Cornwall Council today announced it is helping to boost Cornwall’s film industry, by securing a £1.2 million injection of European funding.

The €1.5million from EU-funded programme Interreg will help set up the Cross Channel Film Lab 2, a £2.4million research and development project designed to help filmmakers make the most of modern technology. The project kicks off today with its first week-long UK workshop, at the recently opened Academy for Innovation and Research (AIR) at University College Falmouth.

By developing links between screenwriting, visual effects (VFX) and Stereo 3D innovations, the scheme hopes to produce a new generation of ambitious, technically innovative films, like Gareth Edwards’ award-winning 2010 science fiction film Monsters.

Councillor Chris Ridgers, Cornwall Council Cabinet Member for Economy, said: “Cornwall Council is delighted to be the lead partner in this exciting and innovative project. It is excellent news that 50% of CCFL2’s €3million budget will come from the European Regional Development Fund, via its Interreg cross-border programme. Cornwall and its cross-Channel partners in Brittany will benefit culturally, economically and technologically from this investment and from the project, and filmmakers will leave the scheme with a strong script, technical and practical tools, and links to industry in the UK and France that can help make their visions a reality.”

The Cornwall-based programme will build on the success of the pilot Cross Channel Film Lab, in which Cornwall and Brittany-based filmmakers collaborated in 2010.
Cross Channel Film Lab: Phase 2 (CCFL2) brings together five partners in the south of the UK and six in the north of France to push the boundaries of filmmaking. It will be open to makers of low to medium budget films in UK and France.

Practical CCFL2 workshops on both sides of the Channel will place technicians and researchers with writer/director/producer teams, exploring new VFX and Stereo 3D technologies at an early stage of story development.

Cornwall Council, Arts Centre Trust Cornwall, University College Falmouth, Creative England and Bournemouth University, will work with France’s Le Groupe Ouest, Artefacto, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Télécom Bretagne (3D Fovea), École Régionale des Beaux-Arts de Rennes, the Dinard Film Festival and industry partners to build a collaborative R&D model in 2012.

The scheme will develop eight feature film projects in 2013 and 2014. It will launch its call for submissions at the Dinard Film Festival in October 2012.
To learn more or get involved, visit the Cross Channel Film lab website.

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