The Grierson Trust is inviting documentary makers to apply for grants of up to £25,000 in top-up funding to help them "go the extra mile" to get their films over the line.
Filmmaker and Brook Lapping executive Norma Percy, a patron of the Grierson Trust, has made a donation to fund the grants to champion documentaries that tackle political or international crises and “tell a story (or stories) which provide viewers with new and surprising insights”.
Such projects have been the mainstay of Percy’s work right up to her recent BBC doc Putin vs the West and upcoming Brexit: How Britain Voted Out [working title].
Launched in the trust's centenary year, the Grierson-Percy Documentary Grant will provide essential finishing costs to film-makers in the late stages of production, with substantial principal photography completed and offline editing in progress.
It will cover additional shooting or post-production expenses, including editing, sound design, colour correction, archive, music and legal clearances, and post-production staffing costs.
Grants will range from £10,000 to £25,000 depending on the needs of each project, with Percy and her regular collaborators joining members of the Grierson Trust team and trustees to select recipients.
They plan to award two or three grants this year and are accepting applications until Tuesday 30 June. Successful applicants will be announced in the autumn.
“I have seen how difficult it can be to bring important stories to screen, particularly those grappling with complex political events and challenging access," said Percy.
"This grant is designed to support filmmakers at that crucial final stage where projects can struggle to reach completion.
"We hope the fund will help filmmakers to go the extra mile to get that interview or edit time or something special that they couldn’t otherwise afford. I am delighted the Grierson Trust has given me the opportunity to do this.”
Grierson Trust chair Tom McDonald said: “Norma Percy has produced an unrivalled body of work documenting global history over the past 50 years. We are honoured to support Norma’s commitment to championing documentary storytellers.
“The Grierson-Percy Documentary Grant builds on that commitment, helping ensure bold, ambitious documentary storytelling is brought to completion and seen by the audiences it deserves.”
Interested parties can register for a webinar explaining the grants, which will take place on Tuesday 2 June.
For more information, and to apply, click here.
