screen yorkshire

The most famous film organisation in Yorkshire is undoubtedly “Screen Yorkshire”. Screen Yorkshire funds short films through it’s “Digital Shorts” programme which has run since 2003 and helped make several award winning films.
They also run a “Business Investment Fund” which is to help assist in setting up new business’ in film and the motion sector. Through this there is plenty of advice and some grants/cheap loans. To make a short film is a considerable investment and setting up a company around a project is a good to way to move on after toward further projects and create a buffer between the project and personal bankruptcy.
What Screen Yorkshire does very well is in supporting film-makers with such information as the tenability of locations, crewing and logistical help, I talked to them recently and though they weren’t about to give me any money they were certainly enthusiastic, and by the end of the call I had a long list of names and websites to visit.

One of those sites was SYFN - “South Yorkshire Film Network” a cheap and cheerful site that links South(/)Yorkshire film makers. It seems like a great place to find local crew and talent, particularly for short films. They run their own competitions from time to time and invite industry professionals to come and give talks locally.

Another is “Bradford City of Film” which funds films made around Bradford. Bradford is UNESCO’s “First City of Film” and boasts the National Media Museum. They offer £1000 a year to local projects (filmed in Bradford, though this is divided between all the projects) and links to other funding bodies. It seems quite disappointing in terms of what they say and what they offer – in the most part it is links to other organisations – national and local, though they have some strong sponsors and some great venues to show film.