BFI Doc Society Funds support and nurture independent non-fiction films and immersive projects by UK filmmakers: prioritising expansive, director-led storytelling. Our funding is intended to be transformative and representative of all UK society. We back ambitious, independent feature documentary films and immersive projects intended for theatrical release, from both emerging talent and more established directors.
The fund recognises the quality of difference in perspective, the importance of who is telling the story and strong collaborations. We invite local stories and encourage films that take creative leaps and bring fresh vision to the form.
Amount of funding available
The BFI Doc Society Fund provides support of up to a maximum of £150,000 per feature documentary film or immersive non-fiction project in the form of grants. Assessment of applications for this funding will focus strongly on the talent involved, their progression, their relationship to the story they are telling as well as the creative ambition of the feature documentary project itself.
We are focused on access and inclusivity to make sure that untold stories from across the English regions and Nations of the UK have the opportunity to be shared with as many audiences as possible. Through championing under-represented talent, we can help create a more diverse and inclusive film industry.
We intend to fund in stages and are unlikely to provide many awards of £150,000 as a lump sum, with single award amounts likely to fall in the £30K range for development and from £50,000 to £80,000 for production. We have limited funds and may therefore only be able to offer you a lower amount than the one you request.
Applications must be made by the project’s dedicated individual producer, through a limited company registered and centrally managed in the UK.
Eligible immersive projects
‘Immersive’ projects can be produced and experienced using a range of technologies – including but not limited to VR, AR, MR and 360-degree experiences. ‘Immersive’ work may qualify as British either by demonstrating that they are:
Film: intended for viewing by audiences who have purchased a ticket or pass to take part in that specific experience; or
Game: contain a high level of player agency and decision making.
Qualifying as a British film or game enables the company producing the project to submit a claim either for Audio-Visual Expenditure Credits or for Video Games Expenditure Credits. Please seek an accountant’s advice on this topic.
The decision about whether a work will qualify as British or not is made on a case by case basis and rests with the Film and Video Game Certification Unit team at the BFI, who can advise further.
In all cases, to be eligible for the BFI Doc Society Funds the work should be concerned with and have some grounding in real events, locations, situations or narratives and be defined as non-fiction.
We are open to a supporting a wide range of immersive formats including, but not limited to –
- Virtual Reality
- Augmented Reality
- 360-Degree audio visual works
- Location based experiences
- Interactive or Web based non-fiction work
The funds can support:
- Early development, Development, Prototyping, Pre-production, Production, Post-production.
- By immersive we mean narrative non-fiction, cinematic experiences that aim to develop immersive as a cinematic medium
- Work produced and experienced using a range of technologies – including but not limited to VR, AR, MR and 360-degree experiences
- Emergent and hybrid experience formats that expand our idea of what cinematic storyworlds can be
- Works can include multi-platform exhibition, for example as a touring Location Based Experience and standalone headset format.
Find out more and apply. Applications accepted on a rolling basis, open year-round. The fund team will advise applicants within 8 weeks of the date of their EOI submission.