The legendary Nicky North, mainstay of BFI Education since the 1970s, will retire next week. Over the years, Nicky was responsible for producing groundbreaking study materials and organising events that built the foundations for the BFI’s central role in UK media education. Many of us owe her a great deal.
bfiwatch wishes Nicky a happy and fulfilling retirement.
The BFI has announced a consultation phase for its education strategy:
From: Narena Modeste [mailto:Narena.Modeste@bfi.org.uk]
Sent: 11 November 2013 17:05
Subject: BFI opens consultation on new education strategy for film, TV and screen media.
Importance: High
Dear colleague
I am writing to announce the opening of the consultation phase for a comprehensive new strategy to support film, television and screen media education across the UK. I believe that you can make a very valuable contribution to this process.
A great deal has already been achieved in film education, and there is excellent practice to be found in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England. Furthermore, since the launch of Film Forever twelve months ago, the BFI has completed the first year of the BFI Film Academy (for aspiring young film makers) and awarded Lottery funding to FILM NATION UK (to deliver film into the education of all 5-19 year olds). At the same time, we continue to support education through our programming, our online services, and our in-venue work at BFI Southbank.
Now is the time to bring our vision and plans up to date, to confirm the value of partnership across the sector, and to define the specific role of the BFI itself. We also want to bring into focus the evidence we have for the importance of learning about – and through – screen media, and we will commission additional research where gaps can be identified.
I do hope that you will be able to join us in this endeavour. You can read more about the proposal, and find key questions to answer, here: http://www.bfi.org.uk/education-research/film-education-strategy-have-your-say
Please note that all responses to this first phase of consultation should be received by December 13th.
I look forward to hearing from you
With best wishes
Paul
Dr Paul Gerhardt
Director of Education
British Film Institute
This item appeared in the BECTU journal Stage Screen and Radio recently:
Stage Screen & Radio April/May 2013
BFI reviews internships
The British Film Institute is to review its practice of hiring unpaid interns after a campaign by Intern Aware which works closely with the union. Gus Baker of Intern Aware was contacted in February by unemployed graduate Neil Jones. He aspires to a career in the media and had applied for a BFI internship but had had to withdraw as he could not afford to work for no pay. He told Intern Aware that 18 people were currently unpaid interns at the publicly funded organisation and he felt this was wrong.
Baker sent a freedom of information request to the BFI about compulsory redundancies which established that after the BFI had cut 72 jobs they appeared to have been replacing some of them with unpaid interns on up to six month contracts.
Questions were asked in the House of Commons and Culture Secretary Maria Miller responded that it was departmental policy that all interns receive the minimum wage.
The BFI board of governors tabled an emergency motion at their board meeting and have now agreed to review the practice of hiring unpaid interns to do work that should be carried out by paid staff.
Intern Aware is supported by BECTU and based out of BECTU head office.
Gus Baker said: “The BFI is a publicly funded body and should therefore uphold the highest standards. I trust that they will come to their senses and start to treat interns appropriately in accordance with the Arts Council’s official guidance.”
A report in the Evening Standard today:
BFI fails to get with the jobs programme
14 February 2013
Has the British Film Institute had a rethink over taking on unpaid interns? Labour MP Stella Creasy asked arts minister Ed Vaizey what he made of the BFI ad for 18 unpaid interns, in light of government recommendations that interns are paid the minimum wage. Vaizey replied that the “BFI is currently considering the future of the scheme”.
The BFI, headed by Amanda Nevill, had to cut 72 jobs when its funding was slashed in 2011. It warns that if it has to introduce paid internships this could “dramatically reduce the opportunities that can be afforded, and possibly prevent the continuation of the scheme altogether. This would be a great pity at a time when more young people than ever are seeking entry to the British film industry which, in turn, benefits from such grassroots talent.”
Perhaps the BFI could join the organisations signing up to the Standard’s Ladder For London campaign to help the young find paid apprenticeships?
BFI fails to get with the jobs programme – Diary – News – London Evening Standard
From Variety yesterday:
“They enable us to be a lot clearer about the types of films we want to support and the type of awards we want to make,” Alex Stolz, BFI senior executive distribution and exhibition said. “It’s about identifying those films we think we can add value to and share the risk. We feel it is important to give audiences a choice, particularly outside of London.”
Formerly known as the P&A fund, the change in title also reflects a new approach.
“It’s recognizing that P&A as a term is not so relevant anymore, but also reflects that we are not just supporting theatrical releases,” said Stolz. “In most cases there will probably still be a theatrical element, but we can work on more experimental projects.”
The Big Audience awards will see four to six British films receive a substantial award of up to $476,200 each. “The Big Audience awards are bigger but there will be fewer of them,” said Stolz. “They are for independent British films with strong commercial potential. That is new. We didn’t have a wholly British strand before.”
Distribs will contribute at least half of total P&A spend with BFI coin helping to enhance the release to ensure it reaches at least 100 screens across the U.K. Stolz cites the upcoming “Spike Island,” released April 5 in Blighty by Revolver, as an example of a film backed by the BFI that fits this model.
Breakout awards, of approximately $159,000 to $238,000, are designed to expand audience reach for critically acclaimed independent British films and specialized films from around the world, including docus and foreign language titles. Recent examples of BFI-backed releases in this category include Michael Haneke’s “Amour,” Jacques Audiard’s “Rust and Bone” and Juan Antonio Bayona’s “The Impossible.”
“New Models echoes the point that for independent films a conventional release pattern may not always be the best way of reaching an audience,” said Stolz. “We are interested in exploring new models of distribution. We are open to ideas. We don’t want to be prescriptive.”
These may include pop-up cinemas, simultaneous VOD platforms, special cinema events, or anything that shows potential according to Stolz. The BFI recently supported the docu “Ping Pong,” about eight competitors in the over 80s table-tennis championships in Inner Mongolia, which was distributed to U.K. care homes. The BFI is also supporting a multi-platform release in a compressed window for Chilean Academy Award nominated film “No.”
While distribs will need to apply for Big Audience and Breakout awards 14 weeks before planned first release and 16 weeks for New Models, the new Sleepers strand will offer flexible, reactive support to films in release that have achieved exceptional results. The awards will not be applied for but will be pro-active with the BFI Distribution Fund team monitoring critical response, opening weekend results, etc.
“We can go to a distributor and say we can lend support. Is there an opportunity to expand it? Can we help you take advantage of a strong opening, or reviews?” Stolz told Variety. “Sleepers is a complete radical departure designed to support a film once it has opened, which we haven’t done before. It’s not without challenges so we’re going to pilot it to see how it works.”
The Sleeper awards will focus on smaller films with more modest sums up to $63,500.
bfiwatch 