First Light Project Overview

Pilot Awards
These encourage collaborative partnerships between filmmakers and organisations that work with young people. Grants of up to £4,000 are allocated for a single film. Films must be no longer than 5 minutes.

Studio Awards
These are for organisations with a track record of working in the media with young people. Organisations such as arts companies or community video producers will have filmmaking expertise in-house. Grants of up to £20,000 are allocated for two to four films. Films must be no longer than 10 minutes.

Filmmaking Partners
In 2004, Hi8us First Light also launched the Filmmaking Partners strand, which is only open to organisations that have previously successfully delivered a Studio Award project. Over a two year period, with a budget of £50,000, successful applicants will provide sustainable filmmaking activity, including four large-scale short films. Hi8us First Light has also developed a number of partnership projects.

Big Screen Science
A collaboration between the independent research funding charity The Wellcome Trust, and the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA). The project provides teachers with ideas, tips and advice on how to use filmmaking to teach biomedical science. A selection of schools will also produce a short film of their own on a biomedical science subject.

Primary Film Online
Hi8us First Light also acts as lead partner on Primary Film Online, which is funded by Culture Online through the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. The project will research, develop and build a website for six to nine year olds to create and understand films themselves. The other partners are the British Film Institute.

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