BFI Innovation Challenge Fund invests in guidance for working with emerging technology for the independent film sector
National Film and Television School and Falmouth University receive BFI National Lottery funding through the Fund’s ‘In Our Hands’ challenge to help the sector understand the impacts of new and emerging technologies on independent film.
The BFI today announces investment in two programmes to support UK independent creatives to confidently, ethically and safely utilise developing technologies. Over two years, the National Film and Television School (NFTS) and Falmouth University will each deliver a project responding to the sixth BFI National Lottery Innovation Challenge call, In Our Hands.
These two complimentary projects aim to reduce barriers UK independent creatives face in accessing, experimenting with and safely using AI, virtual production and new capture technologies. Seeking to ensure the UK independent sector remains at the forefront of the global industry.
NFTS is awarded £400k to deliver the NFTS x BFI Innovators Programme which will combine sector consultation and research, skills development and funded creative R&D projects. It is designed as a broad ‘innovation pipeline’, reaching a large number of creatives before supporting a cohort of 10 practitioners to develop proof-of-concept projects.
Falmouth University is awarded almost £250,000 for Lab to Slate: Unlocking Safe and Responsible AI for the UK’s Independent Screen Sector, focused specifically on the practical application of AI within screen production. Eight independent creatives will receive structured training, mentorship, access to tools, legal guidance and ethical frameworks, applying AI within real creative projects and generating evidence about its potential role in development and production workflows.
To increase sector capability and ensure a wider pool of independent creatives have effective guidance to engage safely and confidently with emerging technologies, both projects will publish findings and practical resources. Building a stronger evidence base, while helping ensure innovation remains accessible, inclusive and creator led.
Rishi Coupland, BFI’s Executive Director of Industry Development & Innovation, said: “With new technologies, such as virtual production, questions remain as to how they can be accessed fairly, effectively and economically by the independent film sector. AI presents a different challenge. Recent research indicates that as many as 30% of independent producers are already using AI as central to helping them make films, but the technology is often poorly understood, and carries risks and significant concerns as well as opportunities. This funding sets out vital R&D to ensure that the independent film sector is informed and provided with the insight, confidence and skills to utilise these technologies safely and ethically. These programmes from NFTS and Falmouth University will also put experimentation directly into the hands of independent creatives, combining practical access and creative R&D with a strong focus on responsible adoption.”
Rebecca Gregory-Clarke, Head of Innovation, National Film & Television School, said: “We see such demand for creative professionals exploring new technology and platforms responsibly and to take their creative ideas in new directions. It is great to be offering both upskilling and project support opportunities, as well as publishing learnings to benefit the wider industry. Emerging technologies are challenging many of us to both augment and protect our creative practice in completely new ways. We are delighted to be working with the BFI to support the UK’s creative talent to proactively face this challenge, and we can’t wait to see what they create through this programme.”
Kingsley Marshall, Head of Film & Television, Falmouth University said: “Independent filmmakers are expected to form a view on AI technologies without the licences, legal advice, or time and space to test them on their own work. Thanks to BFI National Lottery funding, Lab to Slate creates that space by pairing filmmakers from across the UK with experienced mentors, working together as co-researchers on existing projects, ensuring the learning happens within real productions. The case studies will be published in a free, open-access AI Production Playbook, which will say what doesn’t work as well as what does, giving the wider independent film sector evidence it can trust from its peers.”