Netflix Teams With Creative UK To Launch Emerging Filmmaker Initiative: At Least One Debut Feature Will Receive £1.5M Production Budget

deadline.com:

Netflix is joining forces with Creative UK, the independent network for the country’s creative industries, on an initiative that will develop and fund debut feature films.Dubbed ‘Breakout’, the program will support emerging filmmakers, with at least one feature project set to receive a production budget of approximately £1.5M ($2M) as well as a guaranteed berth on Netflix.Six teams will be given £30,000 ($41,000) of development funding to take part in an intensive training and professional development programme, delivered by Creative UK.

The program will involve lab events, mentoring, and support and input from Netflix executives.The streamer said it was looking for creative teams whose work has garnered industry or public attention, but they have not yet made a funded feature, and that diversity is a priority.

Projects are being targeted from popular genres such as mystery and crime thrillers, bold and original horror, comedies and rom-com, young adult and family adventure.Applications open from today, February 23.Hannah Perks, Content Acquisitions UK, Netflix said: “We know there are so many brilliant emerging genre voices in the UK with bold, ambitious stories to tell who lack the funding to reach their audience.

We’re committed through our UK features initiative to creating a talent pipeline for Netflix and the wider industry to elevate and develop the widest range of voices.