Announcing the shortFLIX 2019 cohort!

The 2019 shortFLIX cohort meet today for their first workshop.

shortFLIX is a short film initiative for aspiring new filmmakers aged 18-25 who are not in full-time education, employment or training, and is now in its second round. We seek out creative, talented and ambitious young people that have the potential to make great short films for broadcast on Sky Arts.

Over 250 strong applications were received from across the country, with twenty chosen to go through the development process. We at Creative England were extremely impressed by the quality of applications and would like to thank everyone for applying.

This year’s cohort are based far and wide, from London and the South East, to the North East and North West and Yorkshire and Humber, making shorts in genres ranging from drama to comedy, thriller and supernatural/fantasy.

In the first workshop, taking place over the weekend, the cohort will learn about development with an overview of the filmmaking process and terminology, considerations of story fundamentals, ways to tell a story visually alongside group discussions, and screenings and Q&As with last year’s filmmakers.

From the twenty filmmakers, five projects will eventually be selected to make their shorts with a budget of up to £10,000 and a professional team to make their short films for showcase on Sky Arts.

This year’s shortFLIX cohort are:

• Adesola Akerele
• Carrie Battram
• Charles Entsie
• Danny Seymour
• David Cheung
• Dilan Tulsiani
• Ella Dacres
• Gavin Joseph
• Henry Kamwenje
• Fatima Rahouma
• Ghazal Jangani
• Isabella Culver
• John Akinde
• Johnny Massahi
• Joseph Ives
• Kathryn Webb
• Lizzy Mansfield
• Roberta Livingston
• Sam Purkis
• Scarlett Ward

The shortFLIX films which aired last year went on to be screened at numerous film festivals. Abena Taylor-Smith, who wrote and directed Ladies Day, went on to be nominated for the Iris Prize, and her film was screened at Encounters, Raindance, Leeds Film Fest, NFFTY, Underwire Fest and LSFF, whilst Luna Carmoon, who wrote and directed Nosebleed, saw her film, which was longlisted for a BIFA, screened at LFF, NFFTY, Bath Film Fest, Underwire Fest and LSFF. Losing It, by Ben Robins, has screened at Encounters and Bolton Film Fest, whilst Batty Boy from Dior Clarke and Blain Ho-Shing screened at Bolton Film Fest and BFI Flare. The shorts are available to watch online here.

Many of the other shortlisted entrants, who were part of the development phase, have also gone on to bring their short film ideas to the screen with support from funders and commissioners such as Film Roundhouse, Film London’s London Calling and BFI NETWORK, alongside undertaking work, training and other development opportunities.

shortFLIX is led by Creative England in partnership with Sky Arts and supported by the ScreenSkills Film Skills Fund with contributions from UK film productions. The programme is developed with award-winning writer-director Carolina Giammetta.