Apply for the Roundhouse Film Fund

Do you have a short film idea you’ve always wanted to make – the one that captures your voice and vision as a filmmaker? The Roundhouse Film Fund is your chance to bring it to life and get it screened.

About Roundhouse Film Fund

We’re supporting three emerging filmmakers (aged 18–25) to create bold, original micro short films (under 5 minutes) that explore themes that matter to them.

This could be personal experiences, identity, community, or broader social and political ideas. The focus is on telling stories that reflect your perspective and creativity. We’ll help you create your own micro short film (under 5 minutes in duration), providing support, mentoring, and access to professional resources, kit, and studios.

Roundhouse Film Fund celebrates bold, innovative, and socially engaged storytelling, offering a platform for experimentation, discussion, and radical ideas – continuing the Roundhouse’s legacy as a hub for cultural creativity.

The programme is split into two phases.

• Firstly you’ll develop and produce your film with guidance from industry mentors. Roundhouse supports the filmmakers through the development, prep and production stages with resources, mentoring and access to kit and studios.
• The second phase is to support you to plan a distribution strategy, get your work seen, and take steps toward your next career moves, including screenings at the Roundhouse and opportunities to enter international film festivals. We encourage directors to collaborate with producers (aged 18-30) to fully benefit from the second phase, but it’s not required. 

Roundhouse Film Fund is supported by the Wiggin Charitable Foundation.

What you get: 

• £1000 production budget for you to spend on making your film.
• A professional mentor with industry experience and connections, chosen to support your specific needs and ambitions.
• Potential paid for contribution from a Composer via Bucks Music.
• Additional in-kind production support from Roundhouse Staff.
• Equipment: Access to the Roundhouse in-house camera, sound and lighting kit and/or loan from the kit house VMI up to an insurable value of £100,000*.
• The chance to showcase your film at a public screening event programmed by The Roundhouse and then later down the line, a Roundhouse-supported online launch via Roundhouse channels.
• Free Roundhouse Creative Studios Membership valid for 12 months from registration.
• Your film will be submitted for the Wiggin Emerging Filmmakers Award. The winner of the award will receive £8,000 to develop their film career. The award will be facilitated by the Roundhouse. Winners will also receive mentorship and support from various industry professionals including Wiggin professionals.
• Distribution planning support and masterclasses after the screening.

Who we’re looking for 

• You will need to already have all the relevant skills necessary to make your film. This is an independent study programme. However, you will be supported by an experienced professional writer/director who will advise and provide feedback from script to screen. Plus, you will be paired with industry professional mentors who will be able to share their experience and advice, chosen to support your specific needs and ambitions.
• You do not need to have made a film before, but we will be asking applicants to show that they have the knowledge and skills to make one. This could be through previous projects, working on other films, photography, self shooting on a phone etc.

What kind of films do we fund?

• We’re open to all genres of films – from narrative to animation, documentary to experimental – but the film must be under 5 minutes in duration.
• Your film should be about social and/or political issues from your perspective. It should reflect the time we are living in now and identify the issue(s) which are most important to you.

How to apply

• To apply please read our Ts and Cs document and our guide on how to write a film treatment and then fill out the application form.
• Apply by Monday 26 January, 10am.
• Shortlisted applicants will be invited for interviews on Tue 10, Wed 11 or Thu 12 February
• Project Dates: Tue 3 March-26 May

We are sorry but due to the number of applications we receive and our team’s capacity we will be unable to provide feedback to applicants at this stage. 

If you have any questions about the fund or the application process please do get in touch via media.projects@roundhouse.org.uk. 

The Roundhouse champions diversity, equity and inclusion. We believe in a just society and in the benefit for all gained from the richness of diverse experiences and expressions within cultural output.

Through its youth programmes, the Roundhouse actively seeks to increase diversity and address disadvantage and inequality. Under the provisions made for Positive Action in the Equality Act 2010 the Roundhouse may, in the event of identifying two or more candidates of equal merit, give preference to a candidate or candidates that are from a group that is disproportionately underrepresented or otherwise disadvantaged.

I’M NOT SURE I CAN AFFORD TO TAKE PART…

Attendees will be provided with £10 per day to cover transportation and meal expenses. If you need help to pay for things like project fees, transport or childcare, we can help. Find out how you can get support. If you are using a bursary to pay for the project, please ensure you arrange this with the Advice Base with plenty of time before the start of the project.

I HAVE ADDITIONAL NEEDS. WHAT SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE?

We are committed to supporting D/deaf, disabled and neurodiverse young people, those with medical conditions, access requirements or any lived experience that may require adaptation, support or sensitivity. If there is anything you would like to let us (our youth workers, tutors or staff) know that will support your enjoyment and access, you can do so by emailing us at advicebase@roundhouse.org.uk, and we will contact you to discuss further how to best support your engagement.