Get It Seen - Sales, Distribution and Exhibition Lab for Producers
Location: Central London
Dates: 20 to 22 January, 2026, with advisor meetings and a final in-person session in February and March 2026
- Are you an emerging or established producer with a feature film in development and want to make sure it has the best chance of getting seen by audiences?
- Do you want to connect with sales agents, distributors and exhibitors to map out the best route to market for your film?
- Do you want develop a strategic release plan — from festival premieres to marketing positioning — that will give your project the strongest chance of success?
Get It Seen is a development programme for UK-based emerging and established producers, delivered by the Independent Cinema Office, supported by the BFI Creative Challenge Fund, made possible with National Lottery funding. The programme is designed to help producers develop ambitious film distribution plans with strong commercial and audience potential, equipping them with the knowledge and strategies needed to get their work seen.
Apply by 11am, Monday 3rd November.
“I think Get It Seen should be made compulsory for any producer”
Previous Get It Seen Participant
“100% of alumni recommended Get It Seen”
About the Programme
Get It Seen brings together 16 producers with ambitious projects for an intensive programme focused on preparing films for market and distribution. The programme begins with a three-day in-person lab featuring practical workshops, in-depth case studies, and structured networking opportunities. Participants will also benefit from tailored one-to-one sessions with experienced industry advisors, ensuring their projects are positioned to attract sales agents and distributors and reach their intended audiences. Participants will gain a thorough understanding of the film value chain, including distribution and exhibition, marketing, international co-production and festival strategy. The programme provides a rare chance to connect with leading industry professionals and to get support to develop a clear release plan for your project.
Get It Seen will be co-led by industry leaders Julia Short, Colin Burch and Catharine Des Forges. Speakers will include experts from Picturehouse Entertainment, Watershed and Curzon with many more speakers and guests to be announced soon.
For full details about the programme and how to apply please read the Guidelines.
Information Session
Thursday, 23 October, 11am
Join our open-to-all online information session to find about Get It Seen and ask any questions about the programme structure and application process. You must register in advance through Zoom.
Key info at a glance
- Application deadline: 11am, Monday, 3 November
- Decisions communicated: Tuesday, 18 November
- Intensive Lab, London: Tuesday, 20 – Thursday, 22 January 2026
- Participant Networking Dinner: Tuesday, 20 January 2026
- 1st Advisor Session: February 2026 (exact dates TBD)
- 2nd Advisor Session: March 2026 (exact dates TBD)
- Final Group Session: March 2026 (exact dates TBD)
Participants will receive a participation fee of £415.50 for their time on the programme. Travel and accommodation subsidies will be available for those not based in London.
Who is it for?
The programme is open to UK-based producers over the age of 18 who are not in full-time education and who are currently actively developing a specific feature film project.
You must be either:
- ‘Emerging’ – having produced between one and three feature film projects.
- ‘Established’ – having produced four or more feature film projects that have achieved commercial distribution in the UK.
Please note that this programme is not designed for early career producers. For the purposes of this opportunity, you are considered early career if you have not written, directed, or produced a feature film that has received UK distribution.
What you will gain
- Insights into UK distribution and exhibition models, alongside an overview of key international markets
- The skills to identify audiences and develop a strategic marketing and festival plan
- Practical strategies for releasing a feature
- Understanding how to build streams of revenue from a film release
- Professional connections with distributors, exhibitors, sales agents and fellow producers.
- One-to-one advice from an experienced industry professional matched according to your needs
- Finish the programme with a tailored strategic plan for your film’s release.
“I have been to many professional further training courses to further boost my morale and career. This has been one of the best.” – Previous Get it Seen Participant
Course Leaders
Julia Short
With over 30 years’ experience across production, distribution, marketing, and training, Julia Short is a highly respected figure in both UK and international film circles. She is frequently invited to speak at industry events and is widely appreciated for her practical insights on how to connect films with audiences, emphasising the importance of audience engagement from the very beginning of a project. Julia has served as Director of Content for the Inside Pictures programme, delivered training for the Film Distributors’ Association, and contributed as a judge at festivals and industry awards. As a consultant, she works closely with producers from early development through to international release—most recently on Imran Perretta’s ISH, which will premiere at the Venice Film Festival. She is also Course Director for the Danish Film School’s Empowering Directors for the Global Stage programme and for Screen Scotland’s two-year producer initiative Film Fast Track, supporting the next generation of creative talent.
Colin Burch
Managing Director & Co-Founder of Verve Pictures
With over 35 years experience in film distribution, Colin has worked at Mainline Pictures and Polygram and founded FilmFour Distributors for Channel 4 in 1995. He has released nearly 400 films, over half of which been British titles and includes many debut films including the first features of Yorgos Lanthimos, Andrea Arnold, Clio Barnard, Todd Haynes, Michael Winterbottom and Joanna Hogg. Throughout his time in distribution he has worked across theatrical and home entertainment distribution, acquisition and TV and ancillary sales. Colin runs Verve Pictures, which he set up with Julia Short in 2003 to release independent thought-provoking cinema from the UK and around the world, films have included award winning titles such as Red Road, Bullet Boy, In From The Side, Short Term 12 and Dogtooth. Verve have released films on behalf of New Wave Films since 2008 as well as titles for MGM and Arrow Films. Between 2019 and 2022 Verve worked with the BFI on two iterations of the First Features Distribution Scheme, releasing 12 films from debut UK directors.
Catharine Des Forges
Director, Independent Cinema Office
Catharine is Director of the Independent Cinema Office. She founded it in 2003 and continues to lead on the overall strategy and development of the company. Prior to founding the ICO, she worked at the BBC, the BFI, Arts Council England, as a Senior Programmer at the National Film Theatre, programmed the Encounters Film Festival in Bristol and worked as a freelance film programmer both in the UK and internationally. She has an MA in Film & Television from the University of London, has lectured in film and media at a number of UK universities, and is an experienced moderator and Q&A host as well as a contributor to a number of UK newspapers and magazines. She sits on the Steering Group for London’s Screen Archives, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, co-Chair of LUX, on the board of CICAE and a voting member of BAFTA.
Fees
This a BFI Creative Challenge Fund development programme, made possible by National Lottery Funding and is free for participants to attend. Successful applicants will also be paid participation fee of £415.50 for the duration of time spent attending the programme sessions, currently estimated to be 30 hours.
Our Commitment to Inclusion
Get It Seen is committed to supporting underrepresented voices in the screen industries and welcomes applications from producers from all backgrounds. The programme can provide access support, such as BSL interpretation, live captioning, quiet spaces, alternative format materials and additional support for caring responsibilities.
We are particularly keen to receive applications from people based outside London and the South East, people who have not previously received Lottery funding, disabled and neurodivergent people, Black people and people from the Global Majority, LGBTQIA+ people, and people from working class and low-income backgrounds.
How to Apply
Please read the Guidelines and apply through the online application form.
If you would like to fill out an application form in Microsoft Word, please email us at training@independentcinemaoffice.org.uk and we will arrange for a Word document to be sent to you.
The deadline for applications is 11am Monday, 3 November. We will aim to communicate decisions on applications by Tuesday, 18 November.
If you have access requirements or wish to apply in another format, please contact training@independentcinemaoffice.org.uk.
FAQs
What stage should the project that I apply with be at?
Projects need to be in active development to be considered for this programme, but they must not have entered production.
Can I submit the script in the application?
Due to limited capacity, we are unable to read feature length scripts submitted to us. Please include a synopsis and, if available, project’s pitch deck.
Will being either ‘Emerging’ or ‘Established’ put me at an advantage or disadvantage at application?
No, we are aiming for a mixed cohort to encourage peer-to-peer learning.
Will I be able to come if I can only make some of the programme dates?
Unfortunately, no. We ask participants to attend all dates so they can get the most out of the programme and to be fair to everyone applying.
Will being a participant in this programme help my project secure funding from other BFI funds?
No, participation in this programme does not influence or improve the likelihood of a project receiving further funding from other BFI funds for later stages of development or production.
Can my project be an adaptation of an existing piece of work?
Yes, but we ask that producers own the rights to the project they are applying with.
Can producer-director-writers apply?
Producers who also write and direct are welcome to apply, but we ask that the project they apply with has a separate writer and director.
Can I apply with a TV or short film project?
The programme is tailored for feature films only (narrative, animation or documentary).
Can I apply with a project that isn’t British?
No. Your projects, once made, must be capable of being certified as British through any of the following:
- the applicable Cultural Test for Film, Animation or Video Games
- one of the UK’s official bi-lateral co-production treaties
- the European Convention on co-production
You can read more information on British certification on the BFI website.
How do I get paid for my time?
If you are selected for the programme, you will be paid for the contact hours spent on the course, which are currently estimated to be 30 hours. This covers the intensive lab in January, meetings with your advisor and the final group session. You will be paid in instalments as set out in a formal agreement which sets out the terms and conditions attached to the opportunity.
Can I apply from outside the UK?
You must be based in the UK to apply for Get It Seen.