Film London launches international training programme

Film London is to extend its Microschool training programme outside of the UK and will pilot the scheme in Georgia, Eastern Europe.

Microschool International will be funded by the British Council and the pilot is presented in partnership with the Georgia National Film Center (GNFC) and Batumi International Art-house Film Festival (BIAFF).

Six Georgian film-making teams will be selected for the intensive three-day development workshop, to be held in mid-September at the BIAFF, and a call for applications has begun.

Established teams of directors and producers with feature screenplays in development can apply to the scheme. The deadline for applications in 24 May and will be received by the GNFC in Tbilisi.

The training ‘boot camp’ is based on Film London Microwave’s Microschool, which is made up for seminars, masterclasses and one-on-one sessions, focussing on micro-budget topics alongside specific project development.

Film-makers who have benefitted from Microschool include Eran Creevy who wrote and directed BAFTA-nominated film Shifty and more recently Welcome to the Punch, executive produced by Ridley Scott. Writer/director Ben Drew, also known as Plan B, attended Microschool before making his feature debut iLL Manors.

Adrian Wootton, chief executive of Film London and the British Film Commission, said: “I am thrilled to bring our ground-breaking Microschool model to new countries, and thank the British Council for their support.

Microwave’s success is built on the scheme’s integrated training elements and Microschool is central to that. Previous participants have greatly benefited from its focused structure and the fact the content is shaped around the projects and participants who are selected.”

Wootton said the pilot could see Microschool International exported elsewhere around the world and added: “I am delighted this model is now being exported for the benefit of emerging international film-making talent.

“I look forward to seeing the results of this pilot, through the films from our Microschool International graduates but also potentially extending it to other territories.”