Talent & Business
Opportunities
& Resources
We’ll post opportunities from across the industry, plus business resources from local and combined authorities here. This page is updated regularly, please check back.
The Essential Employment Law/ HR Masterclass – Delivered by Cultura HR Limited
Learn the skills and get the knowledge you need to ensure your business is adequately protected from day 1 of the employment relationship.
This Employment Law/HR Masterclass will walk you through how to draft adverts, carry out the recruitment and selection process, draw up legally sound contracts of employment through to offering the correct salaries, benefits and reward systems, all aligned to your business strategy.
Tuesday 10th September 2024
Story for Screenwriting – New Writing North
Our professional development course with Professional Writing Academy and John Yorke Story is based on the techniques BAFTA-winning storyteller John Yorke developed to train new writing talent on the BBC Writers’ Academy scheme. Alumni of this course have gone on to work on award-winning shows which have won Emmys, Oscars and BAFTAs.
Online course starting 11th September 2024
North of England Mentoring Scheme – WFTV
WFTV is accepting applications for the 2025 WFTV Four Nations Mentoring Scheme. We are seeking 20 mentees from the South of England and 7 each from the North of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
Open to mid-career women in film, television, and digital media, the six-month scheme offers one-to-one mentoring with senior industry professionals, peer-to-peer training, and bespoke career development workshops.
Closing Date: 16th September 2024
Film Generator – Film Hub North
Film Generator is a new two-stage training programme that seeks to support the most exciting early-stage writers and directors in the North to experiment, find their voice, and develop as storytellers.
Stage 1 is for writers. We’re looking for ideas that use the limitations of micro budget shorts to craft something distinctive, evocative, and compelling.
Closing Date: 16th September 2024
Start Screenwriting with Chess Tomlinson – New Writing North
Start Screenwriting is an introductory six week writing course for those interested in trying screenwriting for the first time or transferring their skills from prose or theatre writing. You’ll work with writer and performer Chess Tomlinson to learn more about writing for the screen. Throughout the course you will experiment with genre and build towards a final written scene.
Every Wednesday for six weeks, starting 18 September 2024 – Tyneside Cinema
Women X Film Festival Tickets Now On Sale!
Women X 2024 will screen exciting and fresh short films whilst celebrating the achievements of emerging and established talent from women and non-binary directors, writers and producers. The full programme will include 70+ films across 10 strands which combine various genres and storytelling forms.
The fifth edition will also host a series of industry events, roundtables and workshops focusing on development, networking and navigating different career pathways in film.
20th-22nd September 2024
Making Finance Work For You, Newcastle – British Business Bank
This event offers businesses a valuable opportunity to gain insights into funding options in light of recent local and national governance changes. Key focus areas include workshops for startups and scale-ups, opportunities to engage directly with investors and funding sources, and a closed roundtable discussion for stakeholders.
Wednesday 25th September 2024
Documentary Talent Fund – Netflix
We’re looking for directors and producers who are committed to working in the documentary field. The opportunity will be open to anyone across the UK & Ireland and will give five filmmakers and their teams the chance to make a short documentary film with a budget of £30,000.00. All teams will be under the guidance of Netflix and other filmmaking professionals, to ensure that the final films are the best they can possibly be, and in a bid to open doors to those under-represented in the industry.
The brief for this year’s fully funded short documentaries is “You’re never gonna believe this…”
Closing Date: 27th September 2024
Your level of experience doesn’t matter: we want to see your narrative comedy’s first 10 pages. Studio audience sitcoms, single camera comedies and comedy drama scripts are equally welcome. Nor are we bothered by the theme – what we care about is the content: we want to see great characters, great stories, and, of course, great jokes.
Closing Date: 30th September 2024
We’re funding six writers’ rooms led by experienced showrunners to originate the next big UK sitcom with mainstream appeal.
We’re looking for sitcom treatments from UK based-production companies that have been originated and developed by an accomplished showrunner.
Closing Date: 30th September 2024
Call for Entries – Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival
The New Cinema Awards are a celebration of the most distinctive works of new cinema being made around the world today. Alive to this moment, they transcend boundaries of genre, form, and convention. Since ending jury and competition selection in 2020, BFMAF offers a unique spotlight on feature length and short films. Each film receives a £400 cash award.
Closing Date: 1st October 2024
New Writing North Screenwriting Weekender
Taking place early next year, this packed weekend of TV industry talks, workshops and networking is aimed at writers who want to improve their screenwriting skills, get industry know how and make new connections.
You’ll hear from leading screenwriters, production companies, agents and commissioners on a range of topics including writers rooms, getting an agent, writing a strong spec, structuring TV drama, writing for different genres and much, much more.
Early bird tickets are available here
The BIC now offers grants of 40% contribution towards projects valued between £5k and £40k which can be classed as:
- New to the business (processes, tech or automation)
- New to the marketplace (or integration into new markets)
- To create jobs (1+)
The grant is available to eligible companies based in Sunderland and is funded by UKSPF (UK Shared Prosperity Fund) and delivered via City of Sunderland Council.
As a Creator, My SMASH free tools help you create the professional film and television pitch presentation your idea deserves.
Our SMASH Pitch Protector ensures your IP is safeguarded, giving you peace of mind.
Once your Snapshot Pitch is ready, you can upload it to one of our active Call-Outs or share a QR code or link with commissioners and financiers, knowing your IP is secure with SMASH.
Sunderland Business Support Fund – NECA
NBSL, in partnership with Sunderland City Council, have launched the new Sunderland Business Support Fund (SBSF) thanks to funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
This Grant programme will help local growing businesses to access high quality external expertise to deliver business improvement projects.
SBSF will provide up to 40% funding for projects that cost between £3,000 and £6,000 (VAT costs cannot be funded).
The North East Combined Authority’s website showcasing their business support and funding. Includes toolkits for Starting Up, becoming Net Zero and lots of financial advice and funding opportunities.
Tees Valley Business Support – TVCA
Tees Valley Business Support website helps businesses based in Tees Valley access support, advice, programmes and contacts to help establish your business and make it thrive. Includes advice on finance and funding.
Resources for businesses based in the North East Combined Authority. Access useful downloads, guides, and other resources to help you with your net zero journey.
Resources for businesses based in the Tees Valley Combined Authority. Get fully funded consultancy support and up to £2,000 grant funding for your business, alongside easy access to online tools and regular webinars and workshops.
Intellectual Property Support – NECA
Book an IP Surgery to ascertain how IP applies to what you do; understand the different types of IP; take action to avoid future IP infringement and get started with using IP protection.
You will also learn how to search IP registers and look at the application process to obtain registered IP protection.
BBC Comedy Short Films are designed to give up and coming talent an opportunity to bring their comedy ideas to life. They’re a way for writers, directors and producers to develop and showcase exciting new worlds and memorable comedy characters.
We’re currently prioritising ideas that align close to our genre brief so we’re keen to hear comedy-first ideas that feature high gag rates and strong comic characters.