NYU Tisch alum, actor, and producer Jeremy Boros (‘My Crazy Ex’) launches Movie Mentors, a new podcast featuring Oscar and Emmy-winning filmmakers, actors, and creators. Boros explores his subjects’ inspirations, anecdotes about their greatest hits, and nuts-and-bolts advice for aspiring pros.

The current Mentors line-up includes: Dan Jinks (Oscar-winning producer of ‘American Beauty’, ’Pushing Daisies’, ‘Milk’), Frank Coraci (director of ‘The Wedding Singer’, ‘The Waterboy’, ‘Click’), Wendy Calhoun (writer-producer of ‘Empire’, ‘Prodigal Son’, ‘Station 19’), James V. Hart (screenwriter of ‘Hook’, ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’, ‘Contact’), Mollye Asher (producer of ‘The Rider’, ‘Songs My Brothers Taught Me’, ‘Fort Tilden’), Allan Arkush (Emmy-winning director of ‘The Temptations’, ‘Heroes’, ‘CSI’), Leigh Kilton-Smith (acting coach on ‘Aladdin’, ‘Murder Mystery’, ‘Baywatch’), Susan Shopmaker (casting director of ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’, ‘Martha Marcy May Marlene’, ‘James White’), and Mark Goldblatt (Oscar-nominated editor of ‘Terminator’, ‘Showgirls’, ‘Starship Troopers’).

JEREMY BOROS

Boros explains, ‘As film education becomes institutionalized, we have lost the tradition of direct mentorship in our industry. With Movie Mentors, my hope is that listeners leave with big-picture lessons, specific tools, and also a positive sense of being cared for by industry giants.’

Jeremy Boros has performed Off-Broadway, created the first-ever Instagram TV show, produced films in the Amazon jungle, and is pursuing his MFA at the prestigious Peter Stark Producing Program at USC.

Movie Mentors is available everywhere podcasts can be found, including Apple, Spotify and Google.

The BFI is launching a six-month season on BFI Player celebrating Japanese cinema. BFI Japan 2020: Over 100 Years of Japanese Cinema will launch on 11 May and will be divided into thematic collections presented between May and October 2020.

The event was originally scheduled to run in venues across the UK from May through September 2020, however, in light of the current coronavirus pandemic that has forced theatres around the globe to close their doors, the BFI has decided to programme nine new online collections of Japanese films on BFI Player.

HARAKIRI (1962)

This major season will kick off on 11 May with a spotlight on Akira Kurosawa‘s work and over the following months will feature the great classics of Yasujiro Ozu, Kenji Mizoguchi and Mikio Naruse, and the pioneering women of the Golden Age like Kinuyo Tanaka. There will be striking films by post-war New Wave directors like Nagisa Oshima, vivid visions of anime masters such as Hayao Miyazaki and Satoshi Kon, and the J-horror netherworlds created by filmmakers like Hideo Nakata.

The season will also celebrate contemporary visionaries such as Takashi Miike, Takeshi Kitano and Naomi Kawase, as well as spotlight the next generation of creatives making waves in Japan, with the chance to see 21st-century films that are yet to be made available in the UK.

The collections will be launched as follows:

• Akira Kurosawa (11 May)

• Classics (11 May)

• Yasujiro Ozu (5 June)

• Cult (3 July)

• Anime (31 July)

• Independence (21 August)

• 21st Century (18 September)

• J-Horror (30 October)

The event will also draw on the BFI National Archive’s significant collection of early films of Japan dating back to 1894, launching a new free collection titled ‘Early Films of Japan (1894-1914)’, which will include travelogues, home movies and newsreels, and will offer audiences a rare chance to see how European and Japanese filmmakers captured life in Japan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Highlights include the oldest surviving film, ‘Japanese Dancers’ (1894), which captures three Japanese women performing an Imperial dance from The Mikado, and early colour film ‘Japanese Festival’ (1910) which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the opening of Yokohama’s Harbour.

TOKYO STORY (1963)

An online events programme on BFI YouTube will run alongside the BFI Player season, featuring virtual Q&As, introductions and more, with details to be announced soon.

The season is set to continue in cinemas as soon as they are able to reopen, hopefully later this year and into 2021.

And because it’s the BFI, you can rest assured that they’ve also been busy preparing fabulous merch to complement the season. There will be numerous BFI DVD and Blu-ray releases, including Ozu’s ‘Tokyo Story’ (1953) and ‘The Flavour of Green Tea over Rice’ (1952) – both in new 4K restorations; Toshio Matsumoto’s controversial debut ‘Funeral Parade of Roses’ (1969) will receive its UK Blu-ray premiere; and there will be a Takeshi Kitano Blu-ray boxset featuring ‘Sonatine’ (1993), ‘Violent Cop’ (1989) and ‘Boiling Point’ (1990). All these films will be available on BFI Player.

The BFI has also released, together with Bloomsbury, a new book titled ‘The Japanese Cinema Book’, edited by Hideaki Fujiki (Nagoya University, Japan) and Alastair Phillips (University of Warwick, UK), which is available in e-book and print editions now.

And last but not least, their iconic magazine, Sight & Sound, will celebrate anime this summer with a special issue out at the end of May.

Actor Erik Liberman (‘War Paint’, ‘The Band’s Visit’, ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’) has recently launched Bridge to Broadway, an online training platform that connects young professionals with Broadway actors, directors, music directors, composers, lyricists, casting directors, and vocal coaches in behind-the-scenes conversations.

As social distancing seems to force everyone to adapt to the ‘new normal’, Bridge to Broadway came as a swift and welcome solution to help keep theatre students and emerging artists around the world connected with their role models. Furthermore, the initiative supports artists by donating a percentage of all proceeds to The Actors Fund.

The star-studded line-up recently included Tony winners Judith Light, Alan Menken, Harvey Fierstein, Joe Mantello, Victoria Clark, Christopher Gattelli, Joan Lader, Ali Stroker, Michael McElroy, as well as Hamilton’s Javier Muñoz and composer-lyricist Steven Lutvak, to name a few.

JAY DUPLASS

Prominent actor, author, writer, producer and filmmaker Jay Duplass (‘Transparent’, ‘Room 104’, ‘Togetherness’, ‘Wild Wild Country’) will make his guest appearance on Bridge to Broadway on Saturday, 2 May, at 01:00 p.m. EDT.

Jay, together with his brother Mark, recently executive produced the documentary ‘Not Going Quietly’, which was scheduled to premiere at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival, but unfortunately missed a Tribeca launch.

The documentary chronicles the life of Ady Barkan, a political activist, lawyer and Be a Hero PAC co-founder diagnosed with ALS who embarks on a nationwide campaign for healthcare reform. Over the course of his career, politicians like Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and others have acknowledged and supported his work.

The perfectly timed documentary comes at a critical time, as the novel coronavirus pandemic keeps highlighting the importance of a solid healthcare system.

NOT GOING QUIETLY. © DUPLASS BROTHERS PRODUCTIONS

According to IndieWire, Jay recently stated that he and his brother had been preparing, unintentionally, for the global crisis brought forth by the pandemic with their ‘epically small’ approach to filmmaking. Their glass-half-full perspective might bring some comfort to filmmakers working on small productions during these difficult times.

Duplass explained, ‘We could be among the first people back on track and shooting. For us to make a small movie, we could take 17 people to a special rural location. We didn’t invent this model, but we’ve gotten good at it, knowing where to spend our time, energy, and resources. Actors can do their own hair and makeup and socially distance, not stacked on top of each other. That isn’t a big incubation risk.’

Jay is also scheduled to star in Amanda Peet’s six-episode series ‘The Chair’, co-starring Killing Eve‘s Sandra Oh. The show, which is executive produced by David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Amanda Peet and Sandra Oh, is set to start shooting in late summer, if the current global situation permits it.

Other notable upcoming guests on Bridge to Broadway in the next few weeks will include Tony-winning actors Andrea Martin, Ben Vereen, and Christine Ebersole, Tony winners André de Shields, Ted Sperling, Michael Cerveris and Ann Reinking, nominees Arian Moyaed, Michele Shay, Michael Berresse, and Austin Pendleton, casting director and AMPAS Board Member Bernie Telsey, showrunner Joshua Safran (‘Gossip Girl’, ‘Smash’), trans-advocate and Broadway/TV actress Alexandra Billings, and Vincent Rodriguez (‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’), among many others.

“This is a time of isolation and financial contraction for many, so we want to engender a spirit of community, accessibility, belonging and above all, service, among participants.”

In addition to actors, directors, writers, producers, casting directors, composers, lyricists, music directors, choreographers, Bridge to Broadway’s roster includes writing coaches, nutritionists, photographers, mental wellness experts, dyslexia specialists, diversity advocates etc., so that conversations transcend the world of acting.

The sessions are structured into a 30-minute interview between Erik and his guest, where they touch upon topics such as the guest’s creative process, pivotal personal and professional junctures and underlying missions, followed by a 30-minute Q&A with the participants. Each session runs for a minimum of one hour, although a few past guests have graciously shared their time and knowledge with the students for up to two hours.

Apart from being packed with invaluable behind-the-scenes tips from industry giants, these mentorship classes also come at a bargain price, so that as many students and industry professionals can join in. Additionally, those who enroll in Class Pass (granting them unlimited access to classes in May) by the end of May 1 will receive a half-hour 1-2-1 coaching session with Erik, who is a seasoned mentor and teaches all over the US.

‘Our sessions are affordable because we don’t believe students should be denied education at any age. This is a time of isolation and financial contraction for many, so we want to engender a spirit of community, accessibility, belonging and above all, service, among participants. We believe that every participant should be able to identify a role model within our roster of guest artists and should feel empowered to give something richer back to their communities after spending time with us!’, Erik explained.

ERIK LIBERMAN. © PETER KONERKO

Chameleonic actor Erik Liberman is recognized for originating roles in several productions on Broadway and off, including ‘War Paint’ with Patti LuPone, ‘The Band’s Visit’ with Tony Shalhoub, Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz’s ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’, and Hal Prince’s ‘LoveMusik’. Television work includes ‘Transparent’, ‘Modern Family’, and Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger’s ‘Vinyl’. Liberman has also performed in Carol Burnett’s ‘Hollywood Arms’, portrayed Groucho Marx at the Obama White House, appeared in acclaimed Stephen Sondheim revivals, as well as opposite Topol and Harvey Fierstein in ‘Fiddler on the Roof’, later leading the show’s all-star 50th anniversary celebration at New York City’s Town Hall with Chita Rivera.

The Bridge to Broadway series is produced by performer and producer Marissa Lynn Daniel.

For more information and to sign up for classes, head over to https://bridgetobroadwayonline.com/

The Ivors Academy just launched ‘The Remote Recording Directory’, a free and open database to connect composers for film, TV and games with professional musicians who are able to record from home.

The initiative seeks to help alleviate the devastating impact that the coronavirus pandemic continues to have on the industry. Thousands of musicians lost work as tours, concerts, festivals and studio recordings have been either postponed or cancelled.

The database lists professional self-recording instrumentalists and vocalists along with technical roles including music editors, orchestrators, copyists, sound designers and record/mixing and mastering engineers. Those interested can be added to the Directory by providing their skills, experience and consent for their details to be shared publicly.

The Directory can be accessed by following this link.

The idea came from award-winning composer and Ivors Academy Media Committee member Nainita Desai, who had been commissioned to produce a live orchestral score for a Netflix feature two days into the UK’s coronavirus lockdown. Given that all non-essential work was suddenly suspended and recording studios were closed, Nainita had to come up with a quick solution.

NAINITA DESAI © PRS

In Nainita’s words, ‘With the UK in lockdown I realised that the only way I was going to be able to deliver the score was to bring musicians on board that could remote record themselves with their own studio facilities. At the same time, I started getting messages from musicians who had suddenly lost all their work overnight. It immediately dawned on me that I could bring these two needs together.’

Graham Davies, CEO of The Ivors Academy commented, ‘Composers and songwriters are innovating during Covid-19 to keep their careers and the industry alive. We encourage all music makers to join the Academy’s growing online community and make use of this new directory – this is vital support, at a critical time for creatives across the music industry.’

Nainita herself curated a list of remote musicians who are able to self-record to produce the score and put out a call on social media. Nainita said, ‘There has been an incredible response from the community. Within a week I had over 350 musicians from all over the world respond, who play regularly on stage shows such as Hamilton or major feature films including Phantom Thread, Lord of the Rings and engineers who have worked with Laura Mvula, Adele and Alicia Keys.’

On her process of producing scores with musicians working remotely Nainita said, ‘I send rough mixes of my music, along with sheet music, for musicians to play to. Using live video apps I can connect and communicate with them. Within hours recorded files start to be sent back to me, which I then edit and mix into the score.

‘To have access to some of the best musicians from around the world from the comfort of our homes utilising simple tech many musicians already possess, can bring us all together as a global community and we find new ways of working together, something vital in these days of social distancing.’

While Nainita has used the database to produce the score for the Netflix feature, the lockdown has made her reflect on what makes musicians playing together so special, saying ‘I do hope that once social distancing has come to pass, it makes us value live music and collaboration more. Nothing can beat a bunch of human beings creating live music in a room together.’

The Ivors Academy Disclaimer

As currently these entries are neither vetted nor verified, The Ivors Academy does not endorse any individual or service by inclusion in this Directory. Nor can we suggest rates, which remain the responsibility of the parties involved. You might find the Musicians Union website helpful for current rates here and here. We recommend both parties agree rates and costs before any work starts. The Ivors Academy is unable to intervene in any dispute arising between individual parties, but we will monitor closely any reports we get.

The Comcast-owned European pay-TV giant Sky has pledged a donation of £500,000 ($624,000) to the COVID-19 Film and TV Emergency Relief Fund set up by the BFI and the United Kingdom’s Film and TV Charity.

This announcement follows similar donations from other major groups like BBC, Netflix, the BFI and Warner Media to this fund, which provides grants of up to £2,500 to workers and freelancers of the film and television industry that have been directly affected by the pandemic. Numerous productions have been closed across the UK as a result of the unprecedented spread of the coronavirus.

The donation will raise the fund’s value to over £3M, and applications for these grants opened last week. People can apply on the Film and TV Charity’s website, with submissions ending at 6pm on 22^nd April. The Film and TV Charity is administering the initiative, additionally supported by the BFI.

GARY DAVEY, SKY STUDIOS CEO, ©WOLF HEIDER-SAWALL

‘Those who work behind the scenes are the backbone of TV and film production in the UK. At this incredibly difficult time, it’s important that we do all we can to support our most needy freelance colleagues and we hope that this donation will help to alleviate some of the immediate financial challenges many of them are facing over the coming weeks and months’, said Gary Davey, Sky Studios CEO.

CEO of the Film and TV Charity Alex Pumfrey added: ‘Sky’s support is a fantastic boost to the Emergency Relief Fund that will make a huge difference to many, and Sky’s support of our long-term mental health strategy the Whole Picture Programme means that we’ll be working together to support the workforce through and beyond this crisis.’

The COVID-19 Film and TV Emergency Relief Fund created by The Film and TV Charity in partnership with the BFI is now open for applications until 22 April.

The initiative was established recently in a bid to help ease the concerning impact that the coronavirus pandemic has had on the industry. After receiving generous donations amassing a total of £2.5 million from the likes of Netflix, BBC Studios, BBC Content, the National Lottery, Warner Media, as well as a few private donors, they are now ready to offer one-off grants from £500 to £2,500 to freelancers working in film, TV and cinema that have been financially affected by the crisis.

Research conducted by The Film and TV Charity shows that 93% of industry freelancers no longer working due to the crisis, and three thirds (74%) are not expected to receive any support since they are either ineligible for the government’s Self-employment Income Support Scheme or have not been furloughed as PAYE freelancers under the Job Retention Scheme.

Alex Pumfrey, CEO of The Film & TV Charity, said, ‘Unprecedented times call for an exceptional response. The Covid-19 Film and TV Emergency Relief Fund is unique, time-limited and designed to provide financial support where the need is most acute. Our systems will highlight applicants who are experiencing particular distress and our experienced team will respond to those red flags with personal follow-up calls.’

Ben Roberts, chief executive of the BFI, added, ‘We know a huge number of freelance professionals in our community have been some of the hardest hit during the coronavirus crisis, so we are delighted that the fund is now open for applications. We are also incredibly thankful for the generosity shown by industry partners and individuals who have stepped in so far to support their colleagues.’

The applications will be carefully assessed based on need, and not on a first-come, first-served basis.

Applications will close: 6pm Wednesday 22nd April 2020

For details on eligibility and how to apply head over to The Film and TV Charity’s website.

Milan Records has released the new soundtrack album to the 5^th season of France’s flagship TV series, ‘The Bureau’ (‘Le Bureau des Légendes’), scored by ROB.

The highly anticipated Season 5 will premiere next Monday 6 April on Canal+ (and will later be distributed on Sundance Channel in the US and Amazon Prime in the UK). Starring Mathieu Kassovitz (‘Amelie Poulain’) and Louis Garrel (‘Little Women’), ‘The Bureau’ is France’s most popular and critically acclaimed political thriller series, which revolves around the lives of agents of the DGSE (General Directorate of External Security), France’s principal external security service.

LE BUREAU DES LÉGENDES SEASON 5

Season 5 marks the end of a cycle, culminating with the Palme d’Or-winning Jacques Audiard (‘Dheepan’, ‘Rust and Bone’, ‘A Prophet’) directing the last two episodes.

Robin Coudert alias ROB is a Paris-based composer and producer and is one of the artists representing the ‘French Touch’. He has worked with Sebastien Tellier and Phoenix on different projects at the beginning of the 2000s. He is especially known for his work on horror movies such as Frank Khalfoun’s ‘Maniac’, Oz Perkins’ ‘Gretel & Hansel’, Alexandre Aja’s ‘Horns’, as well as other notable projects such as David Farr’s ‘Troy: Fall of a City’, and Rebecca Zlotowski’s ‘Belle Epine’ and ‘Planétarium’, among others.

The Bureau’s 5^th season is very special to ROB as it marks the end of a collaboration of more than 5 years with the series’ ‘brain’ and show runner Eric Rochant. With 50 episodes and more than 16 hours of composed music, The Bureau is by far the most titanic project of the composer’s career.

ROB

The music he has written for this season has a very personal touch which draws heavily on the emotions and feelings of the characters.

ROB, on his music for the long-awaited fifth season of ‘The Bureau’: ‘This 5th season marks the most tragic one of the entire series. That’s why I have chosen to oversize the dramatic framework with music by introducing orchestral parts to the most emblematic and electronic themes of the series.’

Tracklist:

1. Inform 570 (1:37)
2. Ultima 591 (2:20)
3. Light 30 (3:16)
4. Frost (2:47)
5. Trone 10 (2:10)
6. Light 540 (1:26)
7. Ultima 597 (1:47)
8. Inform 5221 (4:02)
9. Guts 13 (2:51)
10. Light 44 (1:41)
11. Guts Wave 22 (1:47)
12. Strate 530 (1:20)
13. Fronde 10 (3:18)
14. Guts Wave 21 (3:18)
15. Research 518 (1:42)
16. Research 54.2 (3:03)
17. Light 542 (2:47)
18. Finale (4:34)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTYxo7D9IXE

More and more Americans are forced to spend time in quarantine and self-isolation as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to escalate. In that sense, ‘there’s no place like home’ seems to be taking on a whole new meaning, as it gives us the power to save millions of lives.

The American Film Institute has recently announced the launch of their AFI Movie Club, which aims to encourage social distancing whilst providing a good dose of entertainment. AFI trustee and beloved director Steven Spielberg has partnered with the institute for this endeavour. He has chosen ‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939) as the first film to stream as part of the programme. Every day, a new movie will be selected for film aficionados to watch from home, offering a collective viewing experience in an era of self-isolation.

STEVEN SPIELBERG

According to Variety, special guests from the film world will announce their own movie picks on certain days, through short videos to be posted on social media and AFI’s website. All you have to do is log on to the institute’s Movie Club and choose any of the streaming services listed under the selected movie. The viewing experience will be enriched with cool facts, discussion questions and archival material provided by AFI.

‘AFI’s goal is to live in a world of art above anxiety’, AFI president and CEO Bob Gazzale said in a press release. ‘We’re honoured to have Steven Spielberg, the greatest storyteller of our day, lead the way.’

In 1995, Spielberg was honoured by the American Film Institute with the AFI Life Achievement Award. Seven of his films have been included on their 100 Greatest Movies of All Time list—‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ (1977), ‘Jaws’ (1975), ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981), ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’ (1982), ‘The Color Purple’ (1985), ‘Schindler’s List’ (1993), and ‘Saving Private Ryan’ (1998).

With the COVID-19 pandemic still very much loose and wreaking havoc across the globe, celebrities that are currently stuck in lockdown keep finding creative ways to provide entertainment for people in self-isolation. John Krasinski, best known for ‘A Quiet Place’ (2018), ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ (2018) and ‘The Office’ (2005-2013), is the latest to try his hand at some light-hearted humour. He has recently posted the first edition of his ‘Some Good News’ YouTube series, aiming to inject optimism into the current climate with a show entirely dedicated to positive news segments.

The actor and director records his show in front of a colourful ‘SGN’ sign made by his daughter, and his debut guest for this particular episode is former ‘Office’ co-star Steve Carell. Since the current news cycle is tortuous to journalists and readers alike, watching Krasinski’s web show feels like a breath of fresh air.

©JAKE CHESSUM/PLAYBOY

‘For years now I have been wondering, ‘Why is there not a news show dedicated entirely to good news?’ Desperately seeking my fix, I reached out to all of you this week begging for some good news, boy did you deliver’, said Krasinski.

The fifteen-minute episode focuses on the incredible work being done by healthcare workers, along with the heartfelt appreciation towards their efforts and bravery, plus numerous other stories of pure goodness from around the world. Krasinski also notes that this week marks fifteen years since the U.S. version of ‘The Office’, which made him famous, premiered. To celebrate this anniversary, he and Steve Carell have a fun virtual chat about it.

‘I was a waiter when I got that job, after the pilot I went back to waiting tables because I was sure nothing was going to happen with it’, Krasinki recalls during ‘Some Good News’.

‘It’s such a happy surprise that after all these years people are still tuning in’, Carell says. ‘Part of what was so much fun about it is that everybody in the cast was rooting for everybody else, people would step back when it was time for other people to shine, and celebrate it.’

The pair also glossed over their favourite moments of the critically acclaimed series, including the famous dinner party episode where Carell’s Michael Scott invests in a plasma TV, and the scene where Krasinski’s character walks into the Dunder Mifflin office dressed as Dwight Schrute, his co-worker and the man responsible for some of the most memorable quotes in television comedy.

This first ‘Some Good News’ episode features a video link with Coco, a young girl who recently came home after her last chemotherapy treatment. Coco thanks her nurses and doctors and kindly reminds the audience to stay home in order to protect vulnerable people, particularly those like her with weakened immune systems.

We’re not sure when the next episode will stream, but Krasinski did add ‘we might just do this again’ in his sign-off, and judging by the online replies and feedback, he’s definitely doing something right in these trying times.

The British Film Institute (BFI) and The Film and TV Charity have partnered to create a new industry-backed COVID-19 Film and TV Emergency Relief Fund to help support the creative community, which like many industries, has been gravely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The initiative was set up to to provide emergency short-term relief to the many thousands of active workers and freelancers who have been directly affected by the closure of productions across the UK.

Established with a £1m donation from Netflix, the new COVID-19 Film and TV Emergency Relief Fund will be administered by The Film and TV Charity with support from the BFI. Netflix’s donation is part of a broader announcement last week to set up a $100m fund for creatives whose jobs have been affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Alex Pumfrey, CEO of The Film and TV Charity, said: ‘The film and TV industry is now facing a huge threat. Many freelancers have seen their livelihoods disappear overnight. We’re entering a period of unprecedented isolation and worry for a workforce that we know from our research already suffers from poor mental health. Which is why I’m incredibly pleased that Netflix and the BFI are working with us to kick-start this new COVID-19 Film and TV Emergency Relief Fund to support workers across the UK’s film and TV industry.’

PHOTO BY LEVI STUTE ON UNSPLASH

Ben Roberts, BFI Chief Executive, said: ‘‘Freelance professionals are the backbone of our film and television industries, and we hope that everyone will work together to support those who have been hardest hit at this extraordinary time of need. Netflix’s early commitment to this fund is hugely welcomed and we are asking other commercial industry partners to contribute, if they are able, and play their part in helping those most in need get through this crisis.”

Anne Mensah, Vice President, Original Series at Netflix, said: ‘We’re proud to be working with the BFI and The Film and TV Charity to support the hardest hit workers in TV and film production. From electricians to carpenters, hair and makeup artists to drivers – and many more, UK crews have always been vital to Netflix’s success and now we want to help those freelancers who most need support in these unprecedented times.’

The Film and TV Charity is currently working on the precise eligibility criteria and level of individual funding but the fund will be open to those working in production, distribution and exhibition. To stay up to date, applicants are welcome to register for the charity’s mailing lists.

The Film and TV Charity was founded in the early days of cinema in 1924 and has supported people working behind the scenes in the film and TV industry for almost 100 years. They are now developing new advice specifically tailored for the industry on how to stay mentally well at home and creating a new supportive community forum for freelancers. The Film and TV Charity already provides 24/7 mental health support to the industry, including counselling and legal advice, via the Film and TV Support Line on 0800 054 00 00.

The BFI is leading an industry wide Screen Sector Task Force that is looking at the wide-ranging impacts of COVID-19 on the whole industry and its workforce. Those in immediate and urgent need should apply for support via The Film and TV Charity’s existing hardship fund, offering grants of up to £500 to provide stop-gap support. This hardship fund will sit alongside the new Film and TV COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund. Click here for details on eligibility and how to apply.