More than $1,500,000 of Lottery moneyis tobeinvested in 15 British film production companies through the UK Film Council's Development Fund.

The new initiative is to help producers to develop projects that broaden the quality, range and ambition of films and talent being developed in the UK.

Tanya Seghatchian, Head of the Development Fund, said 'We want to provide a supportive arena for creative producers with forward-thinking UK production companies who have a clear vision and commitment to UK film. Given the strength of those who applied we have decided to give 15 awards rather than the 10 originally envisaged.'

The funding was increased in order to support15 companies rather thana group of 10companies.

The investment is being awarded through the fund's Production Company Vision Awards.

As part of the Development Fund, the awards will provide companies with up to $224,000 over two years, to enable them to nurture talent and develop feature film projects.

The companies to receive Production Vision Awards are:

  • Blueprint Pictures (Becoming Jane, In Bruges)
  • Dan Films (Butterfly Kiss, Creep)
  • Ecosse Films (Mrs Brown, Nowhere Boy)
  • Fiesta Productions (Life & Lyrics)
  • Free Range Films (The Mother, Enduring Love and Venus)
  • Left Bank Pictures (The Queen)
  • Origin Pictures (Revolutionary Road, Edge of Darkness)
  • Potboiler Productions (The Constant Gardener)
  • Qwerty Films (The Duchess, Alien Autopsy)
  • Revolution Films (24 Hour Party People, Cock and Bull Story)
  • See-Saw Films (Control, Rabbit Proof Fence, Hunger)
  • Sigma Films (Red Road, Hallam Foe, Dogville)
  • Vertigo Films (The Football Factory, Dirty Sanchez)
  • Warp Films (Dead Man Shoes, This Is England)
  • 104 Films (Special People)

In applying for the Vision Awards, the production companies had to set out their records of success in feature film production and provide a vision statement demonstrating a sense of identity, ambition and original thinking in developing films which could reach audiences in the UK and internationally.

The initiative will run alongside the two existing development funding streams which support first-timers and established filmmakers.