Underscore Studios Film Fund: £1,000 Open Call for Working-Class Filmmakers

Underscore Studios has launched a new annual Film Fund supporting working-class filmmakers across the UK with production funding, mentorship and practical support. The fund is designed to help an original short film project move closer to production, while also supporting the filmmaker beyond the initial development stage.

One filmmaker will be selected to receive a £1,000 production award, alongside up to £300 in festival and distribution support and ongoing creative mentorship from Underscore Studios. The organisation describes the fund as an opportunity to support filmmakers who may face barriers accessing the film industry and to create longer-term opportunities for working-class storytellers.

What does the fund offer?

The selected filmmaker will receive a package of financial and practical support:

• £1,000 towards production of their short film

• Up to £300 for festival and distribution support, which can contribute towards festival submission fees, distribution opportunities, DCP creation, subtitles and accessibility requirements, and promotional materials

• Mentorship and creative development support from Underscore Studios

• Script feedback and development conversations

• Creative and production guidance

• Industry advice and signposting to relevant opportunities

The filmmaker retains full ownership and copyright of their film. Underscore Studios does not take ownership, equity or intellectual property rights in the project. The successful filmmaker will, however, be required to credit the Film Fund in the completed film and allow Underscore Studios to promote the project and the filmmaker's journey through its channels.

Who can apply?

The fund is open to UK-based working-class filmmakers aged 18 or over.

Applicants must:

• Be based in the United Kingdom

• Identify as working-class

• Be at least 18 years old

• Submit one project only per funding round

The proposed project must be an original short film of 15 minutes or under, be ready for production at the time of application and have a producer attached.

All genres are welcome.

Underscore Studios takes a broad approach to working-class identity. Examples given in the eligibility criteria include growing up in a low-income household, having limited access to financial resources or professional networks, being the first generation in a family to enter higher education or the creative industries, entering the industry without existing professional connections, or having experiences shaped by routine, manual or lower-income occupations. Applicants are invited to self-identify based on their own experiences.

What do you need to submit?

Applicants need to provide:

A completed short film script of no more than 15 pages, submitted as a PDF.

Information about the creative team, including the key collaborators attached to the project.

A project development statement answering the question: How would this funding help you bring the project closer to production? Applicants should explain what the funding would enable at the next stage and why the opportunity is meaningful to their team.

A one-page pitch deck can also be submitted as optional supporting material, although it does not replace the required application information.

Projects are assessed on story, originality, creative vision, feasibility and potential impact. In particular, the organisers want to understand the project's story and distinctive voice, the filmmaker's ambition, whether the project can realistically be made with the available resources, and how the support could meaningfully move the project or filmmaker forward.

Important deadlines and application fees

Applications opened on 1 September 2026.

There are three submission deadlines:

• Early Bird: 30 November 2026 — £12

• Standard: 1 January 2027 — £22

• Extended: 1 February 2027 — £32

Gold Members receive discounted submission fees. One project is selected, with the notification date listed as 1 April 2027.

The application is submitted through FilmFreeway. Underscore Studios also states that a concession entry rate is available during the submission period for applicants experiencing financial hardship; applicants can contact the organisation directly about this.

One additional requirement to note is that AI-generated scripts or substantially AI-written material are not eligible. The fund is specifically looking for original creative authorship from the applicant.

Apply via FilmFreeway