The BBC has announced the 57 companies supported through this year’s Small Indie Fund.
Launched in 2020, the Small Indie Fund supports the growth of small independent production companies from across the UK with turnovers below £10m across Drama, Entertainment, Comedy, Factual, Daytime and Children’s – and for the first time this year, BBC Film.
The 2024 cohort sees the highest ever number of diverse-led producers – with 77% (44) companies having at least two individuals in specific leadership roles from one of the following under-represented groups: Black, Asian or minority ethnic, Disabled and/or Working class. The Small Indie Fund also continues to focus support for companies based in the Nations & Regions with 67% (38) companies based outside of London, with an increase in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the West Midlands this year.
All recipients receive strategic investment and a BBC commissioning editor as a mentor to help them grow. With the inclusion of BBC Film, the companies will receive around £1.5m in total this year.
Mark Perry, Flashing Lights Media, said, “As the makers of successful CBeebies Magic Hands, we’re delighted Flashing Lights Media has been chosen as a beneficiary of the BBC Small Indie Fund. As a deaf-led company, we are proud to champion diversity and encourage new perspectives on the world around us. We collaborate with the best to make children’s series, formats, documentaries and aspire to do so much more. We cannot wait to use the BBC Indie Fund to accelerate our growth and reach new audiences.”
The BBC had an unprecedented number of applications for the Fund this year, and in response to that BBC Commissioning will be offering small indies a range of additional insight sessions across all genres with the aim of supporting future pitches. More details will follow in the coming weeks.
Matt Travers, Head of Business, TV Commissioning and Business Development, says: “We thank all producers who applied to the Small Indie Fund this year. We know it remains a challenging time for the sector, and the Fund demonstrates our continued commitment to supporting smaller producers, right across the UK.”
Emma Kayee Head of Production, BBC Film says: “The sheer number of strong applications we received is testament both to the outstanding talent in our independent film sector and the unprecedented challenges so many producers are currently facing. We’re excited to be working with these ambitious, forward-thinking companies and we can’t wait to see what they do next.”
Founders Rosie Crerar and Ciara Barry of Scotland-based barry crerar: “BBC Small Indie Fund support comes at a crucial time for barry crerar. We are proud of our ongoing commitment to authored, groundbreaking storytelling that seeks to inspire, provoke and entertain, working with women and underrepresented collaborators both in front and behind the camera. As a Glasgow born indie that works predominantly with Scottish based talent, we are so delighted to have BBC Small Indie support across our work in both Film and Drama this year and can’t wait to get started!”
Companies selected for the 2024 Small Indie Fund:
Northern Ireland
Afro-Mic Productions
Big Mountain Productions
Fabel Productions
HopSkip Studios Ltd
Out of Orbit
Wales
Afanti Media Ltd
Cardiff Productions
Cwmni Da
ie ie productions
Kailash Films
Red Seam
Scotland
Barry Crerar Ltd
Beezr Studios
Flabbergast
Furnace Ltd
North Bridge Media
Pure Leo Ltd
Unified Theory Productions Limited
English Regions
Candle & Bell Limited – North East
MCC Media Ltd – North East
Schnoobert Productions Limited – North East
Wander Films Limited – North East
Candour Productions Ltd – Yorkshire & The Humber
ClockWork Films – Yorkshire & The Humber
Public Dreams Ltd – Yorkshire & The Humber /London
Boudica Entertainment Ltd – North West
EMU Pictures Limited – North West /London
The Fold – North West
Northern Heart Films – North West
FirstLookTV – West Midlands
Full Fat Television – West Midlands
Rural Studios – West Midlands
Walking House Limited – West Midlands
Chalk Productions – South East
Flashing Lights Media – South East
Ten66 Television Limited – South East
Caravan East – East
The Connected Set – South West
London
104 Films
Acme TV Ltd
Big Little Fish Television Ltd
B-Side Production
Gingerbread Pictures Ltd
Greenacre Films
Me+You Productions
Moonspun Films Ltd
Nico Productions Ltd
Parti Productions
Quiddity Films
Rebel Park Productions
Rockerdale Studios
So & So Productions
Sungazer Ltd
The Corner Shop Productions
Turnover Films
Vibrant Television Ltd
Wild Swim Films
