Agile launches new development initiative

Shoreditch-based production company Agile Films has launched Agile/INCUBATE, an intensive micro-budget script development scheme aimed at emerging screenwriters.

The initiative aims to help writers take a project from concept to shooting as quickly as possible. It will offer writers a structured, paid development programme with a view to shooting a micro-budget feature by the end of 2015.

The writers will respond to a brief written by a director ready to make his or her first feature — for this first programme, the director is Max Myers [pictured], who has previously made shorts Watching and The Birthday Gift.

From now until Nov 24, screenwriters are invited to send in one-page ideas. Two of those will be awarded £1,000 to turn their idea in to a treatment. One of those will be awarded £5,000 to develop their treatment into a finished script. (More details on Agile’s website)

Agile’s head of development Kristian Brodie, who oversees the scheme, said, “We recognise that it’s not always easy for first-time feature directors to find scripts that they truly connect with, and we hope that INCUBATE proves to be a valuable opportunity to fast-track that process. If this initial phase of the scheme is a success, the aim is to roll it out on a regular basis, and give more directors the chance to develop scripts that they want to make.”

Myers added: “I feel that there’s not enough money put into micro-budget script development - even though the script is the launch pad of the entire enterprise. This scheme is a great chance to give a writer who shares my interests the financial incentive to spend time creating something original and exciting.”