Q: What are your commissioning priorities?

Film4 develops and co-finances feature length films for theatrical release in cinemas. Although ultimately we are looking for films that will eventually play on both Channel 4 and Film4, (the digital channel), we do not develop films specifically for televised broadcast.

We look for range across our subject matter and budgets, though these will tend to be contemporary stories, rather than period pieces and will usually be made with British led talent or with British content.
Film4 is looking for material with a distinctive voice that aims to push the boundaries within a given film genre.

Q: What are you not interested in?

As a general rule, we do not develop films for family audiences, nor do we look to develop period pieces.

For any queries relating to completed films, you will need to contact the Acquisitions department within the channel who deal with licensing finished films for televised broadcast.

Currently we do not have an open submission system for short films. However, we do make a number of short films each year for which we either target talent or we make in connection to a feature project. Please continue to check our website for up to date information.

Q: What are your tariff prices?

We don't operate tariff prices. We aim to fund eight feature films a year with a mix of licence fee and equity and all our films are co-financed with other financing partners. Our films will tend to receive their premieres on C4 or Film4 approximately 2 years after theatrical release.

Q: What advice would you give to new talent companies keen to connect with your team?

Due to the sheer volume of material Film4 receives, we cannot, unfortunately, consider unsolicited material (i.e material that has not been submitted via a producer or agent). Instead we find and encourage new filmmaking talent through our proactive development process and our traditionally strong links with independent producers and literary agents.

Please submit project ideas for development to the Film4 Commissioning department. Please do not submit development ideas to Film4 Acquisitions, as they only license completed films for televised broadcast on the digital channel.

If you are a producer, Film4 requires all production companies to first register their details online using the 4producers site. In order to qualify as a recognised production company, you must have a strong track record in producing and having your films distributed (either at festivals or theatrically).

You will be able to attach material along with your proposal details, although we do prefer to receive treatments of synopsis in the initial stages. If our development team then wishes to discuss your proposal any further they will request additional material.

If you are a writer and/or director, you will need to find a recognised agent to submit your script on your behalf. As a first time film maker, we understand that finding representation can be difficult so we do advise that before you approach an agent, it is best to create a selection of work that you can present them with. Even if they respond to a single piece of work that is sent to them, if they wish to arrange a meeting with you, they will ask for a further portfolio that they can look at before they invest in a relationship with someone. Obviously if you are first starting out it is best to approach junior agents rather than senior agents at companies. Junior agents are looking to expand their portfolios and therefore are more likely to pick up new talent.

Agents, similarly to production companies, will be looking for a new and distinctive voice to come through in someone's writing and the more material that you can support them with the more interest you will be able to generate. While we cannot recommend a particular production company or agent or have a list to share, we can suggest checking out the Producers Alliance of Film and Television (PACT) for a directory of independent production companies or suggest picking up the Writers and Artists Yearbook, available at Amazon for the agents contacts.

It's also worth keeping an eye on Channel 4's 4Talent scheme for opportunities for new writers, for which you don't need representation or a track record. We also promote Coming Up through 4Talent and participate in Generation Next.

http://4talent.channel4.com/4talent-extra/coming-up/index.shtml