Netflix Teams With Creative UK To Launch Emerging Filmmaker Initiative: At Least One Debut Feature Will Receive £1.5M Production Budget

Netflix is joining forces with Creative UK, the independent network for the country’s creative industries, on an initiative that will develop and fund debut feature films.

Dubbed ‘Breakout’, the program will support emerging filmmakers, with at least one feature project set to receive a production budget of approximately £1.5M ($2M) as well as a guaranteed berth on Netflix.

Six teams will be given £30,000 ($41,000) of development funding to take part in an intensive training and professional development program, delivered by Creative UK. The program will involve lab events, mentoring, and support and input from Netflix executives.

The streamer said it was looking for creative teams whose work has garnered industry or public attention, but they have not yet made a funded feature, and that diversity is a priority. Projects are being targeted from popular genres such as mystery and crime thrillers, bold and original horror, comedies and rom-com, young adult and family adventure.

Applications open from today, February 23.

Hannah Perks, Content Acquisitions UK, Netflix said: “We know there are so many brilliant emerging genre voices in the UK with bold, ambitious stories to tell who lack the funding to reach their audience. We’re committed through our UK features initiative to creating a talent pipeline for Netflix and the wider industry to elevate and develop the widest range of voices. We can’t wait to introduce exciting new UK talent to our members all around the globe.”

Paul Ashton, Head of Film & TV, Creative UK added: “Talent is everywhere but opportunity is not, and from our very first conversation it was clear that Netflix shared our desire to offer career-changing opportunities to film talent in the UK. Having backed films at Creative UK which have realized their best life with Netflix, such as Calibre and The Ritual, we know how important Breakout will be. By giving filmmakers the opportunity to advance projects across a range of genres, we’re enabling them not just to make great films for an audience – but also to lay strong foundations in their relationship with Netflix in the UK.”