UK National Lottery Funding Film Production

Lottery revenues fund a wide variety of government services. In the US most states with lotteries use the money generated by lottery revenue for education and some states use lottery money for a wide variety of social services. The amount of money lotteries would make available to education was used as a selling point to gain voter and legislative approval for the implementation of state lotteries. On the other side of the Atlantic the UK National lottery funds a wide variety of government services. The 'Big Lottery Fund' has been used for a wide variety of interesting and unusual purposes. The 'Heroes Return' program funded by the Big Lottery Fund finances visits by World War Two veterans to former battlefields. Veterans can apply for grants ranging from £150 ($233 USD) to £5,500 ($8,570 USD) to visit the places where they fought so bravely so long ago. Veterans can be accompanied by a spouse or care giver.

In addition to this great program the UK National Lottery also funds the UK Film Council and provides £17 million pounds ($24,493,851 USD) for the production of new films. The Development Fund receives £12 million pounds from the UK National Lottery to be used over a period of three years. The fund aids filmmakers of all experience levels to develop their ideas into viable films. There are two fund programs; one for novice filmmakers and one for experienced established filmmakers.

The 'New Cinema Fund' is provided with £15 million pounds ($23,375,029 USD) of lottery money to be invested over a period of three years and helps both novice and established filmmakers working outside the mainstream. The fund is committed to funding the work of minority filmmakers and supports the production of eight to ten feature films a year and over 100 short films every year. The fund has supported the production of award winning films such as 'Man on Wire' which won an Academy Award and several films that have won awards at the Sundance and Berlin film festivals.

The 'Premiere Fund' invests £8 million pounds ($12,467,816 USD) a year for the production of mainstream commercially viable films for global audiences. The UK National Lottery is probable the only lottery finding the production of films. The funds give budding filmmakers the funding to bring their ideas to the big screen and have launched several careers. Every time someone purchases a ticket for the UK National Lottery they could be helping to fund this year's blockbuster film!