Development Fund 

The aim of the Development Fund is to broaden the quality, range and ambition of film projects being developed in the UK and to build a talent-driven home for writers, directors and producers. The fund provides support for:

• First Feature Film Development Programme
• Feature Film Development Programme
• Production Company Vision Awards
• Signature Awards

First Feature Development Programme

This programme aims to identify and support emerging filmmakers: screenwriters, writer/directors and writer, director, producer teams who have not made a feature film or who have not yet had a feature film released theatrically or broadcast on UK television. Generally, awards of up to £25,000 will be offered to screenwriters/writer-directors to write and develop a feature film.

Feature Film Development Programme

A dedicated industry funding programme for producers, production companies and filmmakers, with a demonstrable track record of success in feature filmmaking or in production in the audio-visual arena, looking for funding and financing partnerships. Awards will be drawn down in stages, subject to satisfactory progress and will be repayable on the first day of principal photography of the developed work. 

Production Company Vision Awards

The Vision Award enables dynamic producers to source and develop feature film projects with creative vision, in order to benefit UK filmmaking talent and assist them in operating successfully in the international marketplace. The Diversity Team has worked with the recipients to ensure that they have nominated a member of their team to take responsibility for diversity and have developed a plan to ensure a commitment to greater inclusion and diversity and to work with disabled film talent.

Signature Awards

To help further encourage ambitious and original filmmakers and projects, and as an additional measure to ensure a continual supply of good quality British films, the Development Fund may, at its discretion, invite applications directly from filmmaking talent for Signature Awards aimed at world-class writers and directors with their own distinctive unique style.

Development Fund - full details of the above programmes are on the UK Film Council website.