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 Breakthrough strand of the London Screenings is a showcase for completed feature films and feature documentaries from emerging British filmmakers seeking sales representation and international film festival exposure. Past entries to Breakthrough have gone on to secure their sales agent, film festival attendance and recognition at various awards ceremonies which have profiled the film making talent to industry execs and future financing.
The London Screenings and its Breakthrough strand will take place at Picturehouse Central on 23-25 June 2025.
Deadline to Apply: 17th March 2025
Visionaries – Edinburgh TV Festival
Visionaries brings together TV’s rising stars who have the ideas and ambition to redefine the industry in their image with compassion and creativity.
The Visionaries programme (an evolution of our previous Ones To Watch programme) is about championing and connecting TV’s best and brightest to give them the ability to turn their vision into real change for the industry and what we see on our screens.
We are seeking creatives from every part of the TV community who are authentic to who they are and want to use their power, influence and passion to develop their career while having a positive impact on the wider industry.
Deadline to Apply: 20th March 2025
Edinburgh Pitch is an international documentary pitching forum for independent filmmakers and productions companies developing and raising finance for urgent, challenging, engaging authored feature films. The Edinburgh Pitch is a great opportunity to learn more about the current international landscape for documentaries, and to test your ideas in front of a supportive panel. In a supportive lab-like environment, the 12 selected projects will be invited to take part in a preparatory workshop (16th June) before pitching publicly to an industry panel on 17th June and being offered one-to-one meetings the next day (18th June).
Deadline to Apply: 23rd March
Grants of up to £10,000, available for mid-to-senior Black and Global Majority individuals working behind the scenes in film, TV, and cinema
If you are a mid-to-senior level industry professional from the Black and Global Majority who works behind the scenes in film, TV, or cinema, then you may be eligible to apply for a Reel Impact grant of up to £10,000.
Deadline to Apply: Monday 31st March
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.
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.
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.