LAGOS filmLAB - Open Call by British Council & BAM

Adapted from iFeatures, a premier UK filmmaking programme driving the development of low-budget high-quality debut features and realising the talent of the next generation of filmmakers. Our aim is to produce the most outstanding, daring and distinctive storytellers in Lagos, by giving them the tools and the support to experiment, develop their voice, and create contemporary films that speak to a world audience.  Lagos filmLAB is a partnership between the British Council, the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) and delivered by Creative England and Biola Alabi Media

Lagos filmLAB offers a unique opportunity to explore and realise your vision. Selected teams will take part in an intensive, exploratory Lab programme, which will include dedicated support, access to industry and networks, as well as mentoring and high-level training with established industry professionals. The programme will focus on a dedicated period of development for 12 projects and teams, with each receiving bespoke support as they work towards market engagement.#

Following the programme, the British Council and BAM (Biola Alabi Media Ltd.) have committed to ensuring that at least three of the projects progress to production.

WEBINAR 

There will be a webinar on Wednesday 29 August 2019 at 12:00 GMT+ to provide guidelines and tips on how to make your application stand out. Join the webinar here LagosfilmLABWebinar

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Lagos filmLAB is driven by the principle that low-budget, ambitious, well-told stories can break out to achieve critical, audience and even commercial success. Filmmakers, emerging and established, find expression through low-budget filmmaking as much as an end, and not just as a stepping stone to bigger things. Lagos filmLAB intends to play a key part in supporting the development of new and exciting voices in Lagos State. We also believe there is an achievable sweet-spot for high-quality films and are, therefore, looking for projects which at the point of application, we expressly intend to finance, and will develop these films with a view to what we believe the project needs and what can be reasonably financed in the current landscape.

We are looking for distinctive creative voices and bold visions, regardless of genre. We believe that ‘meaningful’ and ‘entertaining’ are not mutually exclusive ideas in the audience’s mind, and we want to see original genre films just as much as dramas. We want stories that express a powerful sense of place and time, and with distinctive, unique takes on every corner of Lagos. Stories that transcend low production budgets, and engage audiences at home and worldwide, regardless of the type of camera they might be shot with or platform they are being experienced on. Stories that move, entertain, surprise, challenge and resonate - and voices that need to be heard.

FEEDBACK

Due to the high volume of submissions that we expect to receive, we regret that we are unable to give feedback to applicants who are not invited to the selection panel.

CONTACT 

If you have questions then many of these should be answered by our FAQs, available for download here  or in the downloads section below.

If you can’t find an answer to your question in these Guidelines, the FAQs or on our website, please email  arts.nigeria@britishcouncil.org  

All dates referred to in these guidelines are subject to revision at Lagos filmLAB’s discretion. In the event that a date changes, we will endeavour to let participants know as soon as possible.

Downloads

• LAGOS filmLAB FAQs(Adobe PDF 147KB)
• Lagos filmLAB Application Preview(Adobe PDF 37KB)

Before you apply, kindly preview the FAQs and application questions - Visit   Lagos Film Lab  for more information

Source: britishcouncil.org.ng