On Saturday February 20, CellB’s second cinema screen was officially opened by none other than The Amazing Spiderman & Kingsman star Rhys Ifans, in a virtual livestream event. The screen has even been named after him as a gesture of appreciation for all his community youth work during the pandemic.
This marks an exciting step forward for the local arts and culture industry, as well as creating more opportunities for youth projects, all of which have suffered greatly over the last year due to the Covid crisis.
CellB is run by Gwallgofiad, a not for profit social enterprise that has been providing creative training for the young people of Blaenau Ffestiniog since 2003. Situated in the old police station, it has been a hub of activity over the years, hosting a range of gigs and youth projects, then expanding into a hostel, bar, restaurant and now most recently, a cinema.
Owner and Blaenau local Rhys Roberts has always believed in broadening the horizons for young people, a core value behind CellB’s ‘Clwb Clinc’, a Welsh language youth club providing a range of free creative arts and media workshops. When the pandemic first struck in spring 2020, these workshops had to move online. Members still benefited from structured virtual meetings, and were also treated to Q&A sessions with Rhys Ifans and Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens. Since his first zoom appearance in May last year, Rhys Ifans proved a hit with the kids, forming a lasting mentorship and inspiring them to create their own videos, as well as committing to support future creative projects for the youths.
Thanks to support from Art Council Wales, Community Foundation Wales, Cist Gwynedd, Ffilm Cymru Wales and Film Hub Wales as part of the BFI Film Audience Network (FAN), made possible by the National Lottery, this creative energy fueled Clwb Clinc’s reopening in August 2020, where the team worked together to reshuffle its priorities, namely asking the question, how to keep a cinema open in a socially-distanced world? It soon became clear that space was extremely important, with many of the locals having expressed concern about revisiting the cinema due to being in close proximity with others. It was decided that the upstairs courtroom, previously used for social events, would become the second screen, with its large space providing room for flexibility both in terms of functions and audience seating. This includes six ‘creative pods’ where the young people can also work on their projects outside of screen time.
The aim of the cinema is to use any profits to subsidise the costs of these youth workshops, thus creating a sustainable community system that benefits the general public as well as young people. Training opportunities in box office and projection skills will also be provided, with the long-term goal of securing future work in the industry. Rhys Roberts says:
Past projects have proven that arts workshops often lead to the development of an exciting and successful career in the arts, whether in theatre, music, literature. I am confident that we can repeat this goal again and again.
In this time of restricted movement and social isolation people are yearning for ways to escape, and what better way to do so than to watch a good film in the (safely distanced) company of others? A diverse program is currently being put together, featuring films from around the world as well as much loved classics. Films to be screened include Spirited Away, Pain and Glory and Capernaum.
The ‘Rhys Ifans Sgrin 2’ was opened with a live-stream event. Rhys Ifans said:
It is a great honor to be part of such an exciting initiative, the Cell B team & Gwallgofiaid is a great example of a community pulling together to create a safe and creative space for the young people of the area.
Having a Welsh-born actor opening a cinema screen in collaboration with the local youth project perfectly encapsulated the ethos behind CellB’s new venture. It’s a special mix of community-focused concern and forward-thinking innovation, whilst also following guidelines to keep everyone safe.
Hana Lewis, Manager of Film Hub Wales adds:
The role of cinemas in our communities has become even more crucial during the pandemic. CellB continues to put their young creatives first, keeping them connected at a time when they are most at risk of isolation. The opening of screen two, with the invaluable support of Rhys Ifans, is a testament to their hard work and creativity.
Keep an eye out for Cellb’s ‘Sinema’r Byd’ film package takeaway box coming soon. At a time where we can’t travel let Cellb take you on a world voyage through film, food and drink. Boxes will vary each week with a diverse range of specialised, independent and world cinema films on DVD accompanied by street food snacks and drinks from the visited country.
Watch the opening of Sgrin2 live stream on Youtube
ENDS
In celebration of Saint David’s Day coming up, the Film Hub Wales team have picked just a handful of films with welsh connections to watch at home. See below for our personal recommendations, but you can also find our full Made in Wales film catalogue, and an extensive list of films with Welsh connections that can be watched while at home.
Great Point will manage the studio for 10 years, with an option to acquire and expand the large studio complex. The agreement, which came into effect this week, closely follows Great Point’s recent announcements of the building of Lionsgate Studios in Yonkers, NY, as well as a second studio complex in Buffalo, New York. This third studio signals Great Point’s commitment to expanding its efforts to build and manage state-of-the-art production facilities in key production cities, where pressure on existing studio space is ever-increasing.
Seren Stiwdios in Cardiff, Wales, was built and developed by the Welsh Government in 2015. It has four large stages totaling 74,000 square feet, in addition to copious production office and ancillary space. Nearby locations are spectacular and diverse, with cityscapes, coast and countryside all easily accessible. Film and TV productions which have shot at Seren include The Huntsman: Winter’s War, Sherlock, Show Dogs, The State, A Discovery of Witches, The Crown and Doctor Who.
Welsh Government Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Lord Elis-Thomas, said:
We are delighted to welcome Great Point to Wales with the establishment of their first studio complex in the UK as they bring with them access to a global network of industry contacts and exciting opportunities. Great Point’s approach to supporting and developing the local supply chain along with their commitment to education and mentoring will further enhance the creative sector in Wales. Great Point Seren Stiwdios will enhance Wales’ reputation as a preferred location for productions and further improve career and employment opportunities.
Founded 8 years ago in the south of Wales, Watch-Africa Cymru is Wales’ only African film festival. This year’s 9th edition is moving online this and takes place from the 19th -28th of February 2021.
With thanks support from Chapter Arts, Ffilm Cymru Wales and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, an exciting program titled, ‘Bringing Africa to Wales’, has been curated. The festival will be screening a variety of 10 fantastic films, live Q&As with directors, cast, and experts.
Paired with this cinema programme, the festival will also offer a series of engaging workshops, specially arranged to complement the cinema programme (including a workshop on African Folklore!).
This festival will celebrate authentic cultural exchanges through trans-national cinematic collaborations. Kicking off the festival, Watch-Cymru Africa is pleased to welcome acclaimed Welsh-African filmmaker Florence Ayisi. The festival will culminate with a regal grande finale screening and discussion with the makers of ‘Buganda Royal MusicRevival’ and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
Follow Watch-Africa Cymru on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to join the online discussion and for a chance to win some special prizes.
Christine Patterson, Watch-Africa Cymru producer said:
I am very pleased to be involved in such great collaborations for this year’s film festival. This program is sure to invoke a wide range of emotions, and spark some intriguing discussions.“We, as well as our collaborators look forward to enjoying the upcoming festival with you.
Claire Vaughan from Chapter Arts Centre said:
We have been working with Watch Africa for many years and I am very pleased that we have helped make this festival digital this year so audiences have a chance to see all these wonderful films.
“There are some real treats in store – documentaries from Wales-based filmmakers, social commentary, comedy, classics and some of the most beautiful photography you’ll see this year.
“I am especially looking forward to the workshops, which include educators like Abu-Bakr Madden Al-Shabazz. Don’t miss your chance to see these films and see a bit of the world that is unavailable to us at the moment.”
Professor Florence Ayisi, an African filmmaker living in Wales and has 2 films that are going to be screened said that:
“Watch-Africa Cymru offers creative spaces for filmmakers and film lovers to connect and dialogue. It is a special space that is more energised around ideas, images and stories about African culture and experiences captured in film. More importantly, it is a place to see, hear and know a little bit more about perspectives and lived experiences that bridge gaps of misinformation and misrepresentations about life in Africa.”
Watch-Africa Cymru is more than a film festival; it has created a space for audiences to celebrate the cultures of African people who make up multi-cultural Wales; a fantastic vision!
Tickets for Bringing Africa to Wales Film Festival are on sale now. Each film is available to purchase and stream on the Chapter Player.
Click here for more information about the festival.
Click here to see the Watch Africa 2021 trailer.
The festival is supported by: Ffilm Cymru, Sub-Sahara Advisory Panel (SSAP), Hub Cymru Africa (HCA), Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD)
Are you aged between 14 to 18, with a passion for cinema and a desire to learn more about different aspects from across the film industry? This week, Milford Haven’s Torch Theatre have launched a fresh new scheme for teenagers from across Pembrokeshire who are interested in or have a passion based around film and cinema.
Commencing from the end of March 2021, the Torch Theatre Young Film Ambassadors scheme is an unmissable opportunity for teenagers to experience film in a fun and educational way; become a budding film critic, meet like-minded people and to make new friends. You will discuss and review films with your peers, get your reviews seen, and sharpen your skills as a reviewer as you explore writing and vlogging as part of the project.
As a Young Film Ambassador, this exciting, interactive project offers you the opportunity to watch and review current British, independent and blockbuster films. You will find out more about film with filmmaking and film studies digital workshops, with guest speakers and special presentations from industry insiders and creatives on aspects from production to publicity. Access to the films will initially be through digital streaming platforms, and then back on the big screen once the Torch is fully reopened.
The Torch Theatre’s Young Film Ambassadors scheme has been made possible by National Lottery funding distributed by Film Hub Wales, through the BFI FAN Film Exhibition Fund which was awarded to the Torch in the Autumn of 2020.
Alex Lloyd, Senior Manager – Marketing, Press & Communications at the Torch said:
The Young Film Ambassadors scheme is a fantastic opportunity for budding film enthusiasts to learn more about films and cinema from across different aspects of the industry. We will initially run the scheme online until it is safe to return to the Torch which will then give a deeper insight into what we do. I would like to thank Film Hub Wales, BFI FAN and the National Lottery for their support in allowing us to create this scheme for our younger audience members in the Pembrokeshire community.
Want to get involved? To apply to become a Young Film Ambassador, simply email marketing@torchtheatre.co.uk with the following information: Name, Age and Location, plus tell us what your three favourite films are and why. Successful Ambassadors will be contacted by 15 March 2021. For more information, visit the Torch Theatre’s website.
Organisers of the Iris Prize have launched a Wales-wide, three-year project working with community groups from across the country to discuss issues faced by LGBT+ people.
The Iris Prize successfully applied for £195,330 from The National Lottery Community Fund.
Working with the LGBT+ community and their allies, the team are looking for community groups who, thanks to the support of National Lottery players during these challenging times, will produce a film addressing issues faced by the LGBT+ community. All of the completed films will be available to watch online.
The Iris Prize intend to build on their previous Iris in the Community project, creating more opportunities for community members to make films that relay a campaign for change.
Team Iris will be working with 10 community groups to discuss issues faced by the LGBT+ community and produce a film in response. Beneficiaries will have opportunities to take part in acting workshops, and gain skills in filmmaking and scriptwriting. The groups involved do not need to work within the LGBT+ community, but will be diverse in their membership, for example welcoming people with learning disabilities.
Berwyn Rowlands, Festival Director, commented:
Without this funding from The National Lottery Community Fund we would not be able to run this project. We have been inundated by community groups across Wales asking if we could work with them, today we can confirm, with a very BIG YES!
“2020 marks the 20th anniversary of the repeal of one of the most controversial pieces of legislation to impact on the lives of LGBTI+ people in the UK: Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988.
“This is a fabulous opportunity for our community groups to take stock and reflect on where we are today as LGBT+ people. The fact that we will have 10 films produced at the end of this project is an added bonus. Film continues to be a very democratic way for people to share their ideas and to reach new audiences. Our community groups will I’m sure benefit from this amazing experience.”
Community groups who are interested in discovering more should start with a visit to Iris Prize Community where they can complete a form to express an interest.
Derek Preston-Hughes, Funding Manager at The National Lottery Community Fund said:
“We are delighted to be able to support The Iris Prize with this project. They have already played an incredible role in addressing issues faced by the LGBT+ community over the years, and it’s great that they can now build on this, thanks to National Lottery players. Projects such as this are making a huge difference to people’s lives and to communities across Wales.”
National Lottery players raise £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK. To find out more about applying for a grant from The National Lottery Community Fund to help your community adapt, recover and thrive, visit The National Lottery Community Fund website.
The main festival sponsors are: The Michael Bishop Foundation, Welsh Government, the BFI awarding funds from The National Lottery, Ffilm Cymru Wales, Film 4, University of South Wales, Co-op Respect, Bad Wolf, Gorilla Group, Peccadillo Pictures, Pinewood Studios, Attitude Magazine, Diva Magazine and The Ministry of Sound.
The festival also works in partnership with BAFTA Cymru, Pride Cymru and Stonewall Cymru.
Film Hub Wales (FHW) has created a pioneering new role,
dedicated to the promotion of Welsh films and the cinemas that screen them.
Radha Patel joins the team as the Made in Wales Officer at a critical time, as the film industry plans for a future beyond Covid19. Supported by funding from Creative Wales and developed in consultation with the Welsh screen industry, this innovative new role will explore ways to develop audiences for films with Welsh connections.
Hana Lewis, Strategic Manager of FHW explains:
The film industry has faced immense challenges during the pandemic, from long term cinema closures and festival cancellations, to delayed release schedules. Anticipated Welsh films such as Andy Goddard’s Six Minutes to Midnight starring Judy Dench and Euros Lyn’s Dream Horse starring Toni Collette, are just two examples of films impacted, losing crucial box office income but also a chance to celebrate Welsh stories. We are delighted to welcome Radha to our team, to a role which can support these and many other releases as they explore new pathways to reach audiences.
The role was developed in conjunction with FHW’s Made in Wales strategy which has been working to celebrate Welsh language, culture and heritage on screen since 2014. Over 700 films with Welsh connections are featured on the FHW website, along with an online preview room for film programmers and an option for filmmakers to submit their films for promotional support. Most recently, FHW undertook research into potential for a Made in Wales brand, which could be used as a symbol to promote Welsh film internationally.
Gerwyn Evans, Deputy Director, Creative Wales said:
“We look forward to the recovery of our creative industries in 2021. Films have played such a key role in keeping us entertained at home during 2020, but we look forward to audiences packing our cinemas once again. In Wales we have a rich heritage and strong track record of film, with many local cinemas waiting to welcome back audiences. We wish Radha every success in this key role with Film Hub Wales promoting Welsh films and cinemas.”
Claire Vaughan, Programme Manager for Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff says:
“We are very excited for Radha Patel begin work on this important role that will help promote Welsh film. This post will enable us to connect more filmmakers with audience members who are eager to hear Welsh stories. Radha is a talented artist who places emphasis on how we explain ourselves with stories and her warm approach to audiences and professional manner with stakeholders makes her a great appointment to the role.”
Radha’s previous roles include Communications Officer at Age Cymru and Projects and Outreach Officer for Gentle/Radical, a grassroots socially engaged arts organisation based in Cardiff. Radha has a background in audience development and is passionate about ensuring that cinema is accessible to and representative of all.
Radha adds:
“I’ve always been passionate about cinema, and making sure that it’s accessible to all. As the Made in Wales Officer, I feel honoured to continue doing this by making sure films produced in Wales, or that have Welsh connections, receive the attention they deserve from audiences nationally and internationally. Wales is home to incredibly talented crews and production teams, filmmakers and writers, actors and talented individuals working all year round to bring compelling narratives to life. To truly champion them, we also have to champion Welsh audiences because the stories we tell belong to us all.”
FHW are led by Chapter as part of the BFI Film Audience Network. Thanks to National Lottery funding FHW delivers a wide portfolio of activity annually, bringing more films, to more people, at more cinemas and film festivals across Wales.
The BFI Film Audience Network’s Inclusive Cinema has launched a practical guide for improving the cinema experiences of ethnically diverse audiences, and staff, which challenges institutions to make good on their Black Lives Matter and anti-racism statements from 2020.
Inclusive Cinema is a UK-wide project funded by the BFI Film Audience Network (FAN) through the National Lottery to support exhibitors in welcoming everyone to participate in cinema, by countering cultural, systemic or physical barriers. The new guide ‘Dismantling Structural Inequality in Your Cinema’ was commissioned from artist and freelancer Sadia Pineda Hameed and focuses on the cinema experiences of ethnically diverse people, with reference to intersections including gender, sexuality, disability, income and class.
From immediately actionable tools, to encouraging inner, reflective and dialogue-based work towards undoing systemic injustice, the guide is intended to create lasting change for future generations, and sustain organisations in a meaningful way, cited by its writer as “the last toolkit that cinemas should need” when it comes to making their spaces truly inclusive of and led-by ethnically diverse people.
Speaking at film exhibition conference, This Way Up, in December 2020, Sadia Pineda Hameed, author of the guide said:
This toolkit wants to help you within your cinema or organisation to dismantle historic, powerful and violent structures; it’s not about reforming a single workplace but actually creating a more sustainable sector. It’s about decolonisation not diversification. The toolkit does not prioritise visible diversity and inclusion, but prioritises making sure exclusion can’t exist in your space … Share it with your funder and ask your funder to hold you accountable to it, and vice versa.
The toolkit examines the role of cinemas in the context of systemic injustice and focuses on preventing harm towards people of colour as audience members, staff and creators who exhibit their films, and arrives in tandem with Dogwoof’s latest release, charting Martin Luther King Jr.’s mistreatment by the FBI, MLK/FBI, available in virtual cinemas and on demand, from 15 January.
As audiences connect the dots between the seeds to Black Power rising from the ‘50s and ‘60s, to Black Lives Matter in 2020, the vital reminder is that institutional and structural racism are still endemic issues within our society and culture, requiring multiple strategies and committed action.
Toki Allison, BFI Film Audience Network Access Officer, who oversees the Inclusive Cinema project, explains:
“Many cinemas have made statements recognising that structural change is essential after the resurgence of Black Lives Matter bringing racism forcibly into the public consciousness in 2020. This toolkit provides short and long-term actions for organisations to take, to show their true commitment to not only making statements, but taking anti-racist action to create an equitable space for Black, Asian, and ethnically diverse talent, curators, staff and audiences. It’s a comprehensive and inarguably uncompromising document, but it will only be effective if organisations take it, absorb it, recognise the deep work that needs to be done, and get on and do it. I’m looking forward to seeing real change happen, including true accountability from white-led organisations who give up their power and make way for ethnically diverse leaders, makers and curators to share stories in their own ways.”
Rico Johnson-Sinclair, director and founder of CineQ, and festival manager at SHOUT Festival, was consulted in the creation of the toolkit, and said:
“There’s been a bit of work in the film industry generally over the last couple of years. And whilst this work is formative, it’s still optional and very base level. While the industry is debating whether or not to even implement systems of equality within their organisations, people of colour from all perspectives are put on the backburner time and time again, in lieu of something, anything else, that seems to take priority due to its rise in the public sphere. As this happens, whole generations of black and brown storytellers, creatives and hard-working film-lovers are cast aside to protect a casually and subversively racist status quo. This toolkit not only helps organisations to acknowledge systemic racism happening in their backyards (within a film industry that was built during a time where the only representation we had was given to us by white people), it also shows us a path to valuable self-learning; to implement change across the team to ensure that as the conversation changes and evolves amongst marginalised people (which it will inevitably do), organisations are able to keep up. Instead of performative, this toolkit champions the formative and sustainable.”
Alex Misick, programme coordinator at The Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow, who have begun the work to structural change in their venue, said:
I like how the guide doesn’t pull any punches, and is quite explicit about the politics that underpin so much of what hopefully, should be a historic approach. One of Sadia’s key points is that this isn’t just a strategy to be implemented from the top-down of an organisation. These are conversations that need to happen between staff, not necessarily led by senior management, and to be implemented at an individual level… Instead of following capitalist logic of doing more, this is a moment to take a step back, and to recognise there’s a rupture in consensus and let’s not go back to normal.
You can find the toolkit in the how-to guides section of the Inclusive Cinema website here and/or download it here.
You can find virtual screenings and on demand links to watch MLK/FBI here.
Media Release:
Film Hub Wales (FHW) has awarded £52,000 in National Lottery funding, through the BFI FAN Film Exhibition Fund, to 15 Welsh independent cinemas and film festivals as they plan for reopening.
Funds will be used to aid recovery, enabling venues to safely restart British and international film screenings, including through cabaret style seating and ‘big screen bubbles’, so that they can reconnect with the most isolated Welsh communities affected by lockdown.
Socially-distanced film activities will take place Wales-wide, creating safe spaces where people can still travel the world via the big screen, at affordable prices. Audiences will be at the heart of decision making, with their feedback valued by venues as they rebuild.
For example, TAPE in Old Colwyn is reinstating Sofa Cinema and will screen Sanctuary in partnership with a new local dating agency for people with learning disabilities. In Barry, the Memo Arts Centre will create ‘big screen Bub-L’ activities with digital and take-away crafts, and in Tywyn the Magic Lantern will ‘re-light the magic lantern’, positioning the cinema as a bold, brave beacon for the future.
Since the pandemic began, many sites have been unable to open their doors to the public. With an uncertain future still ahead, they have been working to diversify their business models, develop robust health and safety procedures and secure critical alternative sources of income.
Hana Lewis, Strategic Manager of Film Hub Wales explains:
We need to recognise the impact of cinemas in our communities and the potential loss we will all face if they close as a result of the pandemic. From Neuadd Ogwen, which provided food to 600 people via its foodbank, to the Magic Lantern and Theatr Gwaun, which both delivered medical supplies and mental health support to vulnerable patrons, independent venues have gone above and beyond to help those in most need. They have done this whilst also planning for their own uncertain futures, interrogating their business plans, reviewing their approaches to access and equality and exploring environmental sustainability. These funds will help them to restart crucial social, economic and cultural provision through on-screen activity.
Annie Grundy, Co-Director of The Magic Lantern:
Getting this funding enables us to wrap a big ball of cotton wool around the British, independent and foreign language films in our programme which in the old days before the corona-coaster we underwrote ourselves. It ensures that even with a much reduced capacity (we have gone from 280 to 36 available seats due to social distancing) our audience can rock up to see an eclectic mix of fantastic films on screen at the Magic Lantern.
Sue Whitbread, CEO of Theatr Gwaun adds:
Film Hub Wales’ support means we can move ahead with our new film strategy. Theatr Gwaun will now focus on diverse, independent films refreshing interest and developing new audiences in our community. Funding is essential, but equally the expert advice, mentoring and enthusiasm of the Hub team has given us a tremendous boost.
Blanche Giacci lives a few streets away from Theatr Gwaun and in normal times would attend screenings at least once a week:
Theatr Gwaun is an essential part of our community, providing cinema, culture and entertainment for all age groups and interests. It is a social hub which improves the community’s well-being.
Ben Luxford, Head of UK Audiences at the BFI adds:
This year has shown the absolute importance and need of programming beyond the mainstream, and we’re pleased to be able to support exhibitors in Wales continue to do that.
The BFI FAN Film Exhibition Fund is made possible thanks to National Lottery funding, repurposed by the British Film Institute (BFI) via its Film Audience Network (FAN). The fund offers critical relief and business continuity to exhibitors across the whole of the UK. Funds in Wales are administered by FHW via Chapter as the Film Hub Lead Organisation.
Left to right: Galeri Caernarfon, Memo Arts Centre Barry © Jon Pountney, Theatr Gwaun, The Magic Lantern © Mathieu Gasquet, WOW Women’s Film Club © Jon Pountney, Wicked Wales Tir Morfa Awards, Memo Arts Centre Barry WAM © Jon Pountney, Monmouth Savoy © David Broadbent
What is it?
YourScreen is your virtual cinema, a short-term solution to keep you going during the pandemic. It also provides a long-term opportunity to add an extra screen to your film programme – to appeal to new audiences and to generate additional revenue without the overheads.
How does it work?
For every virtual ticket sold, YourScreen will pay you 30%.
Participation is simple:
– They will provide you with a promo code which will give you audience 25% off ticket purchases.
– You promote the films on your website / social media / e-shot.
– At the end of the season they will send you a sales report and an invitation to invoice them for 30% of all purchases made.
If you participated in YourScreen season one, your existing promo code will be valid for season two.
Contact:
Please get in touch to learn more: patrick.yourscreen@gmail.com or visit their website.
Current deal:
Season Four will be available from from 23 July until 19 September
Films available:
Thursday 8th October 2020: A network boasting over 250 members has unveiled their dedicated space celebrating the massive talents represented by the freelance cohort of the UK’s film exhibition and distribution sectors. Dial F for Freelancer is led by film freelancers for their peers, sharing past projects and reaching potential clients. Dial F for Freelancer is the first of its kind and the only dedicated space for freelancers working in film distribution and exhibition.
The current unfolding news regarding the future of film exhibition highlights the pressing need for this platform to exist. Whilst the film industry relies on freelancers, there are currently no formal structures to support them collectively:
“…more than half of the industry workforce are freelancers or mix freelance work with periods of employment. Freelancers are the lifeblood of our industry, yet they don’t have access to the benefits, security or workplace support of permanent employees.” – The Whole Picture Programme Report – The Film and TV Charity, 2020
The Dial F for Freelancer platform has been developed with the needs of freelancers at the forefront to celebrate the sector’s unique skills. The founding members are looking to reduce the barriers and labour to finding paid work by creating an ever-growing network of freelancers.
The grassroots-led project places the platform in the hands of the users rather than a third party. Users control their pitch and profile, choosing the projects of which they’re proudest to showcase. Members of Dial F for Freelancer are also supported with resources, contacts and opportunities to collaborate.
The origins of this concept began during discussions at This Way Up 2019 (the UK’s film exhibition industry conference), a sidebar talk for freelancers led by Toki Allison spoke about the need for an informal network to be created to provide peer to peer support and reduce the feelings of isolation which are prevalent in freelancing. In March 2020 as freelancers began to lose work due to the pandemic, Allison, along with Moira McVean and Jo Taylor-Hitchinson decided to make the network a reality.
Initially a Facebook group set up to support freelancers affected by the onset of the lockdown attracted over 250 members and the trio realised a more formal platform was needed. They were awarded a Community Grant from The Film and TV Charity and have gained further industry support which has allowed them to create the Dial F for Freelancer platform.
The Dial F for Freelancer Steering Group, comprising eight freelancers working in the sector, have worked with a developer to design and launch Dial F For Freelancer to the industry.
This project has been supported by The Film and TV Charity’s Community Grants, a fund from the Film Distributors’ Association, and with further contributions from film distributors, including Altitude Film Distribution, Bohemia Media and eOne. The new platform endeavours to celebrate the wealth of talent and expertise represented across the network, whilst also creating a warm and welcoming space for freelancers working in exhibition and distribution to build their profiles and networks in an effective and easy way. They also plan to build a collective public presence and signpost available support for members.
Jo Taylor, co-founder of Dial F for Freelancer said:
My freelance career has been powered by collaboration and with the invaluable support of my peers. Creating a network such as this has been an aspiration of mine for a long time and so it’s gratifying to be working with colleagues and supporters who feel the same. It is so exciting to see Dial F for Freelancer come to fruition giving our sector the spotlight it deserves.
Andy Leyshon, Chief Executive, Film Distributors’ Association said:
The varied nature of the films FDA members distribute are often reliant upon project-focused freelance expertise across film booking, marketing and publicity specialities. Freelancers have been hit especially hard across the film ecosystem lately and we are pleased to support this worthwhile initiative during these challenging times.
Mark Jones, Head of Publicity, Altitude Media Group said:
Freelancers have played an integral role in several of Altitude’s releases and it’s been brilliant for us to be able to collaborate with a range of dynamic individuals. We know one of the greatest challenges of freelancing is the absence of close knit ‘colleagues’ to introduce new ways of thinking, building skills and further opportunities. Dial F for Freelancer is the perfect dedicated platform to offer that expanded network to those in the industry and also give distributors such as ourselves the opportunity to discover new talent to work with us on our releases.
Timon Singh, Campaigns Manager, Film Hub South West said:
For the BFI FAN New Release scheme, freelancers have been invaluable both to venues and distributors. Venues are often short-staffed, so having someone available to help with social media marketing and promoting the film has been incredibly useful for many. For distributors, freelancers also help to give their titles a fighting chance in an increasingly populated marketplace by promoting their films in more rural venues and organising events around screenings that make them stand-out from the crowd.
Anthony & Teanne Andrews, co-founders, We Are Parable said:
The need for a platform that can bring together freelancers who work in either film exhibition and/or distribution is absolutely essential. It provides the industry with a key place to seek out a wide variety of talented people, enabling opportunities to be visible for all, as well as offering freelancers a network to keep informed of an ever changing sector.
Anna Navas, Director and Programmer, Plymouth Arts Centre said:
Here at PAC we really value the work that freelancers do and have worked with many on different projects over the years. What they bring is new energy, insights and a whole world of different experiences and ways of working. What that does is invigorate organisations in a way that should be celebrated. The work they do is invaluable to the independent exhibition sector.
