Independent film finance and distribution workshop

Independent Film Finance & Distribution Workshop

Live online · Friday 10th October 2025

Event Summary

Two practical sessions—Finance at 10 am and Distribution at 1 pm—give you the exact roadmap from raising £10 k‑£10 m to landing deals with streamers. Led by award‑winning producer & film‑finance specialist Mark Ashmore (20 years’ experience, BFI advisor), this one‑day workshop distils best practice from 20+ UK case studies into tools you can use immediately.

Book either session individually or grab the full‑day pass and save. All tickets include 30‑day on‑demand access to the recordings.

Event Description

Session 1 · 10:00 – 11:30 (BST) · Raising Finance & Business Plans

• The current UK & global independent film market: where the money is now
• Smart business plans—how to pitch budgets from £10 k to £10 m
• Maximising SEIS/EIS & other tax‑efficient schemes
• Using UK Film Tax Relief to cash‑flow up to 40 % of your budget
• The real power of crowdfunding in 2025
• Who invests…why? and how to approach them.
• Attracting established talent & agencies to accelerate green‑lighting

Session 2 · 13:00 – 14:30 (BST) · Distribution & Sales in the Streaming Age

• Is physical media really dead? Monetising the niche collector boom
• Pitching to Disney+, Paramount+, HBO Max & more
• Working with Netflix & Amazon: what really matters in 2025
• Public‑service broadcasters (BBC, PBS, etc.)—windows & terms
• Sales agents & aggregators: where they add value (and where they don’t)
• Building your own brand & D2C distribution pipeline
• Social‑media monetisation myths vs. reality
• Gen Alpha / Gen Z viewing habits & emerging XR/game‑engine opportunities

What You’ll Walk Away With

✔ A complete map of UK public & private funding sources (BFI, Screen Scotland, regional funds, presales, MGs, equity & more)✔ A working finance‑plan & waterfall template✔ Pitch‑deck tips that speak the language of money, not just story✔ Insider tactics that usually take years—and expensive mistakes—to learn

Who Should Attend

• Producers & line‑producers hunting UK finance
• Writers/Directors ready to move beyond development
• Film & media students who want a real‑world finance toolkit
• Investors & accountants seeking to understand the creative‑industry landscape

Ticket Options

Session Costs

Session 1 10am - 11.30am - Raising Finance and Business plans - Early Bird £10 / Full £15

Session 2 - Distribution and sales in the age of streaming - Early bird £10 / Full £15

Both Sessions Full £25 (Saving of £5)

About the Workshop Lead.

Mark Ashmore has structured financing for 20+ independent features and XR projects, advises the BFI, mentors emerging producers and lectures at film schools across the UK. Their recent PhD on Gen Z media consumption informs cutting‑edge strategies for streaming & social monetisation. Currently Executive Producer on projects in development with Amazon & Netflix UK. LinkedIn