Reel Impact announces first round Of grant awardees

Following an overwhelming number of grant applications for funding from Reel Impact, the Film and TV Charity’s programme to support and uplift mid-senior talent from the Black and Global Majority, the Charity has announced that five organisations and eight individuals are to receive awards from its first round.

The five organisations receiving grants of up to £25,000 are:

• Filmdhit Ltd who received funding to help support their growth as the first Black-owned virtual production facility specialising in action content.
• Film Locos who will organise networking events and practical masterclasses with the aim of boosting visibility and access for British Latin American crew in the UK film and TV industry, showcasing their contributions and potential.
• The MAMA Youth Project who will use the grant to provide advanced leadership and management training to 10 alumni from underrepresented backgrounds, equipping them with the skills and networks necessary to break barriers and ascend to senior roles in the TV and media industry.
• The TV Collective will use Reel Impact’s support to drive important conversations and amplify under-represented voices from the Black and Global Majority on a global stage through the development of their industry podcast platform.
• Wonder Women who will be using the fund to recruit core staff and help elevate the careers of mid-senior level women from under-represented and marginalised groups through the organisation’s year-long, nationwide mentoring programme.

The eight individuals who have been granted funding of up to £10,000 include:

• Aaqil Ahmed, a mentor and leadership trainer, who will use the grant to enable talent from the Black and Global Majority to enhance their careers in film and TV.
• Dean Anderson, a director and writer, who will use the grant to take his short film ‘The Mediator’, to the St Louis International Film Festival, helping his diverse cast and crew to access opportunities in both the UK and US film markets.
• Georgie Donovan runs Rising Waves, an organisation that tackles the critical underrepresentation of British East and Southeast Asian talent in the arts and media. Their grant will be used for targeted mentorship and to address systemic barriers through workshops, and community events.
• Jessica Foucher will use the grant to create a peer group dedicated to advancing practical shooting skills, helping to boost representation behind the lens and empower a new cohort of minority storytellers.
• Samantha Fray, a senior leader working in Talent Development, who will use the grant to enhance her leadership skills and industry connections for UK’s sports broadcasting sector.
• Cassie Quarless is ensuring that people from underrepresented backgrounds can navigate new technologies, including AI, that are shaping the film and TV industry. Quarless will use the grant to help equip underrepresented talent with cutting-edge skills, positioning them for success in an ever-changing future shaped by technological developments.
• Martin Simms will create a new space for Black and Global Majority creatives in the West Midlands to help tackle the real barriers in the industry around infrastructure, investment, and opportunities.
• Chitra Soundararajan who will help build a network of Black and Global Majority talent in UK Children’s media, helping to bring them closer to new opportunities and employers.

The first round of funding decisions were made by an independent grants assessment panel, who scored applications at each stage, with an intersectional lens based on need, impact, and diversity of approach. Applications were received from across the UK.

Several recurring themes were highlighted in the applications received during Reel Impact’s first round, including: access to training and education; opportunities for career progression; an increase in visibility and recognition; the need to combat economic inequalities and challenge stereotypes. Alongside these themes, many of the applicants also cited the need to increase perspectives through storytelling across the film and TV industry.

Marcus Ryder, CEO at the Film and TV Charity, said: “Reel Impact was launched by the Film and TV Charity to impact the effect of systemic racism and racial inequalities on talent from the Black and Global Majority. It’s with great pride that the Charity is announcing its first round of grant partners. The themes coming through underline that no one organisation has the solution to these problems and illustrate the Charity’s core belief that the best solutions will always come from those most affected by the issues. Importantly, the Charity’s work does not stop with the grants. We see the grantees as partners so, as well as staying in touch with grant recipients to evaluate the success of Reel Impact, we will be engaging with stakeholders within and outside the industry to ensure the programme’s sustainability and its contribution to real, much-needed progress.”

With the second round of grant applications opening from March 2025, and with Jake Ferguson now in place as Reel Impact’s Director of Business Development, the Film and TV Charity will use the insights gathered during the grant application process to inform future phases of the programme. He will also be focusing on building funding and delivery partnerships to create a sustainable business model for the programme as it looks to the future of its support for Black and Global Majority talent across the UK.