The Aims and Objectives of the Filmbankmedia Innovation Fund

The aim of the Filmbankmedia Innovation Fund (“Fund”) is to enable two film societies or community cinemas to make a real impact within their community through the medium of film.

The Fund is an annual fund of £5,000. This is split to reward two film societies or community cinemas: a disbursement of £3,000 for the first organisation (“First Recipient”) selected and a disbursement of £2,000 for the second organisation (“Second Recipient”) chosen. 

Filmbankmedia is the trading name of Filmbank Distributors Limited, a joint venture company owned by Warner Bros. Entertainment, Sony Pictures Releasing and NT Digital Partners. Filmbankmedia were established in 1986 to represent the interests of copyright owners (film studios and distributors) in the non-theatrical sector (screenings outside of the cinema and home).

Filmbankmedia is committed to supporting film societies and community screening groups to expand within their local community. As such, the Filmbankmedia Innovation Fund is designed to help film societies and community cinemas to deliver new ideas and initiatives that help grow the involvement of the local community.

Some examples of how the fund could be used include (but are not limited to):

  • special film screening programmes;
  • for seniors or youth groups;
  • launching film workshops;
  • delivering a marketing initiative or to implement educational programmes in local schools.

To apply for consideration for an award please see the terms and conditions (below).

WHO CAN APPLY

  1. The 2020 applications will be considered from film societies or community cinemas which have been registered as a charity or not-for-profit organisation in the UK (“Entrant”).
  2. Entrants must be able to demonstrate to the judges that they have a commitment to screening a diverse range of programming from Hollywood, independent and foreign distributors.

HOW TO APPLY

Launch Date: 18th February 2020.

To enter into the 2020 application process, please complete the application form available here. Please note no other forms of entry will be accepted.

All Entrants will be asked to submit their plans of how they would use funding to affect real engagement within their community. This information will be requested in the form of the following criteria:

  1. Project Overview
    We will ask Entrants to provide an overview of how they would use the Fund in a project (“Project”).
    (Maximum number of words - 300)
  2. Project Rationale 
    We will ask Entrants to explain the purpose of their Project, why their Project is required in order to drive interest and expansion for their society/cinema in their local community, the desired outcomes of the Project and how their Project will achieve these.
    (Maximum number of words - 1000)
  3. Your Plan
    We will ask Entrants for a brief plan which might include their budget and marketing ideas. The Project must be commercially viable – the financial support provided should be sufficient to deliver the Project.
    (Maximum number of words - 1000)

    Note: please prepare the plan with a budget of £3,000 but please keep in mind that you might need to cut this spend to £2,000 if your film society or community film group receives the second disbursement.

  4. Project Timeline
    We will ask Entrants how long they believe their Project will take to deliver (which should be no later than 1st September 2021) and the key benchmarks within your timeline that you aim to achieve. Your project must be delivered by 1st September 2021.
    (Maximum number of words - 200)

 

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

  1. Entrants must submit their applications to Filmbankmedia in full no later than 23:59:59 GMT on 19th July 2020. Any applications not completed in full will be discounted. Any applications received after the date and time above will not be considered for the 2020 application process.
  2. Applications should be completed by individuals who reside in the UK, who are 18 or over and who have authority to make the application on behalf of the Entrant.
  3. There can only be one application per Entrant. Multiple entries will be discounted.
  4. By submitting their applications Entrants agree to participate in publicity as described in the “Publicity” section (below).

 

JUDGING OF ENTRIES

  1. Each application will be judged against the four criteria listed in the section named "How To Apply" (above) and awarded with a score of 1 to 10 by the judges (1 lowest score, 10 highest score).
  2. The Entrant with the highest score will be awarded the First disbursement. The Entrant with the second highest score will be awarded the Second disbursement. All applications will be reviewed by a judging panel comprising of 3 judges. (The judging panel of 3 judges will be independent from Filmbankmedia. In the event of a tiebreak, judges will be asked to re-score the highest scoring applications to determine the recipient of either the main disbursement or the remaining disbursement of the fund).
  3. All applications will be marked by all judges by 19th August 2020.
  4. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into with regard to the decision.

 

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE AWARD RECIPIENTS OF THE FILMBANKMEDIA INNOVATION FUND

  1. The award recipients will be announced on 19th September 2020. Communications will be made to the Entrants awarded the First and Second disbursement awards via email by 8th September 2020.
  2. The Filmbankmedia Innovation Fund will be awarded at the Cinema for All conference taking place on 19th - 20th September 2020 in Sheffield.
  3. The award recipients will receive a cheque for the disbursement and Second disbursement respectively at the Cinema for All conference on 19th - 20th September 2020 in Sheffield. The award recipients must only use their disbursements for the Project outlined in that Entrant’s application form.

    i. The award recipients will also be given 4 tickets to attend the Cinema For All awards for 19th - 20th September 2020 in Sheffield. (Please note no travel or accommodation are included).

  4. If Filmbankmedia determines that the recipients of either award or their application do not meet the criteria or otherwise do not comply with these terms and conditions, Filmbankmedia may disqualify the award recipients as relevant and the Entrant with the next best entry as judged in accordance with these terms and conditions shall be deemed First or Second award recipient as relevant. 

PUBLICITY AND PERSONAL DATA

  1. By entering this process Entrants agree to the following publicity (among others) if they are selected as the either award recipient:

    i. details of the Entrant, its application and the Project appearing in Filmbankmedia’s marketing communications (whether online or otherwise);
    ii. appearance at the Cinema For All Conference and ICO Autumn Screening Event in 2020 and to present their experience in the project and the impact they have made within their local communities for the wider industry.

  2. Entrants (and in particular the award recipients) shall not refer to Filmbankmedia, Cinema for All or the Filmbankmedia Innovation Fund in any publicity without the prior written approval of Filmbankmedia.
  3. By applying for the Filmbankmedia Innovation Fund you agree to our use of your personal data as described in these terms and conditions and in accordance with our privacy policy.

PROJECT PROGRESSION AND DELIVERY

  1. The award recipients will be required to complete quarterly status updates to Filmbankmedia in respect of the Project progress. The person to contact at Filmbankmedia will be Anna Wilczek (Senior Marketing Manager) or Marie Welch (Director of Marketing and Promotions). Contact details: anna.wilczek@filmbankmedia.com and  marie.welch@filmbankmedia.com

GENERAL

  1. Filmbankmedia shall have no liability to Entrants (and the recipients), these terms and conditions or their subject matter, or the use of the Fund by the award recipients. Any advice and guidance provided by Filmbankmedia is for information purposes only and is not intended to be relied on and Filmbankmedia shall not have any liability to the award recipients in respect of any action or inaction taken by the award recipients on the basis of such advice or guidance. The advice and guidance item is purely for this project and is on an ad hoc basis.
  2. Filmbankmedia shall comply with all applicable laws, regulations and directives relating to data protection when collecting data relating to the Entrants and only to the extent Filmbankmedia have the prerequisite consents.
  3. By providing any advice or guidance or awarding the First award or Second award, Filmbankmedia is not endorsing, approving or expressing a view as to the success of any Entrant, their Project, or the way in which they spend or propose to spend the Fund. 
  4. These terms and conditions (including matters relating to their existence and validity) or any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with them or their subject matter, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law and all Entrants submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
  5. If you have any questions in relation to the Innovations Fund please contact Anna Wilczek / Marie Welch at anna.wilczek@filmbankmedia.com / marie.welch@filmbankmedia.com.