Springboard: Short Film Initiative
Screen Australia is committed to galvanising the connection between short filmmaking and a feature film career.
We recognise the importance of short films in career building and raising marketplace interest around a first feature film.
Screen Australia’s Springboard provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity for creative filmmaking teams to create a short film that speaks directly to their feature film screenplay, providing a strong showcase into the marketplace.
Springboard will target outstanding teams one step away from making their first professional feature film, and assist them with defining, writing and producing a short film that is a creatively and professionally relevant calling card to their first feature project.
A series of workshops plus intensive one-to-one development will tailor the process to support the specific needs of each creative team.
Springboard is about career building for the long term, providing an essential stepping-stone in a professional filmmaking career path.
What is it?
The Springboard initiative features a three-part workshop which will take place periodically between December 2011 and February 2012.
Through the workshops and regular development sessions, five teams will develop a short film project before three are selected for production.
The teams must have a feature film at first draft or beyond, towards which the short film will be thematically, tonally and visually focused.
Along with a developed feature script, teams will be asked to submit two potential short film ideas with their application and the initial workshop will be designed to help identify which of those ideas will be the best calling card for their feature.
Over three workshops – each three days in duration – teams will be supported to develop their creative vision. With input from the Screen Australia Development team and course convener Paul Welsh, they will hone their story and devise a feasible production methodology to ensure that the best short film is realised. In between each workshop, participants will be expected to intensively redraft and refine their short film projects.
At the end of the entire workshop process Screen Australia will select three projects to go into production, with a budget of up to $150,000 per short film.
Course convener
Based in Scotland, Paul Welsh is a developer, commissioner and producer of live action and animated shorts, documentaries and feature films.
Paul’s feature productions include Skeletons, winner of the Michael Powell Award for Best New British Feature, Edinburgh International Film Festival 2010. BAFTA nominated in 2011 for Outstanding Debut by writer/director Nick Whitfield, the film was developed from two related shorts featuring the main characters and central premise of the feature.
In co-production with Rohfilm (Berlin) and Liz Watts of Porchlight (Sydney), Paul’s second feature Lore is currently posting in Australia. Directed by Cate Shortland (Somersault, The Silence), the film is based on Rachel Seiffert’s novel The Dark Room, a story of survival set in Germany at the close of WWII.
Alongside features, Paul founded and manages one of the UK’s foremost talent development organisations, DigiCult. Through the cult and also working independently for film funds including EM Media, Paul has developed, commissioned and executive produced over 50 shorts for Creative Scotland, UK Film Council, Channel 4 and BBC Scotland amongst others.
In recent years, these short productions have included:
Paris/Sexy (w/d: Ruth Paxton), LSFF UK Film Council Award for Best Short 2011; Rite (d: Michael Pearce), Rushes Soho Shorts, Best Long Form Drama 2011; The Taxidermist (w/d: The Berties), Palm Springs, Best Live Action Short 2009; Dog Altogether (d: Paddy Considine), Venice Silver Lion 2007, BAFTA Best Short 2008; Over the Hill (w/d: Peter Baynton) McLaren Animation Award EIFF 2007; Tracks (w/d: Martin Smith) BAFTA Scotland Best Short 2006; Dupe (w/d: Chris Waitt) BAFTA Scotland Best Short 2005.
Over the last 10 years, Paul has built a strong reputation for developing emergent UK talent, distilling his approach into process-based workshops for story and script under the title The Story Room. He presents internationally for film funds and script development initiatives including Think/Shoot/Distribute (LFF) and SoS (The Bureau).
Eligibility
Springboard is aimed at outstanding aspiring filmmakers with a demonstrable commitment to a professional feature film career.
Screen Australia selects up to five teams, comprising a producer in partnership with either a director and writer or a writer/director. The exact mix will be at our discretion.
- Only teams as described above can apply.
- The teams must have a feature film in development that is at first draft stage or beyond.
- Directors are encouraged to work with writers, but teams may include a writer/director.
- Directors and producers must have at least one exceptional short film credit (including films made at film schools) in their respective roles.
- Directors with completed funded features or substantial television drama experience are not eligible. There is no upper limit on the experience of writers or producers, although applicants should be aware that the intention of the initiative is to develop emerging creative teams.
- Animation projects are not eligible for funding under this program. Short animation projects are funded under Short Animation Production.
- Applicants may submit projects that have unsuccessfully applied for funding through other Screen Australia programs but they must provide evidence of significant changes since the previous application. A project can only be submitted twice to this program.
Applicants must also meet the general eligibility requirements set out in Screen Australia’s Terms of Trade.
Funding is for
The five teams initially selected will:
- attend all three workshops, with workshop costs covered by Screen Australia. Travel and accommodation expenses are reimbursed for participants who live outside the host city (TBC), up to a maximum of $800 per person, per workshop, on presentation of receipts and a tax invoice.
The three teams finally selected will:
- be supported for full production of their short films with a maximum budget of $150,000 per film. Each film will be shot and completed on a digital format and will be up to 15 minutes in length, including credits, in line with major festival requirements.
The offer is valid for three months from selection and contracting is expected to be completed in that time. Screen Australia expects the short films to be completed and delivered within six months of contracting. Exceptions to this will be subject to approval by Screen Australia.
Assessment process
Applications for this program, including the selection of teams whose short film will be funded for production, will be assessed by a combination of Screen Australia executives and industry specialists as required. Screen Australia will advise applicants of the success or otherwise of their application. Where an application is unsuccessful, the reasons will be conveyed to the applicant, with a written statement of reasons provided on request.
Assessment criteria
Selection of the six teams participating in the workshops will be based on assessment against the following criteria:
Please note: From the teams participating in the workshop, selection of the three whose short film will be funded for production will be based on further assessment against the above criteria as well as:
- The team’s capacity to deliver the short film project.
- The likelihood that production of the short film will significantly enhance the viability of the feature project.
Application materials
Applications must be made on the relevant application form, and include all supporting material listed in the checklist on that form. Applications missing supporting documents at the time of submission will be deemed ineligible.
Terms of funding
Screen Australia requires a credit for its support if a short film developed during the workshop stages is subsequently produced, with or without Screen Australia funding. All press and publicity must have Screen Australia Springboard acknowledgement.
Screen Australia funding for the short films selected for production will be in the form of a grant, and no copyright interest will be required.
Funding recipients must deliver
All five teams must deliver a completed short film screenplay and any other delivery items in accordance with the legal contract.
The three teams who go on to produce the short must deliver DVD and Digital Betacam copies of the completed film, plus related paperwork including an audit report and press kit.
[Updated 14 September 2011]
