About
Below are the Terms of Reference as discussed on the first meeting, 20th June 2009.
The Milton Keynes Film Network (MKFN) is an open collective of people interested in making films, whether they are an industry professional or a newcomer, a director or a performer – everyone who feels they have something to bring to the screen is welcome.
Currently in our embryonic stages, the aim of the Network is to set up as a Non-For-Profit Organisation which will be able to provide the following:
Networking and Collaboration
The Milton Keynes film network has been established by filmmakers and performers interested in collaborating and creating a film scene in Milton Keynes. Previously many had only been meeting on a one-to-one basis and a much larger view of the cities potential industry was needed.
From the very first meeting we’ve had ideas pitched to the group and will start a page listing all the projects mentioned at our meetings. Anyone will be free to look at the ideas they like and get involved in those with interest them. We will also put a status next to each project to see where each falls in their production timeline.
The group will have two monthly meetings - one weekday and one weekend meeting. We’ll aim to keep the two meetings close together so that the latest news reaches as many members as possible.
We’re currently looking for the support of venues to host our meetings. If you manage a venue and would like to be involved, please contact us.
Funding
We will be looking to obtain sponsorship for our film projects and network activities. Primarily funds will be used to fund production, but some will also be used for the education of members and to a lesser extent for holding meetings.
Funding will take two forms. We hope to have a collective pot of sponsored funding, but will also help and support individuals in making applications for grants and bursaries that their project may also qualify for, but may not necessarily be aware of.
We will support all relevant projects in the area where and whenever possible. These will fall into two categories: Non-Commercial and Commercial.
Non-Commercial: As with any form of art, film very often needs to stand up on its own artistic merits without needing to be a commercial venture. As well as striving to make art, consideration will be given to new filmmakers who need to be able to take risks and mistakes with their films.
Commercial: The Network is Not-For-Profit, however we will support and potentially fund commercial ventures. We will take an equity share in these projects, and where revenue is generated this will be put back into our main funding pot and given back out to fund further projects, training and networking events.
Education and Training
The first thing that becomes apparent from meeting in one place is that there is so much collective wisdom. The more experienced members are encouraged to pass on knowledge where possible, and there is great scope for many of the members with particular specialism’s to advise fellow members as appropriate when their project rests in their territory.
The most immediate form of education for the Network is likely to come in the form of Guest Speakers from our industry. Lectures, seminars and screenings are all easily set up. Some members may also want to organise trips to film festivals, theatre performances and all other manners of inspirations for us to opt into.
Access to relevant training will be advised on at this stage. You may qualify for funding through Skillset for example. Others may find help from Screen South. We hope eventually to make the training available locally and to fund training directly so as to make it as relevant to our members as possible.
A Public Voice for Members
The Milton Keynes film network looks to engage with the press as much as possible in order to promote your work and our existence. Many of you may have come to the network by reading an article or by contacting a member you heard on the radio. The local press in Milton Keynes has always been film friendly. We’d love to get your project the attention it deserves.
We will at times certain barriers to production arise. We as a collective need to debate and then lobby where appropriate.
Production Capability
As there are individuals and companies connecting themselves to our network with production equipment we hope that these parties are able to lend their resources to any projects they are able to. We won’t rule out purchasing equipment specifically for the network, however being able to pool resources and ask someone with a pre-existing piece of kit may be a slightly safer bet.
Clockwork Amoeba Ltd has a limited amount of production kit, but has PLI up to £5million and a small office for casting and pre-production which is available to regular members who have become known to the company through the network.
We will help our members get involved in local productions. We will also support outside projects coming into the city. We will also hope to link up with other film network in the U.K and beyond in the interest of collaboration and information sharing.
Exhibition
There are multitude of possibilities for exhibition locally in Milton Keynes and the surrounding area. The local focus is incredibly important. We hope to encourage more of the general public to engage in the viewing of Independent Film. We are currently working with Vagabond Films and ICMK (Independent Cinema Milton Keynes, a new charity) to further this aim.