iFeatures launches third edition

Low budget film-making initiative iFeatures has launched its latest search for emerging talent.

Now in its third year, iFeatures will develop a slate of 16 projects from the UK’s most promising film-making teams. These teams will be introduced to a wide range of industry professionals, ahead of three of the projects being greenlit in early 2015 with a budget of £350,000 each.

This year’s edition allows film-makers across the UK to apply with stories embedded not just geographically but also culturally in the English regions. Documentaries are no longer accepted and teams now have to submit a treatment. Submission deadline is March 14.

As part of the launch, the iFeatures team will be hosting events in Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham, Bristol, Birmingham, Brighton, Norwich, Newcastle and Hull in January and February. Three of the events (Bristol, Manchester and Sheffield) are already sold out, along with two networking events in London for BAME and women film-makers.

Creative England, the BFI and BBC Films will fully-finance, with the BBC pre-buying UK free TV rights, and the professional development programme is supported by Creative Skillset’s Film Skills Fund.

iFeatures executive producer Christopher Granier-Deferre [pictured] commented: “iFeatures is without doubt one of the most exciting initiatives out there and, as budgets continue to shrink across the industry, an increasingly important lifeline to emerging talent.

“The continued exposure to top tier professionals, married with bespoke training courses and a financially supported development process, isn’t just unique, it’s a game changer.”

One of the original slate of iFeatures films, 8 Minutes Idle, is released soon in cinemas and on demand, while from last year’s scheme, The Goob and Norfolk are in post production and Spaceship is due to shoot early this year.

For more information on the scheme, visit its website.