Channel 4’s Emerging Indie Fund which aims to help Nations and Regions based indies grow their businesses has opened for a new round of applications.
The Emerging Indie Fund 2023 provides practical support and opportunities for indies to help them scale their business through a combination of commissioner support, funding and training.
Selected indies will have a direct relationship with a Commissioning Editor within their chosen genre who will meet with the indie on a regular basis to discuss their slate and they will also meet regularly with Channel 4’s Head of Indie Relations, Rebecca Thompson, who will advise them on working with Channel 4 and growing their company.
Production companies will also benefit from a series of online sessions with key departments within the channel, such as Finance, Corporate Affairs and Scheduling to get a unique insight into Channel 4.
Rebecca Thompson said: “Channel 4’s Emerging Indie Fund has a proven to be an incredibly effective mechanism for helping indies grow their companies and establish themselves as production partners. It’s vital that we continue to nurture emerging indie talent and help support the production sector in the Nations and Regions.”
Two production companies, Hill 5.14 Media and Motif Pictures, were supported by the Emerging Indie Fund in 2022.
Co-founder and Managing Director at Motif Pictures Ltd James Craggs said: “I believe that the Emerging Indie Fund was a game changing experience for us as we develop and build our company.”
“It gave us vital insight into how a leading broadcaster goes about business. From there, it also allowed us to develop a relationship with a knowledgeable and experienced commissioner who gave us universal guidance, not just aimed towards what Channel 4 needs or wants so it’s improved us as a business, how we will approach our evolution and also how we develop and pitch ideas.”
Tobi Olujinmi, Executive Producer at Hill 5.14 Media, said “It is a really great initiative that I think will go on and help many more indies and support the UK ecosystem.”
The Emerging Indie Fund combines slate development funding with ongoing support from Channel 4 The funding can be used to bolster the indie’s development team with additional staff roles or consultants, or for other costs relating to the effective development of their slate.
Pippa Considine
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