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Screen Ireland |
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Funding worth over €1 million has been awarded to 27 organisations to deliver a wide range of high-quality skills development initiatives and activities for the Irish screen sector.
This marks the sixth round of the Screen Stakeholders Funding Scheme to deliver new skills development opportunities and initiatives to address priority areas for the Irish screen sector. For the 2024 round of Screen Stakeholders, applicants were asked to address at least one of nine priority areas, which reflect some of the most significant challenges and opportunities for the Irish screen sector.
These priority areas were equality, diversity, and inclusion; sustainability and green production; future technology, virtual production and artificial intelligence; sustainable careers including improving workplace culture, well-being and retention; nationwide/regional development; careers in the screen industry for young people; company/business development; creative IP (intellectual property) and leveraging IP; and the Irish language.
Funding has been allocated to the following organisations:
- ACE Producers for the 6th edition of the ACE Animation Special Workshop in Dingle (a workshop for experienced international producers looking to develop their animation production skills) and structural support for the ACE Network, including scholarships for Irish participants and participation in ACE Insight Sessions (online sessions on the latest trends, challenges and opportunities in various segments of the international film industry).
- Ardán for the FÍS TV Summit and the FÍS Games Summit taking place between February and April 2025.
- Atticus Education for Screen Careers for Transition Year Students, a programme to encourage young people to pursue a career in the screen industry by teaching them about the sector, and the importance of filmmaking today. Students across Munster will have the chance to participate in a series of online seminars with Oscar-winning producer David Puttnam, culminating in an in-person event at University College Cork.
- Climate Innovation for round 2 of the Future Ready Film project, working with stakeholders who supply vehicles, equipment, services and materials to the industry to enable them to better understand what their carbon footprint is; identify/implement potential opportunities for improvement; document the costs and benefits of these opportunities; and upskill in the areas of emissions reduction, resource management and circular economy.
- Cluster Fox Films for Big Picture Thinking, a project guiding non-filmmakers from marginalised communities through the filmmaking process, fostering skills, teamwork, and storytelling. The programme will culminate in a feature film capturing authentic lived experiences of its participants.
- Cork Film Centre for Story X, an online and in-person training programme designed to build transferable skills with the objective of exploring new parameters of next generation storytelling through XR (extended reality).
- Cork International Film Festival for IGNITE-Docs, a bilingual talent development programme directed towards emerging Irish & Northern Irish documentary filmmakers embarking on their first or second non-fiction feature film.
- Eirmersive for the expansion of the Immersive Futures workshops to three more counties. This programme, which previously ran in Galway, Limerick and Waterford, will explore the latest emerging technology tools across AI, virtual production and immersive technologies.
- Emerging Limerick Filmmakers for a series of in-person and online masterclasses for young filmmakers aged 14-18, guiding them through all stages of production. Recent film graduates serve as facilitators, with established professionals as guests in sessions. A short film will premiere at the Fastnet Film Festival.
- Fresh Film for In Focus, a micro documentary programme highlighting careers in film by exploring the roles within film production to reach a more diverse and targeted young audience; Hothouse, a mentored film production programme to create a collection of eight short films made by young independent filmmakers; and Fresh Futures, a mentored crash-course in virtual production technology with an aim to create a short film/proof of concept.
- Furthr (Cultural and Creative Industries Skillnet) for Future Edge 2024, a six-month upskilling programme that supports creative company leaders to navigate and survive the current challenges their companies are facing and guide them towards capitalising on new opportunities to help their companies thrive in the future.
- GORM Media for The Wideshot, a series of workshops, trainings and events on digital storytelling, creative-media and multimedia skills for young people aged 16-30 from under-represented backgrounds.
- Imirt for the Game Jam Pilot and Incubator Hub in Galway and Dublin, a space and means for selected participants to take part in a programme to foster creative and entrepreneurial skills with the support of targeted training, a mentor program and access to a creative space and technical supports.
- Irish Film and Television Academy for the IFTA Through the Lens series of high-level masterclasses and panel discussions exploring key film industry roles including acting, casting, producing, and writing/directing, emphasising collaboration and synergy for shared creative visions.
- Irish Society of Cinematographers for a series of workshops to improve the quality and skillset of junior and intermediate level cinematographers through up-skilling workshops, focusing on advanced skillsets.
- Le Groupe Ouest for the Less is More Boosting Ideas Workshop, a writers’ programme focused on finding and strengthening the real core of an early-stage project, both narratively and thematically, training young talents in a solid elaboration and exploration phase prior to the writing phase.
- MediaXchange for the Series Accelerator and Business Innovation programmes for writers, producers and screen professionals, with modules on advancing their development in the scripted TV drama genre.
- Raising Films Ireland for the Flexible Working Programme, to educate, formalise, implement and facilitate Job-Share couples into the workplace, bridging budgetary gaps to enshrine the value and feasibility of flexible working.
- Screen Composers Guild of Ireland for addition placements for the composer’s assistant bursary; legal support for unrepresented composer members; well-being resources for composers; a series of learning lunches leadership competencies for composers and producers who commission composers; and a modular synth workshop for composers and a choral masterclass.
- Screen Guilds of Ireland to develop comprehensive training around human resources, industrial relations, and governance, equipping below the line crew and guilds with the knowledge and skills to empower them to navigate workplace challenges.
- Screenplay Unlimited for The Rewrite Stuff, a new programme for writers building on the tools explored in the Advanced Development Workshop and puts them into practice through an intensive process that tackles both the story design of a feature film and how to best pitch it and sell it.
- Storyhouse for the annual festival and lab, which highlights, champions and develops the art and craft of writing and storytelling for the screen.
- Stowe Story Labs for the Connemara Writers’ Retreat, a programme for 20 emerging screenwriters and filmmakers to work with top industry mentors to develop projects and skills.
- Women in Film and Television Ireland for Greater Later 2025, an event spotlighting the achievements of women over 40 across a range of industry roles, featuring keynote speakers, panel discussions with professionals, case studies and networking to foster professional development opportunities.
- Writers Guild of Ireland for Scriptbiz, an intensive business skills masterclass for screenwriters followed by online clinics focused on specific issues.
- X-Pollinator for the INCUBATOR development training initiative for teams of writers/directors &/or producers.
- Young Irish Film Makers for the National Youth Film & Animation School, a 10-day residential pre-college training programme for any young person aged 16-19 thinking of a career or college placement in film or animation.
Commenting on the award funding, Désirée Finnegan, Chief Executive of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, said: “Screen Ireland is delighted to announce the recipients of the Screen Stakeholders Fund for 2024. This year showcases a wide and diverse range of skills development programmes and initiatives. The proposals address strategic priority areas for the Irish screen industry, including leveraging creative IP; Irish language development and the exploration of new formats, from AI to immersive technologies. We’re looking forward to seeing the positive impact these initiatives will bring to the Irish screen industry over the next year.”
Visit the Screen Stakeholders Funding Scheme webpage for more information and to see a full list of previously funded organisations and initiatives
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