Netflix launches Documentary Talent Fund to inspire and discover a new generation of filmmakers

Netflix has announced a new Documentary Talent Fund to support emerging filmmakers from across the UK and to nurture the most innovative and creative minds of the future.

The opportunity will be open to everyone and will give ten filmmakers, and their teams, the chance to make a short documentary film with a budget of between £20,000 and £40,000 each. All teams will be under the guidance of Netflix and other filmmaking professionals, to ensure that filmmakers and everyone involved in the production are fairly paid, and in a bid to open doors to those most under-represented in the industry.

Netflix gives creative freedom to writers and directors to tell the stories they want to tell, unrestricted by time and form. Now, you have the chance to tell a story and receive a leg up into the world of film, TV and documentary making.

Have you always fancied yourself behind the camera? Are you a film student? Have you got a burning idea that needs to be shown to the world? Did you train in filmmaking but then life got in the way? Then this is the opportunity for you. Whether you’ve picked up a camera before or have limited experience, do not be shy. The Documentary Talent Fund is designed to guide you through every step of the way: to nurture and encourage.

In their finished forms, each documentary must be between 8-12 minutes long and will live on Netflix UK’s social channels, with the potential for further development in the future. The brief for these fully funded short documentaries is “Britain’s Not Boring And Here’s A Story.”

Kate Townsend, director, Original Documentaries said, “We’re really excited to open up this opportunity to ambitious documentary filmmakers in the UK. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never picked up a camera before, we want to encourage anyone with a great story to tell, to go for it. We are on the hunt for the bravest, wittiest, most surprising stories out there and we can’t wait to see what you’ve got!”

Entries will be open from 4th Jan – 31st Jan.

For the first round, applicants will be required to submit a logline (one sentence); a short synopsis and creative statement about their documentary idea.  Further details on how to apply can be found at www.netflixdocfund.co.uk

This initiative is part of Netflix’s Hardship Fund, which aims to support creatives hardest hit by COVID -19 in the TV and Film industry around the world. So far, The fund has donated £2.25m in the UK to the Film and TV Charity’s Emergency Relief Fund and the Theatre Artists Fund led by Sir Sam Mendes.

You must be a UK resident to apply. Only one application will be accepted per person.