NORTHERN Ireland production company Fine Point Films has teamed up with Toronto-based Fadoo Productions in a new development initiative called the Silver Fund, which has the potential to invest up to $500,000 (£345,000) over two years in documentaries, with up to $50,000 (£35,000) available per project.
It has been made possible through funding secured by both companies from NI Screen and private Canadian firm Green Arrow Productions, controlled by Toronto entrepreneur Michael Silver.
Fine Point Films and Fadoo recently cemented ties on their upcoming feature documentary about Manchester United football legend George Best.
The Silver Fund was officially launched at Hot Docs 2016 and aims to support high-end feature documentaries and ambitious episodic series in the non-fiction space.
The fund is looking to support productions at an already advanced stage of development, to assist those stand-out projects ready for production, but which are not yet fully financed.
Andrew Reid of NI Screen said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Green Arrow Productions, Fine Point Films and Fadoo Productions on the Silver Fund development slate. This is an exemplary project which prioritises international development and production opportunities for Northern Ireland based production companies.”
Trevor Birney of Fine Point Films said: “We’re already working with some of industry’s top directing talent and the Silver Fund will now provide the fuel in our development tank. We want to create partnerships with the best production and distribution companies in the business.”
Corey Russell of Fadoo Productions added: "Every film-maker knows that accessing start-up capital to get a great idea off the ground is a huge challenge. This fund gives Fadoo and Fine Point Films, and the other companies we hope to work with, a massive head start in developing our documentaries."
