2.Main Content
Digi Shorts
SCHEMES
The Digital Shorts scheme is an annual nationwide programme initiated by the UK Film Council's New Cinema Fund, with each region adding its own specific twist on the scheme as a whole. The schemes are based in England and Scotland and are largely operated by the Regional Screen Agencies, plus there are two extra schemes, one looking to give additional support to filmmakers from the UK's black and minority ethnic communities, and the other supporting animation work.
The scheme is overseen by Lifesize Pictures.
The Digital Shorts Schemes across the country for 2008/09 will be up and running during Autumn 2008. Specific deadlines are posted below where available. For details on how to apply to make a Digital Short in your area, please contact the appropriate organisation listed below.
A further scheme for filmmakers working in Wales will be announced shortly.
UK-WIDE
4mations - Animated Digital Shorts
Applications are now open for 4mations Digital Shorts, a brand new scheme set up to fund 13 animated shorts across the UK. 4mations Digital Shorts part of the UK Film Council's New Cinema Fund, and backed by the 13 Strategic Partners throughout the UK (see below), but also has the support of Channel 4. The aim is to fund new and original narrative animated films. These will be featured on 4mations and may also be broadcast on Channel 4 or shown in cinemas.
To apply for the 4Mations strand, see www.4mations.tv - closing date is Monday 10 November 2008.
Operated by B3 Media, Blank Slate scheme supports the next generation of filmmaking talent from the UK's black and minority ethnic communities. B3 Media is now inviting submissions from writers, directors and writer/directors from across the UK. Up to 5 filmmaking teams will be selected to produce a cutting-edge short film, shot and edited digitally. Filmmakers will be offered bespoke training in the development of their idea from script to screen.
Blank Slate 2008-09 is now open for applications and the deadline for applications is 5pm on Monday 24 November 2008.
For full details see www.b3media.net or contact Dom Oliver on 020 7274 2121 or email projects@b3media.net
The Magic Hour
A new scheme for 2008/09, The Magic Hour aims to create opportunities for disabled filmmaking talent with daring and challenging stories to tell. Operated by 104 films the scheme will fund 4 films with a budget of £8,000 per film and 1 animated film in collaboration with 4-mations with a budget of £13,000.
Deadline for application Monday 15 December 2008.
For full details see www.themagichour.co.uk
ENGLAND
East Midlands
EM Media's DV Shorts scheme supports East Midland's based filmmakers. 2008/09 scheme is yet to be announced.
For more details see www.em-media.org.uk or contact Sally Hodgson on 0115 934 9090 or email sally.hodgson@em-media.org.uk
East of England
For filmmakers living in the East of England, Screen East runs a two-level Digital Shorts scheme. Screen East is now accepting applications for 2008/09 DigiBytes under which eight projects will be developed, of which five will be produced. 
Four of those films will be awarded a cash budget of up to £10,500 and one film a cash budget of up to £15,000. In addition a sixth film will be commissioned under the new animation strand 4Mations.
The second part of the scheme, Digital Nation (formerly Digital Shorts Plus), is an opportunity to join a nationwide talent pool and participate in an extensive tailored development process designed to hone your script and your filmmaking talent. At the end of the development process six films will be selected to be made at budgets of between £18,000 and £20,000.
Deadline for applications is 5pm Monday 10 November 2008.
For full details see www.screeneast.co.uk or call Sam Burton on 01603 776 920 or simply email production@screeneast.co.uk
London
Film London offers a two part Digital Shorts scheme. PULSE is open to new talent in the London region and offers film-makers an opportunity to make digital shorts for a variety of exhibition and distribution platforms. At least 5 films will be commissioned in 2008/09. All genres are welcome, including drama, documentary and animation. Running times should be between 1 and 15 minutes and a budget range of £4,000-£12,000. This year Film London has partnered with Film London Artist's Moving Image Network (FLAMIN) to encourage applications from artist filmmakers.
The second Film London strand is Digital Nation wich replaces PULSE PLUS for writers and directors who are ready to make the leap into more ambitious cinematic short films with a maximum production budget of £18,000.
For full details see www.filmlondon.org.uk or call Josic Cadoret on 0207 7613 7676 or email production@filmlondon.org.uk
North of England
North West Vision Media will be launching a new Digital Shorts filmmaking scheme later on this month offering an excellent opportunity for filmmakers across the Northwest to make innovative and exciting short films.
For full details see www.northwestvision.co.uk or email tarac@visionandmedia.co.uk or jennyh@visionandmedia.co.uk, or call 0870 609 4481
North East
Northern Film and Media's digi shorts scheme is the two-tier Stingers scheme which provides writers, directors and writer/directors with the opportunity to see their work on screen whilst developing their professional experience by working with a production company in the North East region. Mini Stingers is aimed at new and emerging writers and directors whilst Maxi Stingers is aimed at writers and directors with some professional experience.
For full details see www.northernmedia.org or contact Victoria Johnson on 0191 269 9219 or email victoria@northernmedia.org
South of England
Screen South will be commissioning 6 digital films, all of which must be shot digitally. Projects entered can be either drama, documentary or animation and will be awarded under different sections: Long Shots (2x10 min films with production cash budgets of £9,700 each and 1x 5-10 min film with a production cash budget of £6000); Close Ups (2x 2-5 min films and 1-3 min films with a cash budget of £2,800 each). One further film will be made under the 4Mations strand (see above). Deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday 24 October.
For details see www.screensouth.org.uk or contact Miranda Robinson on 01303 259777 or email info@screensouth.org
South West
South West Screen's Digital Shorts scheme will support a mix of shorts (maximum 15 minutes duration for live action and documentary, and maximum five minutes duration for animation) from filmmakers based in the South West. Budgets will range from £7,000-£17,000 and any genre can be considered, although SWScreen is particularly looking for ideas which are suitable for a range of distribution platforms. Deadline for application is 12 noon, Monday 10 November 2008.
For full details see www.swscreen.co.uk or call Sarah-Jane Meredith on 0117 952 9977 or email sarah-jane@swscreen.co.uk
West Midlands
Screen WM’s digishorts scheme offers the chance to develop and produce a short film with support with a budget of up to £10,000.
The scheme is open to West Midlands filmmakers with at least one short film on a showreel already, or moving image artists, designers, animators etc with at least one equivalent piece of work to view. From all applications submitted a selected shortlist of up to 25 projects will be developed, and then a final 6 projects (includes at least one animation - see above) will be produced. Deadline is 5pm Monday 10 November 2008.
For full details see www.screenwm.co.uk - or call Lynne Stanford on 0121 265 7120 or email production@screenwm.co.uk.
Yorkshire and Humberside
Screen Yorkshire will be commissioning a total of ten films over two years under the Caught Short strand. In year one (2008), four films will be commissioned on budgets of £10,000 and two films on budgets of £16,000. One of these six films will be commissioned under 4MATIONS (see above). In year two (2009) four films will be commissioned on budgets of £16,000.
Digital Nation(formerly Digital Shorts Plus) is an opportunity to join a nationwide talent pool and participate in an intensive tailored development process designed to hone your script and your voice as a filmmaker. At the end of this development process Screen Yorkshire will choose 6 films, each to be made at a budget of £18,000-£20,000. Deadline for applications (year one) is 12noon, Friday 24 October 2008.
For full details see www.screenyorkshire.co.uk or call Francesca Riley, Production Coordinator on 0113 294 4410 or email francesca@screenyorkshire.co.uk
NORTHERN IRELAND
Northern Ireland Screen has recently launched a Digital Shorts Scheme for filmmakers in Northern Ireland. There are three main strands: Digital Shorts which will see eight projects selected to go through an initial development process for a £10,000 short. Digital Nation (formerly Digital Shorts Plus) for filmmakers who are ready to make the leap to more ambitious cinematic short films with budgets from £18,000-£20,000; and 4Mations Animated Digital Shorts (see above).
Deadline for entries is Friday 14 November 2008.
For full details see www.northernirelandscreen.co.uk or contact Christine Morrow, Short Film Coordinator on 028 9026 8573 or email christine@northernirelandscreen.co.uk
SCOTLAND
For filmmakers in Scotland, DigiCult has launched two new programme strands: Scottish Digital Shorts 2009 which will produce six short films with a maximum budget of £16,000, and Digital Nation, designed for filmmakers ready to make the leap to more ambitious cinematic short films, which will produce twelve films over two years, with budgets from £18,000-20,000.
Deadline for application is 25 November 2008
For more information call Ciara Barry on 0141 221 5290 or see www.digicult.co.uk