First Light is the UK’s leading initiative enabling young people to realise their potential via creative digital film and media projects.
Funded through the UK Film Council and directly from the Department for Children, Schools and Families we administer over £5m each year, funding young people’s creativity, giving them a voice and ensuring they are seen and heard. The films and media projects our young people create cover many topics and genres, and make use of today’s accessible digital technologies to tell their stories with them in control.
First Light operates a number of youth funding schemes including:
The Young Film Fund, is the UK Film Council’s Lottery funded filmmaking initiative for five to 19 year olds to make short films with professional support (funds available range from £3,000-£30,000). The criteria has recently been updated to make it easier to apply, for more information about new guidelines, reductions to our match funding requirements, criteria and information on how to apply, go to http://www.firstlightonline.co.uk/
Mediabox is a Department for Children, Schools and Families fund to help young people have a positive voice in the media. It offers disadvantaged 13-19 year olds the opportunity to develop and produce creative media projects, using film, print, television, radio or online platforms. There are grants of up to £40,000 available now. In August we launched a new fund “Mix Mediabox” which will support young people to explore themes of community cohesion (funding from £5,000 – £20,000). Mediabox funds are open to organisation who have applied for Mediabox funding in the past. For more information about new guidelines visit http://www.media-box.co.uk/
We are also arranging a series of regional funding advice road shows, if you are interested in attending an event or applying to our new rounds of funding please visit the appropriate website for further details:
MEDIABOX funding http://www.media-box.co.uk/
THE YOUNG FILM FUND http://www.firstlightonline.co.uk