Description
The highly anticipated Creative Economic Conference (CEC) is set to gather influential minds to explore the intersection of business, politics, and the creative industries in driving economic growth.
Recognising the significant role of the film industry in the economy, the Creative Economic Conference will feature a dedicated Film Production Day as part of its programme.
The film industry in the UK has seen remarkable growth, with 84,000 people employed in the sector and £6.27 billion invested in film and TV high-end production in 2022 alone. With streaming companies now complementing traditional broadcasters, the appetite for content continues to rise, making skill development and networking crucial in maintaining the output of quality film and TV productions.
West Yorkshire, particularly Bradford, has become a bustling area for film productions, including recent Hollywood Marvel Universe projects and the final series of Happy Valley. With such high levels of activity, there are ample opportunities for small companies and freelancers in the region to capitalise on this momentum. However, to fully harness their potential, they need to upscale their skills and expand their professional networks.
The Film Production Day is a vital platform for filmmakers, industry professionals, and aspiring creatives. It will bring key industry experts to Bradford, providing skills development seminars, workshops, and networking opportunities.
The Film Production Day is part of the Creative Economic Conference, which will close in the Great Hall with a Cultural Keynote from Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director of Bradford 2025, followed by networking drinks. See more details and the full Creative Economic Conference lineup here.
Tickets are £25 or FREE for concessions* and include morning refreshments, lunch, and networking drinks.
When booking a ticket, please select the Film Production Day sessions at the checkout.
*Concessions cover: charity organisations, early career graduates, start-up entrepreneurs, students, creative practitioners, filmmakers, performers, councillors, plus any concession listed on our ethical ticketing policy here.
Film Production Day Programme
All sessions are chaired by independent producer and distributor, David Wilkinson, whose most recent documentary, Getting Away with Murder(s), was The Guardian’s Number One in 2021.
09:00-09:45 Registration
Atrium, Richmond Building
The BLF team are delighted to welcome you to the Creative Economic Conference. Collect your personalised delegate badge and begin the day with a refreshing selection of teas and coffees over the first opportunity of networking.
09:45-10:00 Welcome
Great Hall, Richmond Building
Join us in the Great Hall as we commence the 2023 Creative Economic Conference with a warm welcome from Shirley Congdon, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bradford, and Sir Richard Lambert, Chair of the Board, Bradford Literature Festival and Chairman, Bloomsbury Publishing.
10:30-12:00 Development
Norcroft Lounge
Discover how to get started in making your very own films from turning your fresh, exciting ideas into engaging scripts to exploring your funding options. At this early stage of development, it’s key to ensure you’re laying the best possible groundwork for success and this session will give you the tools to do so.
Our panellists include screenwriter, Clare Perry; director and screenwriter, Ben Mole, who has show-run a $20 million TV series; and BAFTA and Emmy nominated creative producer and Senior Talent Executive at Screen Yorkshire, Jo Schofield. Together they will give an introduction into getting your film off the ground, discussing scripts, budgeting, developing and funding, before taking a closer look at the different financial models available to independent film producers in the UK.
12:00-13:00 Creative UK Networking Lunch
Atrium, Richmond Building
Take up this opportunity to chat, relax, and enjoy some refreshments at our Creative UK Networking Lunch with Caroline Norbury, MBE.
Caroline is the founding Chief Executive of Creative UK and, like Creative UK, has dedicated her time to championing the creative industries. This membership organisation is a leader in investing in and supporting creative ideas, talent, and businesses, and aims to harness the power of the creative sector to build a fairer and more prosperous world.
There will be plenty of opportunities to reflect on the day’s activities so far over lunch, make new professional connections, discover more about Creative UK and how you can benefit from joining them.
13:00-14:00 Production
Norcroft Lounge
Leading independent filmmaker, Simon Rumley, gives a 101 on all things production and getting your film made.
Simon will answer what it means to go into production, how to best approach potential problems filmmakers realise when facing their ambition, and how to bring yourself a step closer to having your film in front of audiences everywhere.
14:00-15:00 Sales & Distribution
Norcroft Lounge
You’ve poured your heart into making your film a reality: you’ve written the script, sourced your funding, completed production, and now, finally, the film is finished. But, in many ways, the most difficult part of an independent film’s journey is still to come: sales and distribution.
Film booker and UK distributor, Jonny Tull, and international sales agent, Gary Phillips, bring the world of sales and distribution to life in this final film industry event. Learn the secrets of getting your film into film festivals and how best to target organisations that can connect your film to audiences and international taste-makers.
15:00-16:00 Cultural Keynote: Bradford 2025
Great Hall, Richmond Building
Bradford is home to an ever-growing raft of exciting entrepreneurs, emerging artists and arts organisations, and the perpetual change in the city’s cultural landscape is truly remarkable.
Bradford’s winning bid to be UK City of Culture 2025 illustrates the hard work that has gone into galvanising the cultural sector, and the City of Culture status will be truly transformational for Bradford. As well as creating exciting, innovative cultural and artistic events which will have an impact on the national cultural landscape, the boost for the local and regional economy will be invaluable.
As Bradford gears up to take on the City of Culture mantle, we hear from Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director of Bradford 2025, on the plans to build a lasting cultural and economic legacy that will benefit Bradford, the region, the North, and beyond.
16:00-17:00 Networking Drinks
Atrium, Richmond Building
Finish the day over a drink to cement your new connections, unpack the wealth of learnings, and celebrate your contributions to our creative economic landscape.
Be sure to share highlights of your day by tagging @bradfordlitfest #CreativeEconomicConference
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