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.
WFTV Production Management Programme
WFTV is proud to announce the launch of the 2025 Julie Burnell Scholarship: WFTV Production Management Programme, in partnership with ScreenSkills High-end TV Skills Fund.
This initiative reflects WFTV’s ongoing commitment to supporting women in Production Management and helping them advance their careers in in High end TV and in film, with a particular focus on those from underrepresented backgrounds.
Applications are now open and will close on Monday 14 April 2025.
Doc Fund – Northern Heart Films
In 2025-2026 Northern Heart we will be supporting 2 x emerging documentary filmmakers from working class backgrounds based in the North of England.
2 x winners will receive a £3,000 cash grant, mentoring, post production support, one industry pass to Sheffield DocFest ‘25 plus a screening of your film in a cinema, and more!
The theme for 25-26 is: CLASS & CLIMATE.
Deadline for applications: 22 April 2025
Fresh Cuts is back this year and for 2025, we are looking to commission 6 People of Colour (POC) led and/or Deaf, Disabled or Neurodivergent (DDN) led production companies to produce 1 x 22 mins Unscripted programme for ITV’s YouTube channel and ITVX.
Each company will receive £50k each to make one 22 mins programme. There will be £300k in total to make 6 programmes.
Deadline for applications: 23:59 on 23rd April 2025
High-end TV regional new directors champion programme – ScreenSkills/Directors UK
The high-end TV regional new directors champion programme is a fully funded opportunity from the HETV Skills Fund and managed by Directors UK.
We’re looking for three new and emerging directors from the Regions (England) to receive mentorship and support over 12 – 18 months. Guided by three already appointed, established and highly experienced HETV directors, successful candidates will benefit from individual guidance and attention to fully support their career development.
Deadline for applications: 24 April 2025
Made of Truth Shorts – BFI Doc Society
Made of Truth is part of BFI NETWORK and uses National Lottery funds to support all forms of short form non-fiction, including personal or social issue stories, expansive hybrid work, artist films, essays, and observational projects. The fund also considers VR and immersive projects which are firmly rooted in non-fiction.
The fund can support up to 15 individual short documentaries each year with a maximum of £25,000 of grant funding. Films can be between 5-40 minutes in length.
The fund will close on May 1st at 12pm
Step into the heart of one of the UK’s most significant creative regions at this year’s Creative Cities Convention, hosted in the dynamic and pioneering city of Bradford – the UK’s City of Culture 2025.
From May 7-8, professionals spanning TV, film, gaming, and beyond, will converge to celebrate and elevate content that resonates both locally and globally.
This year’s theme, “Local to Global: More in Common”, explores the future development and far-reaching impact of British-made content, from its roots in regional communities to its global cultural influence, now and tomorrow.
7th-8th May 2025
The BBC New Comedy Awards is a nationwide talent search to find the best new comedy talent. Since they first launched in 1995 the prestigious awards have helped launch the careers of many of the UK’s best-loved comedians.
Shortlisted candidates will be asked to perform at regional heats across the UK through September and October 2025. One regional winner from each of the heats will be chosen and asked to perform at the BBC New Comedy Awards Final which will be held in mid-October 2025.
Deadline for entering the talent search is 23:59 on Sunday 25th May 2025.
Research & Development Fund – BFI Doc Society
The BFI Doc Society RAD (Research and Development) Fund provides support of up to a maximum of £5,000 to first or second time feature length documentary directors or director/producer teams with a single feature documentary film in early development; or up to £10,000 to producers with more than one feature documentary film in early development with first or second time feature length documentary directors attached.
New applications will be accepted from April 2025 on a rolling basis.
Over 4,300 film, TV, and cinema workers responded to the 2024 Looking Glass survey. The results paint a bleak picture of the state of mental health and wellbeing in the industry, with self-ratings of mental health at their lowest level across the five-year history of the research.
The insights also highlight an increase in the number of people looking to leave the industry due to poor mental health.
The findings nevertheless show some signs of positive change, with targeted interventions over the last five years to improve working practices and culture beginning to move the needle in a positive direction in certain areas.
This exciting new creative and cultural freelancer network, led by ARC in partnership with consortium of seven organisations and funded by the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority, offers freelancers a unique chance to connect, collaborate, and thrive. Tees Valley Creates: The Freelancer Network a new programme designed to connect, support and develop creative freelancers born, living or working in the Tees Valley. Our goal is to make the Tees Valley the top destination in England for freelancers.
Freelancing doesn’t have to mean going it alone.
Say goodbye to overwhelm and hello to a space where you can grow your career, share ideas, and find support—all without the noise of pushy sales pitches, cheesy networking or clickbait.
BFI Development Funding awards money from the National Lottery to support formal development of original live action and animation feature filmmaking from treatments to production-ready screenplays.
We aim to help these filmmakers develop compelling and viable projects to a point where they are ready to seek production funding.
British Council – Travel Grant
You can use Travel Grants to support participation in:
- Labs – attendance at an eligible creative development lab for producers, writers, or directors working on feature projects and looking to develop skills and networks internationally
- Co-Production (‘co-pro’) Forums – attendance at an eligible market/co-production forum for producers with feature projects
The Fund has a Key List of eligible training and development Labs, and grants are awarded towards the cost of course fees, travel and accommodation.
Producer’s Handbook – Screen Skills
This handbook is to be used as a reference guide to help address some of the paperwork and jargon you will come across and give you confidence that you are fulfilling the role and its requirements effectively, conscientiously and legally. Undoubtedly there may be things you come across that are production-specific and not covered in this handbook. Similarly, there will be activities listed below which you may not need to be across in your individual production. If in doubt, just ask! Life is one learning experience and the moment you think you know everything, it’s possibly time to throw in the towel!
Get Better Business Skills – NBSL
Learn the art of business with inspired business skills sessions and tailored one to one mentoring support specifically for you and your business needs. This fully funded flexible programme covers Marketing, Business Planning, Sales & Service, Change & Process Management and ToNetZero.
Ongoing
Making sustainable content is a shared goal for everyone, whether you’re working in film production, making news or writing the next BAFTA winner.
The albert Academy is your home for accurate, relevant and tailored training, providing courses for you whatever your level of experience, role or objective.
These interactive workshops and courses are created by experts with direct industry experience and backed by UK content makers and commissioners. There are also specialist courses available created in collaboration with leading industry bodies; ScreenSkills and the BFI.
New opportunities and commissioning briefs from the BBC.
in-depth information about content and commissioning. In each genre department you will find an overview, a detailed briefing outlining what that department is looking for, and a contacts list.
Briefing information is updated on a regular basis, and individual briefs will also be outlined, so please do check back to make sure you have the most up to date information.
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.
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.
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.