Applications Open
FILMONOMICS 7: for early career filmmakers of marginalised genders
Birds Eye View’s highly regarded Filmonomics Training Programme is back with its seventh edition. Supported by ScreenSkills as part of the BFI Future Film Skills programme using funds from the National Lottery
January 10- 31 2023
Who it’s for
Our bespoke programme is targeted at UK-based first-time feature filmmakers/early-career (though not new entrants) of marginalised genders, who are either on the cusp of their first feature or have just made/released their debut, and is designed to bridge the gap between development and distribution. The applicant’s feature may be fiction, non-fiction, hybrid, of any genre and genre defying.
The programme is funded by ScreenSkills, the industry-led skills body for the UK’s screen industries, as part of the BFI Future Film Skills programme using funds from the National Lottery.
What it covers
Filmonomics (Film+Economics) is a business-training programme – balancing creative,commercial and personal development. Starting with how to develop your pitch and proposal, the course covers routes to market, environmental sustainability in production, learning from box office trends, demystifying distribution and reaching audiences. Sessions will involve chances to meet a range of funders, distributors and festivals among others. Group coaching addressing the more personal, interpersonal and systemic barriers to development is also a key part of the mix, alongside industry knowledge, networking and peer-to-peer support.
*SESSION DATES
DAY 2: Mon 16 Jan: Sessions 3, 4 & 5 online
DAY 3: Tues 24 Jan: Session 6, 7 & 8 online
DAY 4: Tues 31 Jan: Sessions: 9, 10 & 11 All day – In person
Recent speakers and coaches have included:
Alison Thompson (Co-President at Cornerstone), Annette Corbett (Leadership Coach), Caroline Goyder (Coach/Author), Julia Short (Trainer/Consultant), Kate Leys (Script & story editor), Anna Seifert-Speck (Script & story editor), Lucy Jones (Exec Director of Comscore Movies), Mia Bays (Head of BFI Film Fund), Suzanne Alizart (Business Affairs Exec Doc Society), Charles Gant (Screen International/freelance film journalist and critic), Delphine Lievens (Head of Distribution Bohemia Media), Sabine Fayoux Cantillo (Chicken & Egg Pictures), Stephen Follows (Film Data Analyst), Droo Padhiar (Head of Marketing, Dogwoof), Lia Devlin (Managing Director at Altitude), Wendy Mitchell (Sundance London/Festival Consultant), Cate Kane (Co-Head of Acquisitions at MUBI), plus alumni from previous editions of Filmonomics. 2023 speakers to be announced shortly.
Filmonomics’ impact is tangible. Here’s a small selection of our alumae:
Thembisa Cochrane and Georgina Paget made THE COLOUR ROOM for Sky (2021) which was on the programme. Camilla Wren and Shirine Best met on the programme and are now 2021-22 BFI Vision Awardees with their new company. Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor was on the programme in 2018 and went onto produce BLUE STORY and BOXING DAY. Christiana Ebohon-Green and Darcia Martin are two directors blazing a trail in TV who have directed CALL THE MIDWIFE, SOON GONE and VERA to name a few. Helen Jones (producer) Naomi Wright (executive producer) Silver Salt Films’ first feature film CENSOR which premiered at Sundance and Berlin 2021 and subsequently went on general release in the US and the UK. Paul Sng developed and co-directed BIFA winning POLY STYRENE I AM NOT A CLICHÉ on the programme. Roger Williams backed by Film Cymru and BFI went onto produce THE FEAST.
Testimonials from alumnae
“The Filmonomics Course was a real boost in my career at a time when there seemed to be even less opportunities than there are now. I felt a real sense of encouragement and collaboration being part of a closely knit Filmonomics cohort, and even though this was three years ago, we are still in touch. I’ve also been so proud to see fellow course attendees go on to do great things.”
Naomi Wright (Censor 2021)
“It has been so wonderful for us to have your support all the way from Filmonomics and beyond, and to be connected to all the inspiring women and allies that have come from that time!”
Thembisa Cochrane (The Colour Room 2021)
“It’s so good to hear that this programme is coming back again – it really did wonders for me”
Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor (Boxing Day 2021) & (Blue Story 2019)
“Thank you for your faith and enthusiasm. You find outsiders and help to guide them through the pitfalls. You are creating change in the Industry, rather than just talking about it like many others.”
Christiana Ebohon-Green (Outlander, Vera, Grantchester, The Pact)
how it works
Filmonomics is targeted at marginalised gender feature film directors, writers, and producers, and will prioritise global majority and marginalised talent from across the UK (individuals or max teams of no more than two)
The total cost for the programme is £ 350 + vat for freelancers / those paying from their own company with fewer than five employees, and £400 + vat for those whose fees are being subsidised / where we are invoicing an employer of five + employees. This cost has been greatly subsidised by our funders.
We have Discretionary Access Support (DAS) funds available to contribute towards travel, accommodation (for applicants based outside of London and the South East), and caring responsibilities. Support will be disseminated according to the shared needs of the successful applicants. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
From the previous Filmonomics cohort, 100% said they would recommend the course. By the end of the programme, “very confident” increased from 4% to 56%” confidence being one of a number of indicators of impact that we would look for when assessing whether the course reached its desired outcomes.
COURSE LEADER
The course will be run by Melanie Iredale (Birds Eye View director) and
Simone Glover (Birds Eye View Training Manager).
Melanie Iredale (she/her)
Birds Eye View Director
Melanie Iredale is a film curator and cultural activist. She is the Director of Birds’ Eye View, a charity with a mission to champion broader perspectives of the world through films by margenalised creatives and to advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion in cinema. She is also an Exec Producer on the award-winning REBEL DYKES, which screened in 50+ festivals internationally and 40+ cinemas in the UK since its premiere at BFI Flare 2020. Prior to this, Melanie served as Deputy Director and Programmer at Sheffield DocFest, 2014-2021, with a background of developing audiences in the North of England for international cinema since 2005.
Simone Glover (she/her)
Birds Eye View Training & Content Manager
Simone has worked in the film industry for over 20 years in various roles in story development and training. Prior to joining Birds’ Eye View in it’s new guise 2015, Simone worked at Academy Award-winning production company ‘Missing In Action Films’. Prior to this, Simone worked for Arista Development, a training initiative in which Pan-European writers, producers, directors and development executives gained theoretical knowledge and practical techniques vital to develop their stories. Simone is a graduate of the programme. Simone has been a freelance story developer, and a reader for most of the regional screen agencies, including Film London’s Microwave and London Calling schemes. As a screenwriter, Simone has written a number of short films and TV, one a winner of BBC Northern Ireland NIFTC for Northern Lights, another, starring Ben Whishaw, backed by the BBC, was nominated for Best Short at Danny Boyle’s Shuffle Film Festival. Simone’s co-written original comedy feature, created with actor Adrian Dunbar, is in development with Northern Ireland Screen. Simone’s original period/action/adventure feature got her a place as a finalist on The Writers Lab UK & Ireland in 2021.
About Birds Eye View
Birds Eye View is a UK-wide charity with a mission to bring a broader perspective of the world through cinema.
Our aim is to support films by marginalised genders, and to build a community for those who make, show, release and watch them.
We do this through
Bringing ever-greater audiences to films by marginalised creatives, developing safe and accessible spaces for conversation, promoting a de-patriarchal and de-colonised lens on the world, and advocating for social justice in all film spaces.
What We Do
Our Reclaim the Frame project brings audiences together and builds communities for films by women & non binary people through events and conversations at a network of 20+ cinemas in 15 cities across the UK.
We present preview and week-of-release screenings, curate cinema seasons and events, host workshops and activities, and invite filmmakers, cultural influencers, social justice campaigners, academics, artists, activists and critics into the cinema for discussions together with audiences. Our aim is to create a safe space to further the conversations sparked by the films we support. We define films by marginalised genders as directed and/or written by, with 50% marginalised gender credit or more.
Our events, however, are for everyone of all genders to enjoy.
Expanding on this, our Reclaim the Frame x International project works in partnership to take our shared mission overseas.
Our training courses for filmmakers and distribution/exhibition professionals of marginalised genders enable professional growth and, in turn, addresses their historical under-representation as creatives and gatekeepers within the sector.
We use our voice and platforms to advocate for access and inclusion in cinema, and for a fair, just and more compassionate film industry.
About ScreenSkills
ScreenSkills is the industry-led skills body for the screen industries – film, television (including children’s, unscripted and high-end), VFX, animation and games. We are supporting future innovation and growth across the whole of the UK by investing in the skilled and inclusive workforce who are critical to the global success of the screen sector. We are funded by industry contributions to our Skills Funds, by the BFI with National Lottery funds awarded as part of its Future Film Skills programme to help people get into the industry and progress within it, and by Arts Council England.
application & deadline
DEADLINE for applications: Thursday 1 December 2022 at 10:00 GMT
CLICK HERE TO APPLY
We will notify successful applicants on 7- 8 Dec 2022
If you are not contacted, it means your application has, unfortunately, been unsuccessful. As we are a charity with a small staff, we are unable to give individual feedback on your application.
Enquiries should be emailed to course manager Simone Glover: simone@birds-eye-view.co.uk
Please put FILMONOMICS 7 in the subject line of your email
Thank you.
The course will be run by Melanie Iredale (Birds Eye View director) and
Simone Glover (Birds Eye View Training Manager).
