British Independent Film Awards Launches First Events Programme for STUDENTS and GRADUATES

The British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) has announced its first events programme. Supported by Creative Skillset, the BIFA Insider series will give recent graduates or those in their final year at university or film school an insight into the skills and creativity behind the best in British independent film.

Participants will watch a BIFA-nominated or winning film for free via the BFI Player. The screening will be accompanied by a live Twitter commentary from BIFA-nominated or winning filmmakers and followed by a live streamed Q&A.

The commentary and Q&As will be hosted on a specially built platform on the BIFA website. Edited commentaries and Q&A transcripts will be available for all on the BIFA website after the events.

Six sessions will run from September 2015 to June 2016, with the first participating films and filmmakers confirmed as follows:

• Chris Wyatt on editing ’71 – Chris was nominated for his editing on the film, one of nine nominations for the film, which won Best Director in 2014

• Amy Hubbard on casting The Selfish Giant – Amy won the Best Technical Achievement BIFA. The film was nominated for seven other awards

• Frank composer Stephen Rennicks – one of two BIFA wins for Frank, which was nominated five times in all

Students and graduates can register their interest via [email protected]

BIFA exists to help British filmmaking and film-going thrive. Part of our role is to identify and encourage emerging talent, support and celebrate the independent film community, and promote British film and talent to the public.

BIFA Insider will promote British films, filmmakers and film industry to those studying for a career in film and the creative industries. It will help to inspire the next generation of filmmakers, craftspeople and film-goers.

Creative Skillset’s Gavin Humphries says “The BIFAs are a key date in the awards calendar spotlighting the brightest and best British films and talent. BIFA Insider will give the next generation – who may be future nominees themselves - unique insights from world class practitioners.”

This scheme is supported by Creative Skillset’s Film Skills Fund, which is funded by the BFI with National Lottery funds, through the Skills Investment Funds. Live stream production services provided by Upbeat, with further support from the BFI Player, StudioCanal, Soda Pictures, Curzon Artificial Eye.

About the British Independent Film Awards
The Moët British Independent Film Awards highlight and reward the best, most innovative and creative independent filmmaking and filmmakers in the UK. We identify and encourage emerging talent, support and celebrate the independent film community and promote British film and talent to the public.

Now in its 18th year, the Awards were founded by Elliot Grove and Suzanne Ballantyne in 1998, who also founded the Raindance Film Festival in 1993. Previous winners of the prestigious Best British Independent Film Award include Pride, Metro Manila, Tyrannosaur, The King’s Speech, Moon, Control, Slumdog Millionaire, The Constant Gardener and This Is England.

Proud patrons of the British Independent Film Awards include Mike Figgis, Tom Hollander, Adrian Lester, Ken Loach, Ewan McGregor, Helen Mirren, Samantha Morton, James Nesbitt, Michael Sheen, Trudie Styler, Tilda Swinton, Meera Syal, David Thewlis, Ray Winstone and Michael Winterbottom.

For further information visit BIFA.

About Creative Skillset
Creative Skillset empowers the Creative Industries to develop skills and talent; we do this by influencing and shaping policy, ensuring quality and by securing the vital investment for individuals to become the best in their field and for businesses to grow. As the industry skills body for the Creative Industries, we work across film, television, radio, animation, visual effects, games, fashion, textiles, advertising, marketing communications and publishing.

About the Film Skills Fund
Creative Skillset’s Film Skills Fund, as part of its film skills strategy, is funded by the BFI with National Lottery funds and through the Skills Investment Funds, which comprise industry and government co-investment. The film skills strategy focuses on addressing the vital skills and training needs of the industry to deliver maximum economic and cultural return: creating jobs, strengthening skills, building skills for the future and ensuring world- class film education.

About BFI Player
BFI Player is a video on-demand service from the BFI (British Film Institute). Available on desktop, android devices, iPad and iPhone, BFI Player includes classic and contemporary shorts and feature films, hand-picked content from BFI festivals, highlights from the BFI’s cultural programme and previously unseen treasures from the BFI National Archive.

About the BFI
The BFI is the lead body for film in the UK with the ambition to create a flourishing film environment in which innovation, opportunity and creativity can thrive by:

• Connecting audiences to the widest choice of British and World cinema
• Preserving and restoring the most significant film collection in the world for today and future generations
• Championing emerging and world class film makers in the UK
• Investing in creative, distinctive and entertaining work
• Promoting British film and talent to the world
• Growing the next generation of film makers and audiences
The BFI is a Government arm’s-length body and distributor of Lottery funds for film. The BFI serves a public role which covers the cultural, creative and economic aspects of film in the UK. It delivers this role:
• As the UK-wide organisation for film, a charity core funded by Government
• By providing Lottery and Government funds for film across the UK
• By working with partners to advance the position of film in the UK.

Founded in 1933, the BFI is a registered charity governed by Royal Charter. The BFI Board of Governors is chaired by Greg Dyke.

About Upbeat
Upbeat Productions is a central London based digital production agency specialising in video and audio content creation optimised for new technologies and media. Upbeat has an in house team of expert camera operators, editors, engineers and journalists; as well as a soundproofed studio with green screen and live stream capabilities.

In addition to video production services, Upbeat provides technology solutions, event services and experiential activities.

Upbeat was formed in 2010 and is part of the Chapter Media group.

For more information please visit Upbeat.