Screen Producers Australia (SPA) are thrilled to today announce the UK and Australian companies selected for UK Connect, a new initiative and joint Australian market first between Screen Producers Australia (SPA) and the British Film Institute (BFI), that will connect some of the most exciting Australian and UK producers, and financiers during a full day of programming and networking on 2nd May 2023, then across SCREEN FOREVER 37 between 3 – 5 May 2023 on the Gold Coast.
UK Connect is a competitive, curated co-production market initiative, and part of the SPA Connect Market, designed for ten Australian and ten UK-based film and television producers seeking global partners and financing.
The program will offer a full day of events, talks, networking and curated meetings focused on doing business and securing funding with co-production partners.
The initiative will provide the selected producers with unique advantages to progress and finance their market-ready film or TV projects in development with international partners.
The UK-based production companies selected to visit Australia to participate in the initiative are Agile Films, Buccaneer, Caravan Media, Footprint Films, Hurricane Films, Little Monk Pictures, Modern Films, Saffron Cherry Productions, Taletime Pictures, and Three Tables Productions.
The delegation of industry-leading UK-based production companies will be joined by their Australian peers as they collectively explore a wealth of business opportunities to be found at SCREEN FOREVER.
The ten Australian production companies seeking co-production partners who have been selected to participate in UK Connect are Bus Stop Films, Candid Films, CJZ, Goalpost Pictures, Highview Productions, Hoodlum Entertainment, KOJO Studios, Northern Pictures, Princess Pictures, and Rhapsody Films.
“We’ve been overwhelmed with the calibre of applications to UK Connect. When assessing the applications, considering the slates and market-readiness of projects and the potential to be structured as UK-Australia co-productions, we are excited about and hopeful the initiative will forge new invaluable partnerships, and help finance future co-production projects. All ten Australian production companies are from the SPA membership, and we are delighted to be able to provide such an important international opportunity to some of Australia’s most prolific and renowned storytellers at SCREEN FOREVER 37,” said SPA CEO Matthew Deaner.
“We have been thrilled with the enthusiastic response from UK and Australian companies with exciting projects ripe for co-production wanting to come on board with UK Connect at SCREEN FOREVER 37. For our producers and sales companies to be able to meet and explore collaboration with Australian counterparts on their own turf and get immersed at this event is a rare and invaluable business opportunity. With our close cultural ties, original storytelling success on both continents, and the revised co-production treaty between our two countries coming into force soon with a potential to reinvent and reinvigorate co-production post-pandemic, this promises for being a fruitful venture for both our industries,” said Agnieszka Moody, BFI Head of International & Industry Policy.
Joining the cohort will be a range of distributors and funders to help create a holistic market environment where projects can be shaped, and alliances formed. Four UK-based sales agents have been selected to join the UK Connect program bringing additional funding opportunities to the table for the cohort. They are Altitude Film Sales, AMP, Film Seekers and MetFilm Sales.
SCREEN FOREVER 37 delegates not directly participating in UK Connect can take advantage of an array of opportunities to connect with the UK Connect delegation through meetings during Ready Steady Pitch, Round Tables, a Co-Production Forum, and 1-1 meetings.
Members of the UK-based producer delegation will also participate in programmed SCREEN FOREVER 37 sessions discussing how UK production companies are safeguarding their place in a rapidly evolving global marketplace, the state of global demand for independent feature film and the ability of streamers to keep up with supply and demand for innovative content.
After a completely sold-out event earlier in 2022, delegates are encouraged to register early to secure their spot at www.screenforever.org.au.
More information on SCREEN FOREVER 37 can be found at www.screenforever.org.au. The full SCREEN FOREVER 37 program will be announced in late March 2023.
Link to SCREEN FOREVER 37 registration HERE
Media Release – Screen Producers Australia