How We Help.
"The team continually track new and upcoming talent via Shooting People. We want to inspire and support the next generation of writers for the big screen."
Creative England Film Department
"Finding a DP for the short fiction I was producing seemed like the key to the whole film. We got a lot of responses to our Shooting People call out and I still can't believe we found someone so talented who clicked with the director brilliantly from the first meeting. They've continued to work together on projects since."
Jenny Horwell Independent Producer
"Shooting People is an important resource for anyone blindly attempting to penetrate the mysteries of the film industry. The contacts you make there can be contacts for life!"
Alice Lowe Actress and Director of ‘Prevenge’
"Shooting People is a brilliant showcase for the UK’s creative, curious, and inspirational emerging film community and we love the way it connects them to the rest of the world. We use it all the time to tell filmmakers about our own opportunities (funding and projects) - and to track the amazing talent that is connected to this community."
Briony Hanson Director of Film, British Council
"Shooting People lives and breathes independent film"
Danny Boyle Director of 'Slumdog Millionaire,' ‘Trainspotting’
"Shooting People is crucial for filmmakers looking to meet their peers and find paid work within the industry"
Matimba Kabalika Talent Coordinator at BFI.NETWORK
"My first short was crewed through Shooting People and it went to Sundance. Good times"
Jack Thorne Screenwriter of ‘Skins’, ‘This Is England '86’, ‘A Long Way Down’
"Online communities like Shooting People are a great way to find people to collaborate with"
Manon Ardisson Award-winning Producer of 'God's Own Country'
"I joined Shooting People and answered an advert for someone looking for a producer, which led to making my first short film. After this I’d caught the bug for producing."
Emily Morgan BAFTA-winning Producer of 'I Am Not a Witch'
"I found my entire crew through Shooting People and they were all incredible professionals. I want to say a massive thank you to everyone involved on Shooting People…You make this community what it is! I have made contacts and friends that I hope to work with for life."
Kristopher Williams Director
"Can't remember the last time I had so much fun & felt so much love at a Q & A. Spending time with fellow enthusiasts who love film & film making was inspiring & uplifting - Shooting People is an incredible, vital organisation for all film makers and I'm so grateful I got to be part of it. Thank you Cath & Shooting People team!"
Jessica Hynes Actor, Writer & Director of 'Years and Years', 'The Fight, 'Spaced'
"Shooting People helps a community of filmmakers - actors, writers, directors - to connect in an industry that can otherwise sometimes seem slightly impenetrable, inaccessible. And it’s a lot of fun."
Alex Lawther Actor - 'The Imitation Game', 'End of the F**king World', Wes Anderson's new film 'The French Dispatch'
"As an independent filmmaker it’s so wonderful to have this kind of support and exposure. I’ve been a member of SP since the start of my career."
Chloe White Director, Winner: NEW SHOOTS 2018
"Shooting People is an amazing resource. When I started I felt really alone - connecting with the SP audience was fantastic because there were other people just like me."
Orlando Von Einsiedel Oscar-nominated Director, Virunga
"Shooting People is a necessity for anyone who works, lives and breathes independent film"
Morgan Spurlock Director, Super Size Me
"I got my first job through Shooting People"
Desiree Akhavan Sundance Grand Jury Winner 'The Miseducation of Cameron Post'
"Shooting People was a great introduction into the film world for me! Like-minded people, with links to resources, good advice and a network. It’s a great way to meet potential collaborators, cast and crew, and they do networking events"
Alice Lowe Director and Actress ‘Prevenge’
"I wish I had Shooting People when I was growing up, searching for a community of likeminded people. It’s a vital lifeline for filmmakers and writers."
Peter Strickland Writer/ Director 'In Fabric', 'Duke of Burgundy', 'Berberian Sound Studio'
"Shooting People helped me to take my work from the kitchen table to the big screen."
Rachel Tunnard Director, BIFA Winner 'Adult Life Skills'
"I've loved (and used!) Shooting People since it started. A wonderful and brilliantly creative community."
Mike Figgis Director 'Leaving Las Vegas', Author 'Digital Filmmaking'
"The New Shoots Actors competition from Shooting People is a hugely beneficial boost for actors in the industry."
Ruby Richardson Actor, New Shoots Actor Winner 2020
"Shooting People have been a big support through my career... yours is a platform that truly champions indie filmmakers."
Candice Onyeama Director, Winner: NEW SHOOTS 2020
"THE CIRCLE (Autumn 2020 New Shoots winning film) explores race in a way I’ve never seen on screen before - playing with form, movement and narrative structure. I’m really looking forward to seeing where Lanre Malaolu’s voice takes him next."
Desiree Akhavan Sundance winner, Writer, Director and Actor; NEW SHOOTS: FILMMAKERS judge
Belong. Connect. Collaborate.
Shooting People is a vibrant community of independent filmmakers, writers, actors and industry. We facilitate creativity in film, helping our members connect and collaborate to get their films made and seen.
Membership of SP includes;
- Paid and Collaborative Roles - find production work or find collaborators for your own shoot
- Funding and Competitions Directory - updated directory of current opportunities, grants, funding, UK wide - for directors, writers, actors, animators and producers.
- Script Pitch - find feature and short screenplays, pitch your script directly to directors and producers
- Members Network and Forum - debate, discuss, peer-to-peer information on distribution, latest kit, festivals etc.
- Daily Email Bulletins - specialist information and industry updates for writers, directors, actors, animators, crew, documentary filmmakers, composers and producers.
- New Shoots Live Events - quarterly live events to hear directly from award-winning British independent filmmakers and their teams.
- New Shoots Filmmakers Competition: free entry to short film competition running 4x year, offering £5K worth of prizes and direct one-to-one industry mentorship each time.
- New Shoots Actors Competition: free entry to actors competition running 2x year, offering £2K worth of prizes including headshot packagage, equipment and an actors grant each time.
- Short Films: have your film viewed, commented on and watch others latest work.
- Event Calendar and Training Directory: film events and training in your area.
- Resources (release forms, festival lists, production documents)
- Nikon Training: free access to Nikon training on mirrorless cameras, around the UK.
- Kickstarter Mentorship: direct support, promotion and mentorship with Kickstarter to launch your own Kickstarter project.
- Vehicle Hire with ZipCar: cheapest rates, 60UKP free credit, no signup fees, for any SP member
- Final Draft Screening Writing Software: 30% off for any SP member.
- Mubi Subscription: 3 Month Free Subscription for any SP member.
- Significant Discounts / Festivals / Other: Unique one off discounts from festivals, brands and other industry partners.
Animator.
Recent activity from Animators on SP includes:
- Mole Hill won Best British Animation at the 2021 BAFTAs for 'The Owl and the Pussycat.'
- Maryam Mohajer won the 2020 BAFTA for her animated short ‘Grandad Was A Romantic’.
- Richard Phelan was nominated for the 2020 BAFTA for Best Animated Feature for ‘A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon.’
- Jonathan Hodgson won the 2019 BAFTA for his animation short ‘Roughhouse’.
- Andrea Vinciguerra’s stop motion animation ‘No, I Don’t Want to Dance!’, previously shortlisted for our New Shoots: Filmmakers competition, screened at Sundance.
- 5 SP animators screened work at London Short Film Festival 2021.
- 11 members screened at the London International Animation Festival 2020.
- Paul Bush’s short film ‘Orgiastic Hyper-Plastic’ screened at Clermont-Ferrand 2021.
Recent opportunities available to Animators on the SP site:
- Access active Animator opportunities, funds and competitions in SP’s Opportunities Directory.
- Submit a short film to SP’s NEW SHOOTS: FILMMAKERS competition for a chance to win top industry mentorship, awesome kit & prizes.
- Share ideas, techniques and insight on our Ask & Discuss forums, and receive tailored daily updates in your inbox.
- 250 roles are posted weekly to SP Production from independent filmmakers looking for cast, crew and collaborators across the spectrum of independent film.
Actor.
Recent castings and activity from Actors on SP includes:
- Radhika Aggarwal & Will Nash won the SP’s New Shoots: Actors Competition in 2020, picking up a bespoke showreel scene, an actor’s grant, awesome kit and prizes.
- Actor-turned-director Ella Glendining was one of 5 SP members announced as Screen’s Stars Of Tomorrow 2020.
- Casting director Shaheen Baig was nominated for a BIFA and Longlisted for a BAFTA for ‘Calm with Horses’.
- 4 members were announced as part of BAFTA’s Breakthrough Brits.
- Actors Imogen Poots (Vivarium), Alice Lowe (Prevenge), Jessica Hynes (Spaced) and Alex Lawther (The End of the F***ing World) all shared their extensive knowledge as speakers at our NEW SHOOTS events.
- Casting assistant Jessica Straker joined director Sarah Gavron to discuss the critically acclaimed ‘Rocks’ during our April NEW SHOOTS event.
Recent opportunities available to Actors on the SP site:
- Access active Actor opportunities, funds and competitions in SP’s Opportunities Directory.
- Be in with a chance to win a £250 actors grant, a bespoke showreel scene, sound-recording kit, screenwriting software and other prizes by submitting to the NEW SHOOTS: ACTORS competition taking place twice a year.
- Build your network by meeting directors, writers, producers and industry at SP Events, in person and online.
- 250 roles are posted weekly to SP Production from independent filmmakers looking for cast, crew and collaborators across the spectrum of independent film.
Writer.
Recent activity from Writers on SP includes:
- Lawrence Pumfrey was one of 3 winners of the BAFTA Rocliffe New Writing Competition for his 18th Century British-Western ‘Peakland’.
- 5 members who were announced as Screen’s Stars Of Tomorrow 2020, including writer-director Charlotte Regan, writer-director-actor Ella Glendining and writer-director Naqqash Khalid.
- SP writer Marley Morrison and director Matt Houghton were selected as Film London’s Lodestars.
- Writer-director Paul Holbrook’s short ‘Hungry Joe’ was nominated for British/Irish Short Film by the London Critics’ Circle.
- ‘Better’ written by Lucy Heath won the Iris Prize Best British Short.
- Writer Francesca Fowler, writer/ director Fateme Ahmadi and writer/director Zillah Bowes were announced as the John Brabourne Awardees 2020.
- SP writer/director Kat Wood won the Jameson First Shot competition, flying to LA to make her film with Maggie Gyllenhaal and Dana Brunetti.
Recent opportunities available to Writers on the SP site:
- Submit screenplays to Script Pitch to attract the attention of producers, directors and collaborators, and see your ideas realised.
- Share ideas, techniques and insight on our Ask & Discuss forums, and receive tailored daily updates in your inbox.
- Submit a short film to SP’s NEW SHOOTS: FILMMAKERS competition for a chance to win top industry mentorship, awesome kit & prizes.
- 250 roles are posted weekly to SP Production from independent filmmakers looking for cast, crew and collaborators across the spectrum of independent film.
Director.
Recent activity from Directors on SP includes:
- ‘Dọlápọ Is Fine’ by Ethosheia Hylton and ‘Miss Curvy’ by Ghada Eldemellawy are longlisted for Best British Short at the 2021 BAFTAs.
- ‘For Sama’ co-director Edward Watts won the 2020 BAFTA for Best Documentary and the International Emmy for Best Documentary.
- Director Jennifer Sheridan was nominated for the Raindance Discovery Award at the 2020 BIFAs for ‘Rose: A Love Story’.
- 5 Shooters were announced as Screen’s Stars Of Tomorrow 2020.
- Director Matt Houghton was selected as one of Film London’s Lodestars.
- Director Bim Ajadi was selected for BAFTA Breakthrough UK 2020.
- Ellen Evans short doc ‘Country Girl’ won the Best Documentary Short at the Grierson Awards, previously shortlisted for New Shoots: Filmmakers.
- Rosie Westhoff’s ‘Our Sister’ won the BAFTA qualifying British Short Film Competition at Leeds International Film Festival.
- Arthur Cauty won Best Documentary in the My RØDE Reel competition, taking home $75K for his film ‘The Last Video Store’.
- Lanre Malaolu’s New Shoots winning film ‘The Circle’ was released on The Guardian.
- ‘Thrive’ by Jamie Di Spirito and ‘Passing’ by Nichola Wong were both nominated for the Iris Prize, the biggest LGBT+ short film prize in the world.
- Fyzal Boulifa was nominated for the London Critics’ Circle Breakthrough British/Irish Filmmaker award for ‘Lynn + Lucy’.
- Paul Holbrook’s ‘Hungry Joe’ was nominated for British Short Film by the London Critics’ Circle.
- 51 members screened at London Short Film Festival 2021.
Recent opportunities available to Directors on the SP site:
- Access active Director opportunities, funds and competitions in the SP’s Opportunities Directory.
- Submit a short film to SP’s NEW SHOOTS: FILMMAKERS competition for a chance to win top industry mentorship, awesome kit & prizes.
- Launch a project through our Kickstarter partnership, and receive support and promotion to crowdfund your film more effectively. 60 members were put forward in 2020.
- 250 roles are posted weekly to SP Production from independent filmmakers looking for cast, crew and collaborators across the spectrum of independent film.
Crew.
Recent activity from Crew from across the disciplines on SP includes:
- Al Morrow produced the Sundance winning and BAFTA nominated documentary ‘The Reason I Jump’.
- DOP Annika Summerson was nominated for best Cinematography at the 2020 BIFAs for ‘Mogul Mowgli’ and worked on the Sundance feature ‘Censor.’
- 4 Producers are nominated for the BIFAs- Al Morrow (The Reason I Jump), Emily Everdee (Mandem), Tom Wood (Sudden Light) and Jessi Gutch (The Forgotten C).
- Stuart Wilson (sound) & Greg Butler (special visual effects) were nominated for the 2020 BAFTAs for ‘1917’.
- 5 members were announced as Screen’s Stars Of Tomorrow.
- 51 members screened at London Short Film Festival 2021.
- Director Matt Houghton and writer Marley Morrison were named as Film London’s Lodestars.
- Producer Myf Hopkins (The Last Tree), Co-Director Edward Watts (For Sama) and Producer Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor (Blue Story) were shortlisted for the 2020 BAFTAs for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer.
- Anna Griffin, Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor, Manon Ardisson and Sarah Brocklehurst were selected for the BFI Vision Awards.
- Ali Farahani was the DOP on the 2018 Oscar-winning short ‘The Silent Child’
Recent opportunities available to Crew on the SP site:
- 60 members were recommended to Kickstarter for bespoke crowdfunding support in 2020.
- 250 roles are posted weekly to SP Production from independent filmmakers looking for editors, composers, camera crew, gaffers, production designers, makeup artists, and all types of below the line crew.
- Access active Crew opportunities, funds and competitions in SP’s Opportunities Directory.
- Submit a short film to SP’s NEW SHOOTS: FILMMAKERS competition for a chance to win top industry mentorship, awesome kit & prizes.
- Build your network by meeting directors, writers, producers and industry at SP Events, in person and online.
Industry.
Recent filmmaking activity of note on SP includes:
- ‘Dọlápọ Is Fine’ by Ethosheia Hylton and ‘Miss Curvy’ by Ghada Eldemellawy are longlisted for Best British Short at the 2021 BAFTAs.
- 7 members are nominated for the British Independent Film Awards- Director Jennifer Sheriden (Rose:A Love Story), DOP Annika Summerson (Mogul Mowgli), Casting Director Shaheen Baig (Rocks), and Producers Al Morrow (The Reason I Jump), Emily Everdee (Mandem), Tom Wood (Sudden Light) and Jessi Gutch (The Forgotten C).
- ‘For Sama’ co-director Edward Watts won the 2020 BAFTA for Best Documentary and the International Emmy for Best Documentary.
- 5 Shooters were announced as Screen’s Stars Of Tomorrow 2020.
- Director Bim Ajadi and producer Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor were selected for BAFTA Breakthrough UK 2020.
- Asif Kapadia (‘Maradona’, ‘Senna’, ‘Amy’) was given the prestigious BBC Grierson Trustees’ Award at the 2020 British Documentary Awards.
- ‘Grandad Was A Romantic’ directed by Maryam Mohajer and ‘No More Wings’ produced by Abiola Rufai were both selected for the Tribeca Film Festival.
- Anna Griffin, Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor, Manon Ardisson and Sarah Brocklehurst were selected for the prestigious producer BFI Vision Awards.
- Fyzal Boulifa was nominated for the London Critics’ Circle Breakthrough British/Irish Filmmaker award for ‘Lynn + Lucy’.
- 51 members screened at London Short Film Festival 2021.
Recent opportunities available to industry members and organisations on the SP site:
- 250 roles are posted weekly to SP Production from independent filmmakers looking for cast, crew and collaborators across the spectrum of independent film.
- Film organisations and independent businesses join SP as Org Members, to connect with filmmakers and let the community know about their activities.
- Access active opportunities, funds and competitions in SP’s Opportunities Directory.
- Share ideas, techniques and insight on our Ask & Discuss forums, and receive tailored daily updates in your inbox.
- Build your network by meeting directors, writers, producers and industry at SP Events, in person or online.