Film Hub Scotland

Atomic ApplicationGuidelines

If you would like advice on the development of your project proposal, or if you have any questions about these guidelines, please get in touch with FHS staff who will be happy to offer support. You can contact Carolyn Mills on 0330 313 7836 or via email at .

Overview

The Atomicprogrammeprovides Film Hub Scotland memberswith the opportunity to find support for projects thatgrow and broaden audiences and increase engagement with a diverse range of cinema.

This support is available for activitythat takes place between July 2017 and the end of December 2017. We are unable to support longer-term projectsthrough this programme.

Applicants are invited to apply for £1,000 from a total pot of £10,000.The support available through this programme can be used to part-fund larger scale projects.

There will be one round of this programmewithin 2017 and the deadline is Monday15May2017 (17.00).

Aimsand priorities for Atomic

The aim of thisprogrammeis to provide film exhibition organisations with support to undertake activity which builds a wider, more diverse cinema audiencewith a richer appreciation ofBritish and international film.(We would expect to support programming which focuses on ‘specialised’ and British independent film. For the BFI’s definition of what this includesplease see Appendix 1).

The following are specific priorities for Film Hub Scotland and the BFI Film Audience Network. All applications must address one or more of these focus areas, with diversity at the core of any activity.

  • Increase access to a wide range of independent British and international film for audiences
  • Increase engagement with supported activities and enhance the quality and cultural depth of audience experience
  • Increase access to the UK’s screen heritage, especially via the National Library of Scotland Moving Image Archive and the BFI’s National Film & TV Archive
  • Enhance the quality and reach of audience facing activity, deepen knowledge and build capability within our membership

AND

  • To do this with a particular emphasis on increasing the diversity of audiences and boosting the number of 16-30 year olds engaging with supported activity.

Under BFI2022 – the BFI’s new 5-year strategy – groups that would be considered as diverse are those that are underrepresented by one or more of the following criteria: age, gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, social background and geography.

You can find detailed information on the BFI Diversity Standards here:

In addition to the above, there are 9 Local Authority areas in Scotland with no full-time cinema and we would welcome proposals from these areas to help increase provision. The areas are:

  • Aberdeenshire*
  • Angus
  • Clackmannanshire
  • East Dunbartonshire
  • East Lothian
  • East Renfrewshire
  • Western Isles
  • Midlothian
  • North Ayrshire

*Aberdeenshire is covered by an initiative called NEAT Flicks which aims to introduce regular film screenings at venues across the region. If you operate in Aberdeenshire please contact NEAT Flicks directly, or speak to Film Hub Scotland staff before submitting a proposal. NEAT Flicks is supported by the BFI’s Neighbourhood Cinema Fund.

Examples of what Atomic can and cannot support

What we can support

All activity should be for the public and aimed at building a wider, more diverse cinema audience in Scotland with a richer appreciation ofBritish and international film.Projects can either focus on new activity or be an expansion of existing activity that targets new audiences.

The following suggestions are for guidance only, if you are unsure whether your idea fits the below criteria please get in touch with us.

Atomic can support the development, marketing and delivery of:

  • Film seasons and programmes in venue
  • Touring of film seasons and programmes
  • Archive and heritage screenings
  • Screening enhancements eg Q&As, discussions, programme notes
  • Live soundtrack events
  • Site-specific cinema
  • Engagement activity directly related to screenings e.g. workshops and master classes (Please note we cannot support workshops that cover aspects of film production)
  • Projects from film festivals that extend their reach beyond core activity and dates

What we can’t support (and suggestions of other organisations to approach for advice)

  • Film festivals (except where projects extend reach beyond core activity and dates) – BFI Audience FundandCreative Scotland
  • Cinema exhibition infrastructure – Regional Screen Scotland
  • Capital expenditure on buildings or equipment – Awards for All, Creative Scotland
  • Schools activity – Into Film
  • Teachers CPD and Moving Image Education – Scottish Film Education
  • Activity that takes place outside Scotland – BFI Film Audience Network
  • Duplication of activity already taking place in the same location
  • Distribution – BFI AudienceFund and Creative Scotland Screen Funding
  • Filmmaking projects (including workshops that cover aspects of film production)
  • Fundraising projects
  • Core staff costs and overheads that do not relate directly to the project
  • Projects already funded by the BFI and/or Creative Scotland – please speak to us directly if that is the case

How the submission process works

Organisations are asked to submit a brief Proposaldetailingthe activity you would like to undertake and how it develops your audiences, and a Budgetoverview of likely costs. Please use the Proposal and Budget templates provided, information provided in alterative formats will not be accepted.

A panel made up of Film Hub Scotland staff and film exhibition professionals drawn from our membership will identify the proposals that are felt to best meet the aims and priorities of the Atomicprogramme (as detailed above).

The following questions will be considered by the panel when assessing projects:

  • How does the project aim to build a wider, more diverse cinema audiencewith a richer appreciation ofBritish and international film?
  • Is the project of quality and appropriate ambition?
  • How has the audience been identified and what is the value and impact of the project?
  • Is there a clear marketing plan and is it of sufficient quality?
  • How does the project address under-provision or a gap in the target area?
  • Does the project address one or more of FHS’s key priorities: Young Audiences (16-30), Diversity, Engaging Audiences, Screen Heritage?
  • Does the project have the potential to be sustainable, or have long-term impact?
  • Is there a clear plan for audience retention when the project finishes?
  • Does the project provide value for money?
  • If the organisation applying has previously received funding from Film Hub Scotland to support audience-facing activity, has this activity delivered against its targets?

Project development

As part of the Atomic programme, successful applicants will be given the opportunity to access free advice from a sector specialist to help develop their project before delivery. Advice will be available through Film Hub Scotland’s Advice & Experience Advisory Scheme and covers a variety of areas of expertise including audience development, programming, audience engagement and education, and marketing. FHS staff will discuss with successful applicants which aspects of their projects may benefit from development.

Key information

Deadlines and timescale

Deadline for proposals / Monday 15 May 2017 (17.00)
Applicants informed of outcome / Friday 26 May 2017
Development of projects with A&E Advisors / June 2017
Projects take place / July – December 2017
Final deadline for project reporting / 20 December 2017

Within one week of submission you will receive notification of whether your project is eligible or not. If deemed eligible, your project will be passed to the Assessment Panel and you will be informed of the outcome by Friday 26May. All applicants will receive feedback.

Moneyavailable and expected levels of support

Applicants are invited to apply for £1,000 from a total available pot of £10,000. The support available through this programme can be used to part-fund larger scale projects.

Please note that value for money will be a key consideration when assessing projects. As a guide, £5 per head is considered a reasonable level of support (this is calculated by the amount you are applying for – £1,000 – divided by your target admissions). It is important to set ambitious but achievable target admissions and if these are not met it may have a detrimental affect on future applications for support.

Branding and crediting

Successful applicants will be supplied with the relevant guidelines and logos.

Reporting requirements

Successful applicants will be required to gatherdata on their project for Film Hub Scotland and the BFI. Film Hub Scotland will provide the necessary information and guidance before your project begins. Thiswill include an audience survey template to help you and FHS understand who is attending your events, a quantitative reporting table and a summary report.

Partnershipsupport

We do not insist on partnership funding, however, cash, volunteer time or other in-kind contributions are an important demonstration that there is genuine support for the programme from the community and potential added value or leverage. As such, projects that have secured some partnership funding are more likely to be supported.

Who can access support?

Organisations must be legally constituted and a member of the Film Hub Scotland network. Full details of what membership entails can be found at

If your organisation is not a member of Film Hub Scotland please contact t least one week before the submission deadline to check whether or not it is eligible for membership. Applications will not be accepted from non-member organisations.

If you wish to apply from outside of Scotland then we would expect you to work in partnership with a Film Hub Scotland member who will act as lead on the project. Youractivity must be of sole benefit to audiences in Scotland.

Information required atproposal submission:

  • Proposal
  • Budget

Information that will be requested if you are successful:

  • Signed Letter of Agreement
  • Invoice

Information that will be provided if you are successful:

  • Branding guidelines
  • Audience Survey template
  • Quantitative Reporting template
  • Summary Report template

Appendix 1

BFI definition of Specialised Film

The BFI’s definition of ‘specialised film’ relates to those films that do not sit easily within a mainstream and highly commercial genre. The BFI believes in the diversity of film and of audiences. We want films to find their audiences and audiences to build their appreciation of a wide range of films. A wider knowledge of film gives us a wider knowledge of different cultures and ideas. We believe that the on-going development of film culture relies on both familiarity with the great titles of film history, and on experimentation with new ideas and forms.

Foreign language films with subtitles

In almost all circumstances foreign-language films will be classified as ‘specialised’ due to most audiences’ lack of familiarity with and resistance to subtitles.

Documentaries

In almost all circumstances feature-length documentaries intended for theatrical distribution will be classified as ‘specialised’ because non-fiction cinema tends to have a narrower appeal than fiction.

Archive / Classic films

Films from the beginning of cinema’s history until the last 10-20 years, older titles shown again on the big screen so that today’s audiences can experience important or overlooked titles in their original format.

Artists Film / Experimenta

Feature-length films or programmes of shorts that express an artistic vision or particularly experiment with the film form for aesthetic purposes.

Short Film Programmes

Short films give new filmmakers a chance to learn their craft, find their cinematic voice and to see how audiences respond to their work. Classic short films can give audiences the chance to see the first films by now famous filmmakers, and students of filmmaking the chance to see the format at its best. For these reasons, feature-length (70 mins+) programmes of short films will be considered.

Other Criteria

Films that fall outside of the above parameters may also be considered on the basis of unusual or undefinable genres; complex and challenging subject matter; innovative or unconventional storytelling/narrative structure.

Films with stories and subjects relating to diversity (for example Black, Asian and minority ethnic people; disability; LGBT) may also be classified as ‘specialised’.

British film

‘British’ films are those that are in receipt of a ‘Certificate of a British Film’ under the terms of Schedule 1 of the Films Act 1985 as amended i.e. films that pass the UK’s Cultural Test.

‘British’ films do not include films certified as British under any of the UK’s co-production treaties or under the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-Production for the purposes of eligibility for this funding.

Appendix 2

About Film Hub Scotland and the BFI Film Audience Network

What is Film Hub Scotland?

Film Hub Scotland has been established to bring together and support a network of film exhibitors across Scotland with the primary aim of enabling them to extend film choice, increase and broaden film audiences, and enhance opportunities for audiences to engage with and learn about film.

Film Hub Scotland works across Scotland and our members are from a wide-range of organisations that screen film to audiences in communal settings, including but not limited to; full and part-time cinemas, multi-arts venues, community cinemas, film societies, film festivals and pop-up initiatives.

Film Hub Scotland is managed by Scottish Film, a consortium consisting of Scotland’s leading cultural cinemas and film festivals: Centre for the Moving Image,Dundee Contemporary Arts, Eden Court and Glasgow Film.

What is the BFI Film Audience Network?

Film Hub Scotland is one of nine Hubs set up across the UK. Together we form the BFI Film Audience Network;established to enable film exhibitors to work in partnership to boost film audiences, particularly for specialised and independent British film. Each Hub receives funding from the BFI to deliver extensive programming and audience development activity and to support sector training in their region. The Film Hubs also work together to share initiatives and to further our aims through collaboration.

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FHS Atomic Guidelines, April 2017