A new immersive talent development and co-production fund for UK and Canadian artists, filmmakers and creators is set to launch with its first cohort in November 2020. It is the first exchange programme dedicated to immersive storytelling between the UK and Canada, and will have a total co-production fund of £300,000 on offer.
The programme, which is now open for applications until September 17, will establish international collaborations to pioneer new forms of immersive storytelling by bringing together a wealth of backgrounds and experiences from theatre, performing and visual arts, games, TV, film, and other forms of digital and interactive media.
The year-long programme is supported by a newly formed international collaboration between StoryFutures Academy (run by the National Film and Television School and Royal Holloway, University of London), Arts Council England, the Canada Media Fund, The Canadian Film Centre’s Media Lab (CFC Media Lab) and the Canada Council for the Arts.
The UK-Canada Immersive Exchange will support and champion an international cohort of artists, filmmakers and creators from Canada and the UK, aiming to be future leaders of immersive storytelling. They will work with emerging technologies, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR). Mentors and experts from across the UK and Canadian creative landscape will support the programme, including those highly skilled in brokering international co-productions.
A total of 24 creatives will be selected to participate, comprising six “Creative Leads” and six “Creative Producers” from each country. Creative Leads will be a mixture of artists, filmmakers, theatre directors and visionaries who can drive the creative direction of a project, while Producers, who will be representing creative companies with a track record in immersive production, will bring the business skills and immersive production experience needed to make these projects a reality.
The programme will then provide the cohort with creative development opportunities, business and sector specific knowledge, understanding of a new international market, key industry contacts, and an opportunity to apply for a dedicated fund to support the collaborative international co-productions.
Related News
