Short Circuit

An ambitious film talent initiative for Scotland, supporting writers, directors and producers to develop creatively and professionally.

Short Circuit is an ambitious new film talent initiative for Scotland delivered by Film City Futures in partnership with Glasgow Film, and funded by Screen Scotland and BFI NETWORK.

Up to 9 short films will be produced and 5 feature length scripts will be developed through the programme each year.

The partnership between Film City Futures and Glasgow Film brings together two world-class film institutions based in Scotland, combining the filmmaking expertise at Film City with Glasgow Film’s leadership in film exhibition with a strong following from young, diverse audiences.

Short Circuit aims to become a key hub for emerging fiction filmmaking talent in Scotland, supporting writers, directors and producers to develop creatively and professionally, and stimulating the creative and commercial success of Scotland’s film sector.

The initiative will have an international outlook, helping Scotland-based filmmakers navigate film industry opportunities both in the UK and further afield.

Sharp Shorts

Sharp Shorts is an opportunity for Scotland’s most exciting emerging creatives to shake up the form and distinctively stamp the nation on the filmmaking map.

The scheme funds up-and-coming writers, directors and producers to create inspiring, engaging and boundary-pushing short films (live action and animation) that resonate with audiences worldwide. 

Sharp Shorts 2022 is open for applications. This year, up to 12 projects will be selected to take part in a 3-month development phase. After pitching for a production award in September 2022, up to 9 projects will be selected to receive up to £15,000 of funding. The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on Monday 2nd May 2022.

Find out more on the Short Circuit website.

First Features

An opportunity for debut feature writers or writer/directors to develop their early stage treatments or draft screenplays. Approximately five projects per year will be selected for development, with funding of up to £20k per project available. 

First Features is assessed on a quarterly basis. The closing dates for assessment will be 9th August 2021, 1st November 2021, 31st January 2022.

Find out more on the Short Circuit website.