Film Skills Fund Funding programme Creative Skillset s Film Skills Fund invests in the skills and training of the UK film industry to secure its growth and sustainability. We aim to strengthen and build skills and develop roles for the future, ensuring UK film remains world-class. The Film Skills Fund is backed by the British Film Institute (BFI) with the National Lottery through the Skills Investment Fund, a collective co-investment in the future of the UK Creative Industries. Read more about the Film Skills Strategy Personnel Development Grants for Film Business Companies This funding programme supports the BFI Film Forever strategic priority of supporting the future success of British film, and boosting audience choice. This funding is designed to help distribution, sales and exhibition companies to diversify and grow, by promoting creative and practical ways to boost skills and develop staff at different levels in the company. What training are we looking to support? We are inviting applications directly from distribution, sales and exhibition companies for HR and training grants of up to 12,000 (with a 30% match requirement). Training should meet the needs of individual staff members, as well as the immediate skills needs of the company, enabling it to succeed in meeting its short to medium term business goals. The focus of the fund is to assist businesses in becoming more sustainable. The training will be primarily targeting 10-15 companies. In-demand roles and priority skills 1 In demand Distribution, sales and exhibition personnel, at all levels of the business. Priority Skills Staff will typically be working in any of the following departments: Distribution Sales (distribution) Acquisitions and Legal Publicity and Marketing Business Affairs Technical and Servicing Creative Home Entertainment
Sales Film programming Film booking Box Office / front of house Festivals Who can apply? Applications are welcome from distribution, sales, and exhibition businesses, as well as from companies that provide training within these sectors. Companies will pre-identify training support for staff members, and will apply for a package of support that supports their business growth. Key information Application deadline: Noon, Thursday 10 December 2015 Awards announcements: w/c Monday 1 February 2016 Total fund: 90,000 What training are we looking to support? (Continued) The training can be delivered in a variety of methods including: attending specific courses or professional development programmes; mentoring; coaching; and intensive training with external experts. Our funding will support: Individual distribution, sales and exhibition companies who want to upskill their staff - at different career levels within the business - via a package of training that matches its skills needs and company vision; Film Companies that have participated in a Training Needs Analysis* (also called a Skills Diagnostic Service), either previously supported by Creative Skillset, or independently; Companies that provide training for sales, distribution and exhibition. *Training Needs Analysis service For companies that need help in identifying their training and development needs, applicants may apply for a Training Needs Analysis service (up to the value of 2000, but as part of a larger grant), which involves liaison and a visit from a specialist consultant. The output from the consultation will be an HR and skills report, outlining key strengths and weaknesses and a list of recommendations to help company management strengthen skills. The consultant will work with the businesses to implement the training plan and recommendations, and can apply this to the larger grant ring-fenced for training within the overall application. 2
Previous training supported has included digital marketing and social media, management and leadership training, Myers Briggs (MBTI), accounting qualifications, negotiation techniques, languages, market mentoring, and more. What should training look like? Training proposals may be developed with ongoing advice from Creative Skillset. If a consultant is hired to conduct the training needs analysis, additional funds can be used to cover the newly identified training. The additional training will need to be approved by Creative Skillset, and a budget re-submitted if applicable. Costs to attend courses that are already core-funded by Creative Skillset cannot be included in this application. Structured training applied for can include classroom based learning with active industry professionals, mentoring, coaching, and on-line self-assessment. Creative Skillset is particularly keen to support project-based training which replicates real industry practice. Companies who successfully received funds to support training for their staff in 2014-15 included The Works, Studio Canal, Altitude, Film Cymru, Hollywood Classics, We Are The Tonic, and the Independent Cinema Office. Delivery criteria Applications must be made by film companies and film organisations (not individuals) Funding will support companies UK wide, although it is recognised that nearly all Sales and Distribution companies are based in London Training must offer value for money Programmes must be delivered by 31 January 2017 To apply please call to discuss your project with Film Partnership Manager Rebecca Davies: rebeccad@creativeskillset.org / 020 7713 9869 Your application How much should you ask for? We are likely to support 7-12 companies from a total amount of 90,000. Companies can apply for up to 12,000, which can include a 2000 request for the Training Needs Analysis Consultant as well as the 10,000 training, or a request for up to 12,000 for identified training. Your project co-investment We will not normally meet more than 70% of a project s delivery, and may invest less. We therefore expect you to provide at least 30% of the money you need for your project, of which a minimum of 7.5% must be cash. This is your project co-investment. 3
Diversity Creative Skillset is committed to significantly improving the diversity of the film industry s workforce to better reflect the UK s diverse population. The Creative Skillset Census 2012 and Creative Media Workforce Survey 2010 provided the following workforce statistics in gender, diversity and disability for the total workforce for film production, distribution and sales, and exhibition. Gender female representation is 46%, compared to 36% in the wider creative industries; Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic representation is 4.5%, compared to 5.4% in the wider creative industries; Disability less than 1% of the workforce was identified as disabled in the film business, compared to 9% across the wider creative industries. Sector specific breakdowns: Production companies: Female representation stands at 47%. The gender imbalance shows itself to be more prevalent with above-the-line talent; Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic representation is a low 5.3%; Disability representation is 1.5%. Distribution, sales and marketing: Female representation is a healthy 51%, but in terms of strategic management only 20% of women are in these roles; Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic representation is a low 3.4%; Disability representation is less than 1%. Exhibition: Gender: Only 4% of CEO roles in Exhibition are held by women; Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic: 3%; Disability: 0.1% of workforce was identified as disabled. Your training should aim to meet the following targets when recruiting participants Your application must demonstrate a commitment to reaching these targets and include proactive marketing to attract diverse participants and inclusion policies such as making access provisions for disabled applicants, or childcare/travel subsidies. As part of this program applicants will need to collect the diversity data for those that apply to take part as well as those who actually take part in the scheme. 4
How to apply Participant Diversity Target Female participants 60% Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic 60% participants Disabled participants 10% All projects should also aim to recruit from across the nations and regions, setting targets which reflect the geographical shape of the UK film industry. Have you discussed your project with Film Partnership Manager Rebecca Davies? You must discuss your proposal with your Partnership Manager before you apply. Please download and read our Co-investment Guide for Organisations. This guide contains essential information about using our online application process, providing supporting documents and the delivery values your application should include. When you are ready, apply using the correct online application form accessed below: Start an application to apply for a Personnel Development Grant At the end of the form you will be asked to attach the following completed supporting documents, which should be attached as Microsoft Word documents except the Project and Budget Report where you should download the template provided from the link below: Project and Budget Report template. Guidance for completing the template is found in Tab 1; Where applicable - detailed course outline and schedules, mentoring schedule, and or/training plan; Where applicable confirmation of the identified Skills Consultant (note Creative Skillset can also make recommendations); Trainer/tutor CVs; (For sector-specific applications) An overarching schedule that collaborates with proposals from other sectors. Creative Skillset is able to advise on a case-by-case basis. Contact us For more information on the application process or any queries, please contact: Francesca Howell Fund Co-ordinator Francescah@creativeskillset.org 020 7713 9829 5