alliance - BFI

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