Funding Your Feature

A One-Day Film Finance Conference

Friday 16 March 2007 at Watershed, Bristol

How do you go about financing a feature film and what are the pitfalls and opportunities you'll encounter along the way? This one day conference brought a pool of experts to the region to tell you everything you need to know about financing your film. The event was aimed at producer/directors with some industry background - perhaps with a festival quality short and embarking on their first feature, or shooting their second feature and looking to up the budget - this event was designed to help you take the crucial next step.

The audio from this event will be made available as a podcast - watch this space for more details.

Programme

9.15-9.30 INTRODUCTION
Caroline Norbury, South West Screen.

9.30-10.15 GETTING IT RIGHT
Prolific producer Alan Harris, Atlantic Film Group, explains the financial models he employed for each of his recent films, in discussion with David Pearson (Arturi Films).

10.15-11.00 THE DEAL
Top executives from leading UK financial and funding institutions discuss the business of securing the production cash:

Sally Caplan (Head of Film Council Premier Fund)
Duncan Reid (Ingenious)
Gavrik Losey (Film Producer/Lecturer)

Moderated by Nick Roddick

11.00-11.15 BREAK

11.15-12.00 A WORD FROM THE EXCHEQUER
Nigel Burke of the Tenon Group explains UK tax relief policies.

12.00-12.45 ANOTHER COUNTRY
Prominent co-production exponents explain the benefits of going overseas to source production finance:

Alan Harris (Atlantic Film Group)
Marit van den Elshout (Cinemart Co-production market, Rotterdam Film Festival)
Steve Walsh (Steve Walsh Production).

Moderated by Nick Roddick

12.45-14.00 LUNCH

14.00-14.45 SELL IT. MAKE IT.
A panel comprising representatives of the UK's key film distributors and sales companies discuss the importance of pre-sales to distribution outlets:

Will Machin (Carnaby International)
Paul Brett (Prescience Film Finance)
Graham Begg (Content International).

Moderated by Nick Roddick

4.45-15.30 LESS IS MORE
The sublime art of micro-budgeting as discussed by a successful producer/director teams that brought us London to Brighton (LTB Films) and Scenes of a Sexual Nature (Tin Pan Films):

Al Clark, (producer London to Brighton)
Rachel Robey (producer London to Brighton)
Ed Blum (director/producer Scenes of A Sexual Nature).

Moderated by David Pearson (Arturi Films)

15.30-15.45 BREAK

15.45-16.30 AVOIDING THE PITFALLS - LAW
A masterclass, conducted by lawyer Miles Ketley of Wiggin, outlining the dos and don'ts of film financing.

16.30-17.15 IN THE FRAME
In a change to the previously advertised programme, trade journalist Nick Roddick will now be interviewing director Julien Temple (Glastonbury, The Filth and the Fury).

Check back regularly for updates to the programme as speakers are confirmed.

More Information