Professional Development Fund
Screen Scotland
Award
£250 – £5,000
Deadline
Rolling — apply any time
Where
Scotland
Summary
Support for individuals working in film and television to access training, mentoring and other professional development activity, nationally and internationally.
Who can apply
Freelance individuals based in Scotland working within Scotland’s film and TV sectors, who can demonstrate their work undertaken in the sector and have at least 2-3 credits.
Full details
Professional Development Fund Support for individuals working in film and television to access training, mentoring and other professional development activity, nationally and internationally. This fund provides support for freelance individuals working within Scotland’s film and TV sectors to access training, mentoring and other professional development activities in order to grow and diversify the workforce. The fund prioritises: • Areas of skills shortages • Underrepresented applicants Read the guidance online, or download a plain text version below. • Access and Support • What is the Professional Development Fund? • Eligibility • How much can I apply for? • Access Costs • When can I apply, and how long will it take to get a decision? • How to apply • Decision Making Process • Appendix 1: Legal and Compliance Requirements Access and Support Screen Scotland is committed to offering clear and accessible application processes that are open to everyone. We have several ways of supporting you in making an application. Alternative Formats and Languages Our published materials, including funding guidance and application forms, can be made available in other formats as required. We can accept applications and supporting materials which are written in English, Gaelic or Scots. To request materials in other formats or languages contact our Enquiries Service by emailing: [email protected] If you are a d/Deaf BSL user, you can access our services with the Contact Scotland-BSL programme. Visit www.contactscotland-bsl.org for more information. Access Support We can help cover the cost of services that support you in applying for our funding. Access support is available to individuals or the lead applicant of a group who are defined as disabled under the Equality Act 2010, such as: • d/Deaf • Hard of hearing • Disabled or living with chronic or mental illness • Neurodivergence (e.g. dyslexia, autism or ADHD). To find out what support is available, and how to request it please visit the Access Support section of our website. If you have any questions, email us at: [email protected] Contacting our Enquiries Service If you require technical support, further information or have any other queries, contact our Enquiries Service by emailing: [email protected] What is the Professional Development Fund? This fund provides support for freelance individuals working within Scotland’s film and TV sectors to access training, mentoring and other professional development activities in order to grow and diversify the workforce. The fund prioritises: • Areas of skills shortages • Underrepresented applicants Skills Shortages The fund prioritises activity associated with developing skills for the following roles: • Production (Producers, Line Producers, Unit Production Managers, Production Managers and Production Coordinators) • First and Second Assistant Directors • Heads of Department and Supervisory Grades across technical and craft departments in film and TV • Locations • TV Series Producers • Showrunners • Editors • Development Executives and Researchers • Script Editors Underrepresented Groups The fund priortises applications from people who self-identify from one of the following underrepresented groups: • Disabled • Black and Minority Ethnic cultural backgrounds • Women, in particular, women in areas of directing, camera, post-production and VFX • Gender non-conforming identities. For more information, please see Creative Scotland’s Equality Matters and Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion in the Screen Sector. Eligibility Who can apply? Freelance individuals based in Scotland working within Scotland’s film and TV sectors, who can demonstrate their work undertaken in the sector and have at least 2-3 credits. We will prioritise people who have not received developmental support from Screen Scotland in the past 12 months. Whilst the primary focus is supporting freelancers, applications from individuals working in small and/or growing screen businesses may be considered if a strong case for public funding is made and there is a cash contribution from the applicant’s employer to the budget. You must have a UK bank account in your legal name, and the name on your application must match your bank account. We cannot pay into an account with a different name, and more details can be found on the Applicants Legal Name section of Creative Scotland's website. We understand that some applicants may use a chosen name. We are updating our system to allow for this and will update the guidance once changes have been made. Who cannot apply? • Individuals based outside of Scotland • Individuals who do not work within Scotland’s film and TV sectors • New entrants to the industry • You must be able to demonstrate the work undertaken in the screen sector to date, which should include at least 2-3 credits. More information on our support for new entrants can be found on the Talent Development section of our website. • Full-time students. What activity can I apply for? You can apply for a range of professional development activities, both nationally and internationally. The proposed activity should: • Enhance your learning and professional practice • Develop your career and professional opportunities • Benefit the wider screen sector in Scotland. Therefore, you must be able to demonstrate how the proposed activity will build on your work and experience to date to advance your career. Work carried out while a student is not considered relevant experience. We will support the following types of activity: • Structured training programmes of relevant creative or technical skills development • Screen-related business skills development (e.g. film financing, IP rights) • Participation in talent labs • Relevant and structured mentoring, shadowing, and work-based learning. Please note, this list is not exhaustive, and other types of developmental activity will be considered, including those which accommodate particular access needs, provided they meet the eligibility and assessment criteria for this fund. Your activity should address development needs and skills gaps within your chosen field and the wider Scottish screen sector. You should reference known skills gaps and industry standards, see for example A Skills Audit of the UK Film and Screen Industries. What this fund does not support • Activity that is already supported by Screen Scotland, either directly through our existing skills and talent development programmes or indirectly, through Film Hub Scotland. This includes courses and programmes delivered by NFTS Scotland. • Placements on the Sean Connery Talent Lab • Full-time students in Further and Higher Education (including HNC, HND, degree and postgraduate programmes) • Part-time students can apply, but you must provide evidence that you are part-time and show that the activity you are applying for does not contribute to your academic studies. • Equipment costs • Salary costs • Market and Festival attendance • For this you should apply to Screen Scotland’s Market and Festival Attendance Fund. If you have any questions regarding your eligibility for this fund, please contact our Enquiries Service by emailing: [email protected] How much can I apply for? You can request between £250 and £5,000 (excluding any personal access costs). Within your application you should provide: • A rationale explaining why you require the level of support to undertake your developmental activity • A minimum of 10% cash or in-kind contribution, from personal or other sources, detailed within your budget • Details of any other funding sources you have applied for, such as ScreenSkills bursaries, within your budget. Requests above the maximum amount • We will only consider awarding above the maximum amount in exceptional circumstances. • We recognise costs may vary depending on the location and nature of the activity, accreditation costs or travel and attendance. • We may consider higher funding requests where applicants are based in rural areas of Scotland or there is additional support required to meet additional access needs. • If you are requesting support above the maximum amount, you must clearly explain withing your application why this level of support is necessary. Access Costs Project and Personal Access Costs We want to make sure our funding is accessible to everyone. That’s why we support access costs - essential non-artistic expenses that help people take part in your project, regardless of their personal circumstances or access needs. Project Access Costs These are costs that help other people (such as participants, collaborators or audience members) take part in your project. You should include these costs in your budget. Examples of eligible costs include: • Translation or interpretation services • Essential care costs for primary caregivers • Short-term childcare expenses dir