While streaming has made it really easy to view films, it has become less and less viable to make small independent films.

[Shameless self-promotion] Following the lead of one of my filmmaking heroes, Fred Wiseman, I have regained the rights to all my films and am putting them out on Blu-ray as limited editions. You can take a look here. Film Sussex subscribers can also get a discount with code PCC 😉.

Anyway, to share my experience of this, along with many other elements of filmmaking, our regular panel at this year’s filmmaking will be on ‘Non-dependent Cinema’.

Claiming your non-dependance

At this year’s FrightFest in Leicester Square, Film Sussex will host a panel covering all aspects of getting your film made, from funding to release, including tax credits [see below].

Jen Handorf will host the panel, which will include me, Katie Bonham, Andy Edwards, and Stewart Spark.

Tickets are free, so it would be great to see you there.

ODEON Luxe West End - Discovery Screen 2
📍 ODEON Luxe West End, 38a Leicester Square. London WC2H 7DX.
📅 August 30, 2026, 1:40PM BST.
🎟️ Grab a free ticket here.

Film Forward: Accountability

We had a week off from Film Forward, our weekly accountability session. There was something else happening at 7 pm on Wednesday.

However, the sessions are going really well. We’re holding each other to account and getting stuff done. Filmmakers are moving towards their goals, and that goal is making a film. We’ll also be giving them free access to our kit.

Navigating the tax credit process

Something new that’s going to happen next week is that I’m going to share my findings as I navigate the tax credit system. I’ve wanted to do this with a smaller film, and utilise a local accountancy firm to share the process with others, so that’s what I gonna do.

Each week I’ll share my progress with the Film Forward Substack, and then the online group.

If you’d like to join us on a Wednesday from 7 till 8, and get your project moving, you can sign up below.

Wednesday evenings. £9.99 a month. Cancel anytime.

Join Film Forward

Shock ‘N’ Gore

by Calieb F. Thresher

We need bad taste. Not everyone likes bad taste, which is fine, because it’s bad taste. Of course not everyone’s gonna like it. That’s in its nature, but I love bad taste. Films that push boundaries and shock you. Films that cross the line are important. We need to cross the line to know where the line is. If these films don’t get made, we run the risk of every film becoming too safe, too homogenised and formulaic.

Art should be challenging and dangerous. We should never censor a filmmaker. Everyone should be able to make the work that they want to make, even if it leads us to asking “Well, why on Earth did you want to make that?”

But it’s still important that these films get made, otherwise you start infringing upon the freedom of creative expression. To me, great bad taste always comes with a sense of humour. Bad taste is fun. To know where the boundaries are, we have to break them. Film can be anything.

Recommended viewing: Pink Flamingos, Bad Taste, Terrifier

Not recommended viewing: A Serbian Film, Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom

Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of the Network, we really appreciate your support.

Best wishes,

Chris

Chris Collier
CEO Film Sussex

— PS Our next email will be at the same time next week.

Focal Point returns to The Studio at Lewes Depot on Monday 27 July, 7–9pm.

If you’ve been before, you’ll know what it is. If you haven’t, it’s an evening for filmmakers and film people across Sussex to get in the same room. Free to attend.

Tickets are up now, grab on for free.

Grab a free ticket

Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of the Network, we really appreciate your support.

Best wishes,

Chris

Chris Collier

CEO Film Sussex

— PS Our next email will be at the same time next week.

A couple of months off, and now we’re back. Focal Point returns to The Studio at Lewes Depot on Monday 29 June, 7–9pm.

If you’ve been before, you’ll know what it is. If you haven’t, it’s an evening for filmmakers and film people across Sussex to get in the same room. Free to attend.

Tickets are up now, grab on for free.

Book Your Ticket

Film Forward: Free Trial Session

We’re three weeks in to Film Forward, our weekly online accountability programme for filmmakers.

▹ It’s simple: you say what you’re going to do, and the following week you come back and report in.

▹ That’s it. No performance. No pressure. Just a small group of people who are serious about making things, holding each other lightly to account.

Next Wednesday, 7–8pm, you can try it for free. Sign up for the free trial and join us.

7 Day Free Trail

After that, regular sessions are £9.99 a month. Cancel any time.

Try Again

by Calieb F. Thresher

This week, I challenged myself to try to edit the first scene of my feature film, with the Film Forward group holding me accountable. I thought “okay, it’s only one scene…”

You see, instead of buzzing with excitement to start editing and looking at the dailies from my first feature film shoot (which has been a lifelong dream), I froze in fear. I’m terrified to look at them and find out that all my hard work has led to a less-than-adequate result.

I told myself what I tell other people: to sit down and do ten minutes. I started putting takes on the timeline, played with some audio, and even slapped a colour grade on it to get a sense of the film I was really making (which, more often than not, isn’t the one that’s in your head). Often, when you sit down for ten minutes and start working, you get really into it and end up going for much longer. But this didn’t really happen this time.

I thought, “Okay, if I get an assembly done this week, not a full scene, that’s still good. I’ll try again tomorrow.” It’s okay to try again tomorrow if you just can’t face it today. If you really can’t go on at the end of the ten minutes, try again tomorrow. But do come back to it.

If I have to finish this film ten minutes at a time, that’s what I’ll do.

Film can be anything.

Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of the Network, we really appreciate your support.

Best wishes,

Chris

Chris Collier

CEO Film Sussex

— PS Our next email will be at the same time next week.

But we kept hearing the same thing: the cost was a barrier.

So we did something about it.

Notebook to Script is now just £69.

We’ve secured support that’s allowed us to bring the price down significantly and the course starts this Thursday. If you’ve been sitting on an idea, this is the moment.

To be clear about what this is: it’s not a folder of PDFs you’ll never open or pre-recorded videos you’ll watch at 1.5x speed and forget. It’s a fully live experience real-time classes, 1:1 mentorship with an industry professional, and a small group of peers to develop your work alongside. By the end, you’ll have a completed short film script.

You could still be carrying that idea around this time next year, promising yourself you’ll write it someday.

Or you could start on Thursday for £69.

Book Today!

Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of the Network, we really appreciate your support.

Best wishes,

Chris

Chris Collier
CEO Film Sussex

— PS Our next email will be at the same time next week.

Last week we started our weekly online accountability sessions, with a group of filmmakers making a list of the tasks they were going to complete this week. Tonight we’ll all meet up again and see how much closer we are a film.

With support all along the way, we’re hoping to see more and more filmmakers get there projects made, and with free access to kit at the end of the process there’s a real incentive to get working.

Wednesday evenings. £9.99 a month. Cancel anytime.

Join Film Forward

Focal Point is back at Depot

Monday 29 June, 7-9pm The Studio, Lewes Depot Cinema

Friends of Film Sussex, it’s time to reconnect.

After a break of a couple of months, we’re back at Depot for a catch-up. Tickets are available now, so grab one at the link below. It’d be good to see you there.

Book Your Free Ticket

More support coming to help get your script written

We’ve really enjoyed helping filmmakers get their scripts written over the last two years. However, the cost of our online course has made it inaccessible for some.

The great news is that we’ve managed to secure support that means we can bring the price of Notebook to Script down to £69. This is not a collection of pre-recorded videos or static PDFs; it’s a fully live experience. Craft Your Screenplay with Personalised Expert Guidance.

What to Expect

✔️Live, real-time classes (no pre-recorded content).

✔️ 1:1 mentorship with an industry professional.

✔️ Small group collaboration with peers.

✔️ Develop and complete a short film script.

Here’s what past participants say:

“Excellent, easy to understand sessions... broke down the process into manageable chunks and gave concise and constructive feedback and lots of support.” -- Janice Sutherland, Director/Producer

“I think we all felt a sense of accomplishment at the end, walking away with a completed short screenplay.” -- Sarah C

You could still be carrying that idea around next year, promising yourself you’ll write it someday. Or you could do something about it.

View Dates and Book

Healing Through Community

By Calieb F. Thresher

If you’re like me you create because you have to. I have spent a great deal of my time with my head in the past, stagnant and not making things with other people. This part of my life is over now but I’ve been reading this book and I’ve been learning some great things that ring true.

“Our capacity to destroy one another is matched by our capacity to heal one another… Restoring relationships and community is central to restoring well-being.”

And is essential if you wish to heal from your art and heal with your art. You can’t do it alone. I didn’t think I was a people person until I did. Make your films together, make your art together, whatever it may be.

Film can be anything.

Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of the Network, we really appreciate your support.

Best wishes,

Chris

Chris Collier
CEO Film Sussex

— PS Our next email will be at the same time next week.

We’ve secured support that means we can bring the price of Notebook to Script down to £69, and that price is available to everyone.

Six Thursday evening sessions, 7-8pm. By the end, you’ll hold a completed short screenplay. Not a half-finished draft. Not a document you’ll come back to. A finished script.

Here’s what past participants say:

“Excellent, easy to understand sessions... broke down the process into manageable chunks and gave concise and constructive feedback and lots of support.” -- Janice Sutherland, Director/Producer

“I think we all felt a sense of accomplishment at the end, walking away with a completed short screenplay.” -- Sarah C

You could still be carrying that idea around next year, promising yourself you’ll write it someday. Or you could do something about it.

View Dates and Book

Film Forward: Our Kit, Your Film, Real Accountability

Film Forward is up and running, and filmmakers are moving.

Every Wednesday evening, 7-8pm, members are showing up, saying what they’re going to do, and coming back having done it. That’s the whole thing. Week by week. Film by film.

And as a Film Forward member, you don’t just get accountability. You get access to Film Sussex’s equipment to make your film.

If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to actually make yours, this is it.

Wednesday evenings. £9.99 a month. Cancel anytime.

Join Film Forward

Focal Point: June Get-Together at Depot

Monday 29 June, 7-9pm The Studio, Lewes Depot Cinema

Friends of Film Sussex, it’s time to reconnect.

This is a relaxed evening for filmmakers of all kinds -- writers, directors, producers, or anyone just starting out. Come along, meet other creatives, and share ideas over a drink. No agenda. Just good conversation and great company.

Tickets are available now.

Book Your Free Ticket

Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of the Network, we really appreciate your support.

Best wishes,

Chris

Chris Collier
CEO Film Sussex

— PS Our next email will be at the same time next week.

Film Forward is a new Substack, separate from this one, built specifically for filmmakers who want to get their film made. It’s not a course. It’s a weekly online accountability session where you show up, say what you’re going to do, and come back the following week having done it. Week by week. Film by film.

A members-only community on the Film Forward Substack, where the conversation continues between sessions.

Camera access for Sussex-based members. Need a camera?

Borrow one of ours at no cost. We’ll show you how it works.

The cost is £9.99 per month. Cancel any time.

If you have a film that’s been sitting untouched for longer than you’d like to admit, this is probably for you.

Pledge my place on Film Forward

We’re looking forward to kicking off our new weekly film club. See you there!

Bobby Dee’s Journey to Genesis

Bobby Dee has been writing a three-part series on his Substack about the long road from picking up a camera as a teenager to finally directing his first feature film, Genesis, which is now 90% complete and crowdfunding its final stretch.

It is an honest account of what that journey actually looks like.

Read all three here:

The Aberrant Reader

From Shorts to Feature #1

On a car journey back from town, my parents asked the fifteen-year-old me what I wanted to do when I left school…

Read more

3 months ago · Robert Dee

The Aberrant Reader

From Shorts to Feature #2

To help get short films made, I set up a group in Brighton called Octopus Films…

Read more

3 months ago · Robert Dee

The Aberrant Reader

From Shorts to Feature #3

By the time I returned properly to Genesis, I had a much clearer idea of what I wanted it to be…

Read more

3 months ago · Robert Dee

Casting For a First Feature

by Calieb F. Thresher

If you’re a grassroots no-budget filmmaker, chances are you’re also your own casting director. Which is fine, in fact, it’s great!

I, for one, have been a very lazy casting director. I tend to write around the people who are around me at the time. Which is lucky, because I’ve always had best friends who were actors. Good for me! But what it does mean is that, well, I have no idea how to cast for a feature film that has over twenty characters in it.

I believe anyone has the capacity to be a good actor if properly directed. I really do. Everybody has strengths and weaknesses that they can lean into or away from. But now I have to look outside my immediate circle to cast a film, and I’m terrified. In all these years, I’ve never really done it. So I’ve reluctantly paid for Mandy, and I’m attempting to cast through that.

Grassroots actors and directors should be using each other, not being scared of each other. For some reason, I’m terrified of actors. I think they’ll try to take over the project or what lots of money, which I don’t have. That’s silly. Everybody has the right to be paid for their hard work, but until any of us can get to that point, we should be working together to make some good films we can try and change the world with.

So if you’re an actor and you see there’s a no-budget feature that isn’t paying and you just really want to make stuff, make sure to team up and make something. Chances are that the director is very broke and very sensitive, if they’re anything like me.

I’ve written a top-notch script, but I have no idea what I’m doing.

Be kind.

Film can be anything.

Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of the Network, we really appreciate your support.

Best wishes,

Chris

Chris Collier
CEO Film Sussex

— PS Our next email will be at the same time next week.

Film Forward is a new Substack, separate from this one, built specifically for filmmakers who want to get their film made. It’s not a course. It’s a weekly online accountability session where you show up, say what you’re going to do, and come back the following week having done it. Week by week. Film by film.

What you get as a member:

Weekly live sessions every Wednesday, 7–8pm. Show up, check in, keep moving.

A members-only community on the Film Forward Substack, where the conversation continues between sessions.

Camera access for Sussex-based members. Need a camera?

Borrow one of ours at no cost. We’ll show you how it works.

An independent panel at six months. That’s your target to aim for.

The cost is £9.99 per month. Cancel any time.

Pledge Today. No payment is taken until 1 June.

If you have a film that’s been sitting untouched for longer than you’d like to admit, this is probably for you.

Pledge my place on Film Forward

We’re looking forward to kicking off our new weekly film club. See you there!

Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of the Network, we really appreciate your support.

Best wishes,

Chris

Chris Collier
CEO Film Sussex

— PS Our next email will be at the same time next week.

From Notebook to Script: Interactive 6-Week Journey

Craft Your Screenplay with Personalised Expert Guidance. This is not a collection of pre-recorded videos or static PDFs; it’s a fully live experience.

Course Overview:

• Next Start Date: 4th June 2026

• Sessions: Thurs, 7:00 - 8:00 PM

• Price: £99

Download course details here!

Reserve your spot today!

Course Locations & Details:

Live online sessions via Zoom. Small groups ensure personal attention and an interactive environment.

What to Expect

✔️Live, real-time classes (no pre-recorded content).

✔️ 1:1 mentorship with an industry professional.

✔️ Small group collaboration with peers.

✔️ Develop and complete a short film script.

Download course details here!

Reserve your spot today!

This week we announced our new online filmmaker hub, Film Forward. It’s great to already see people signing up. In case you missed it, here’s some more details.

Introducing: Film Forward

Filmmaker support from Film Sussex

A six-month rolling programme with weekly online accountability sessions, peer support, and real resources to help you get your film from idea to finished cut.

Wednesdays, 7–8pm. Starting 3 June.

Each week you show up, share where you are, say what you’re going to do next, and come back the following week having done it. Simple. Surprisingly powerful.

Between sessions, you’ll have access to a members-only Substack channel with resources, updates, and a community of filmmakers doing exactly what you’re doing.

What you get

Camera access (Sussex-based members) If you’re based in Sussex and you need a camera, you can borrow one of ours at no cost. We’ll also arrange for someone to show you how it works. No prior technical knowledge needed.

Weekly live accountability sessions Every Wednesday, 7–8pm, online. Show up, check in, keep moving. Missing a week isn’t a disaster, there’s no catching up required, just come back when you can.

A members-only community Between sessions, the Substack channel is where the conversation continues. Ask questions, share progress, give and receive feedback from fellow members.

An independent panel at six months At the end of the six months, every completed film will be judged by an independent panel. Everyone who finishes receives a certificate of completion. One film will be selected as the winner.

Pioneer member offer

The programme costs £9.99 per month.

If you join before the first session on 3 June, you become a Pioneer member and your rate is locked in for as long as you stay subscribed.

Pledge your place today. No payment until 1 June, but your Pioneer member rate is locked in the moment you sign up.

A note on the camera loan scheme: places are limited and available to Sussex-based members only, on a first come, first served basis. If that’s relevant to you, it’s worth moving quickly.

Pledge my place

Who this is for

If you have a film idea that’s been sitting untouched for longer than you’d like to admit, this is probably for you.

It doesn’t matter if this is your first film or if you’ve made films before and have a project that’s stalled. It doesn’t matter what genre, what length, or what budget. What matters is that you have something you want to make and you haven’t made it yet.

If you’re based in Sussex, you also get access to our camera loan scheme. If you’re based elsewhere, everything else still applies.

I’m not sure this is right for everyone. But if getting your film made genuinely matters to you, it’s worth finding out.

Get Your Film Made is a Film Sussex CIC programme. £9.99/month. First session Wednesday 3 June, 7–8pm online. Cancel any time.

Pledge my place

Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of the Network, we really appreciate your support.

Best wishes,

Chris

Chris Collier
CEO Film Sussex

— PS Our next email will be at the same time next week.

Most filmmakers aren’t short of ideas. The ideas are there. The intention is real. What gets in the way isn’t talent, and it usually isn’t equipment. It’s everything around the making, the isolation, the uncertainty about where to start, the slow erosion of momentum when life takes over and there’s no one waiting on you to deliver.

Whether this would be your first film or your fifth, finishing is the hardest part. And the filmmakers who finish aren’t necessarily the most talented. They’re the ones who had structure around them when it mattered.

That’s what our new programme is about.

Introducing: Film Forward

Filmmaker support from Film Sussex

A six-month rolling programme with weekly online accountability sessions, peer support, and real resources to help you get your film from idea to finished cut.

Wednesdays, 7–8pm. Starting 3 June.

Each week you show up, share where you are, say what you’re going to do next, and come back the following week having done it. Simple. Surprisingly powerful.

Between sessions, you’ll have access to a members-only Substack channel with resources, updates, and a community of filmmakers doing exactly what you’re doing.

What you get

Camera access (Sussex-based members) If you’re based in Sussex and you need a camera, you can borrow one of ours at no cost. We’ll also arrange for someone to show you how it works. No prior technical knowledge needed.

Weekly live accountability sessions Every Wednesday, 7–8pm, online. Show up, check in, keep moving. Missing a week isn’t a disaster, there’s no catching up required, just come back when you can.

A members-only community Between sessions, the Substack channel is where the conversation continues. Ask questions, share progress, give and receive feedback from fellow members.

An independent panel at six months At the end of the six months, every completed film will be judged by an independent panel. Everyone who finishes receives a certificate of completion. One film will be selected as the winner.

Pledge my place

Who this is for

If you have a film idea that’s been sitting untouched for longer than you’d like to admit, this is probably for you.

It doesn’t matter if this is your first film or if you’ve made films before and have a project that’s stalled. It doesn’t matter what genre, what length, or what budget. What matters is that you have something you want to make and you haven’t made it yet.

If you’re based in Sussex, you also get access to our camera loan scheme. If you’re based elsewhere, everything else still applies.

I’m not sure this is right for everyone. But if getting your film made genuinely matters to you, it’s worth finding out.

Pioneer member offer

The programme costs £9.99 per month.

If you join before the first session on 3 June, you become a Pioneer member and your rate is locked in for as long as you stay subscribed.

Pledge your place today. No payment until 1 June, but your Pioneer member rate is locked in the moment you sign up.

A note on the camera loan scheme: places are limited and available to Sussex-based members only, on a first come, first served basis. If that’s relevant to you, it’s worth moving quickly.

Pledge my place

One question worth asking yourself

Do you want your film to exist by the end of this year?

If the answer is yes, subscribe below. You’ll receive joining details ahead of the first session on Wednesday 3 June.

Get Your Film Made is a Film Sussex CIC programme. £9.99/month. First session Wednesday 3 June, 7–8pm online. Cancel any time.

Pledge my place

Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of the Network, we really appreciate your support.

Best wishes,

Chris

Chris Collier
CEO Film Sussex

— PS Our next email will be at the same time next week.

Monday 27 April, 7pm - 9pm The Studio, Lewes Depot Cinema

Friends of Film Sussex, it is time to reconnect.

This is a relaxed networking evening for filmmakers. Whether you are a writer, director, producer, or just starting out, come along, meet like-minded people, and share ideas over a drink.

No agenda. Just good conversation and good company.

📍 The Studio, Lewes Depot Cinema
🕖 Mon April 27th, 2026 - 7pm

Book Your Free Place

Last chance to shoot and screen

We’ve partnered with Crossing The Screen - the 10th Eastbourne International Film Festival, to run our Weekend Film Challenge. Here’s how it works.

On Friday 24 April at 9pm, you receive your mandatory elements. From that point, the clock is running. By Sunday 26 April at 11:59pm, your finished film needs to be uploaded and ready.

The top twenty films screen at Crossing The Screen on Thursday 7 May at 6pm. (the last time we ran this that was all the films). Every selected team gets four tickets. That’s your festival screening. Your name on the screen. Your film in front of an audience.

And the winner? They go forward to the Made in Sussex Film Festival 2027, competing for the Best Director prize. Last year that prize was worth £10,000.

The rules are straightforward. Shoot entirely in Sussex. Use all your mandatory elements. Keep it under five minutes. Make something you’re proud of.

If you’ve been waiting for a reason to finally make that film, this is it.

Boon Now!

Eastbourne International Film Festival turns ten this year, and it’s worth marking.

Running from 2 to 9 May across the Cavendish Hotel and Hailsham Pavilion Cinema, the festival brings together screenings, workshops, and seminars for what promises to be a strong milestone edition. If you’re in East Sussex and looking for a reason to get out and see some cinema this spring, this is it.

Find Out More

Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of the Network, we really appreciate your support.

Best wishes,

The Film Sussex Team

— PS Our next email will be at the same time next week.

It’s a full one. A new challenge partnership, a spring get-together, and a festival screening opportunity all landing in the same week. Here is what you need to know.

A chance to shoot and screen

We’ve partnered with Crossing The Screen - the 10th Eastbourne International Film Festival, to run our Weekend Film Challenge. Here’s how it works.

On Friday 24 April at 9pm, you receive your mandatory elements. From that point, the clock is running. By Sunday 26 April at 11:59pm, your finished film needs to be uploaded and ready.

The top twenty films screen at Crossing The Screen on Thursday 7 May at 6pm. (the last time we ran this that was all the films). Every selected team gets four tickets. That’s your festival screening. Your name on the screen. Your film in front of an audience.

And the winner? They go forward to the Made in Sussex Film Festival 2027, competing for the Best Director prize. Last year that prize was worth £10,000.

The rules are straightforward. Shoot entirely in Sussex. Use all your mandatory elements. Keep it under five minutes. Make something you’re proud of.

If you’ve been waiting for a reason to finally make that film, this is it.

Boon Now!

Focal Point Spring Get-Together

Monday 27 April, 7pm - 9pm The Studio, Lewes Depot Cinema

Friends of Film Sussex, it is time to reconnect.

This is a relaxed networking evening for filmmakers. Whether you are a writer, director, producer, or just starting out, come along, meet like-minded people, and share ideas over a drink.

No agenda. Just good conversation and good company.

📍 The Studio, Lewes Depot Cinema
🕖 Mon April 27th, 2026 - 7pm

Book Your Free Place

Eastbourne International Film Festival turns ten this year, and it’s worth marking.

Running from 2 to 9 May across the Cavendish Hotel and Hailsham Pavilion Cinema, the festival brings together screenings, workshops, and seminars for what promises to be a strong milestone edition. If you’re in East Sussex and looking for a reason to get out and see some cinema this spring, this is it.

Find Out More

At the Front of the Filmmaking Frontier

by Calieb Thresher

Realising that you want to be a filmmaker is a great feeling. It means it’s landed you right at the front of the filmmaking frontier. You, as a grassroots creative, can shape the future of your craft by getting a camera and making something from the heart.

Some people might think that filmmaking looks like dolly tracks, big cameras, thousands of pounds, millions of followers and views, cranes, crew, etc. Well, it can look like that, but at its core, none of that is really important. Your story is your passion, your creativity, your fire.

So, start writing. The writing process can look like anything. Kevin Smith says that writing isn’t sitting down and typing, it’s thinking about all the “what ifs” when you’re driving, doing the washing up and participating in other mundane tasks.

There’s no right way or one set guideline. There is no right path. So do your washing up, make yourself laugh and make sure you jot it down before the end of the day. Film can be anything.

Film can be anything.

Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of the Network, we really appreciate your support.

Best wishes,

The Film Sussex Team

— PS Our next email will be at the same time next week.

There are moments in a filmmaker’s life that change things. Getting into a festival is one of them. Seeing your film on a proper screen, in front of an audience, with your name in the programme, that shifts something.

We want to give you that moment.

We’ve partnered with Crossing The Screen - the 10th Eastbourne International Film Festival, to run our first ever Weekend Film Challenge. Here’s how it works.

On Friday 24 April at 9pm, you receive your mandatory elements. From that point, the clock is running. By Sunday 26 April at 11:59pm, your finished film needs to be uploaded and ready.

The top twenty films screen at Crossing The Screen on Thursday 7 May at 6pm. (the last time we ran this that was all the films). Every selected team gets four tickets. That’s your festival screening. Your name on the screen. Your film in front of an audience.

And the winner? They go forward to the Made in Sussex Film Festival 2027, competing for the Best Director prize. Last year that prize was worth £10,000.

The rules are straightforward. Shoot entirely in Sussex. Use all your mandatory elements. Keep it under five minutes. Make something you’re proud of.

If you’ve been waiting for a reason to finally make that film, this is it.

Boon Now!

Thanks for taking the time to read this edition of the Network, we really appreciate your support.

Best wishes,

The Film Sussex Team

— PS Our next email will be at the same time next week.

Our first weekend film challenge will take place on:

Friday 24th April 2026 til Sunday 26th

Here’s how it’ll work:

1. At 9 pm on the Friday, you’ll receive your mandatory elements.

2. Then it’s time to make your film.

3. Then, by 11:59 pm on the Sunday, you upload your finished film via a provided link.

What happens next:

The films will then be judged by members of the Made in Sussex jury, and the top twenty will play at The Crossing the Screen Film Festival.

The screening date will be 6:00PM on Thursday 7th May 2026. Each selected film will get 4 tickets for the screening.

That’s where we’ll announce the winner, which will then go on screen at the Made in Sussex Film Festival 2027.

The Rules:

1. Your film must be made entirely in Sussex.

2. All film elements must have been filmed over the course of the weekend by your group.

3. Your film must include all mandatory elements.

4. Maximum length: 5 minutes.

Hurry, spaces are limited!

Book Your Place

Best wishes,

The Film Sussex Team

— PS Our next email will be at the same time next week.

The Made in Sussex Film Festival returns this Friday, 27th March, and this year’s programme is the strongest we’ve ever put together. Independent cinema, made right here, screening right here. Tickets are going. Here’s everything you need to know.

🌟 FRIDAY NIGHT: World Premiere of Stargazers

Friday 27 March, 17:45

Stargazers, directed by Jonathan Brooks and starring Leo Cropley, Henry Richards, and Lauren Cornelius, opens the festival with its world premiere. We’re excited to share it with you first.

Twelve-year-old Jack and his friend Benji have three days to solve the source of mysterious signals in their town—possibly proof of aliens. As time runs out, the stakes rise for both boys.

It’s a 98-minute adventure that feels like the kind of film you’d have watched obsessively as a kid — and loved even more as an adult.

Preceded by the short film Arsehead, directed by Winnie and James Herbert.

Book your tickets

Be among the first to experience this world premiere. Join us on Friday for an unforgettable evening.

📅 THE FULL WEEKEND

Saturday 28 March

11:00 — Made in Sussex Student Film Awards: The next generation of Sussex filmmakers on the big screen. Don’t sleep on this one, you’ll be saying you saw them first.

• UNDER THE LAMPLIGHT

• ERASED

• FREEDOM OF THE SEA

• RELIQUARY

• THE SHORE OF PROMISES

• TINY

• OVERDUE

• PURSER

• PEACHES

Book your tickets

13:30 — Sussex Shorts Programme 1: Eleven short films. Sussex voices, Sussex streets, Sussex stories.

• CLUTTER

• WAVELENGTH

• HOW TO SAVE A LIFE

• JAN THE FIFTH

• MY NAME IS BRIAN BRITTON

• CROSS STITCH

• PROM NOT PROM

• THE BALLAD OF RUFUS STONE AND HIGHTOWN CROW

• NOT LIKE THAT

• FLAT PINK ROSES

• RITUAL

Book your tickets

16:15 — A Life in Tandem: After a cancer diagnosis at 24, Luke Grenfell-Shaw cycles 20,000 miles from Bristol to Beijing. An inspiring documentary about survival and human will. Certificate 12A.

Preceded by short Repetition by Reece Daniel Plimley.

Book your tickets

19:30 — Rumpelstiltskin (Homecoming Screening) Filmed on location at Lewes’s Anne of Cleves House, Andy Edwards’s dark folk horror reimagines the scariest childhood villain, darker, bloodier, and nastier than ever. A true homecoming for a Sussex film.

Preceded by the short, Albert, by Joshua G. R. Fletcher.

Book your tickets

Sunday 29 March

13:00 — Sussex Shorts Programme 2: Ten short films. Sussex voices, Sussex streets, Sussex stories.

Book your tickets

16:15 — The Bystanders Pete Weir is recruited, specifically because nobody notices him, to become an invisible guardian angel for a stranger. What follows is funny, strange, and quietly profound. Starring Seann Walsh, Scott Haran, and Georgia Mabel Clarke.

Preceded by the short film Shed by Dave Hunt.

Book your tickets

20:00 — Charlie Shaw’s Revenge: A remote theme park, a re-opening crew, a silent killer. John Langridge’s slick Sussex-made horror, starring Cerys Knighton, Mark Benton, and Bill Fellows, closes out the festival in proper style.

Preceded by Granny DJ by Faith Elizabeth.

Book your tickets

🎟️ Don’t Wait

Friday 27 March - Sunday 29 March. Depot Cinema, Pinwell Road, Lewes BN7 2JS.

See the full programme and book tickets at lewesdepot.org/madeinsussex →

See you at the festival.

Unfortunately, we need to let you know that this month’s networking evening at Lewes Depot Cinema has been cancelled. Due to lower than expected sign-ups and current pressures on our team’s capacity, we’ve made the difficult decision not to go ahead with Monday’s event.

We’re sorry for any inconvenience, and we really appreciate your continued support and understanding. We will be back soon though — and we’ll make sure to share all the details nearer the time of our next event, so keep an eye out for updates.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Hope to see you soon!

Best wishes,

Chris

Chris Collier
CEO, Film Sussex

Join us for our regular monthly get-together in the Studio at Lewes Depot Cinema on Monday, February 23rd, 2026, at 7 pm.

This is a relaxed networking evening for filmmakers, whether you’re a writer, director, producer, or just starting, come along, meet like-minded creatives, and share ideas over a drink.

No agenda, just good conversation and great company. See you there!

📍 The Studio, Lewes Depot Cinema
🕖 Mon Feb 23rd, 2026 - 7pm

Grab a free ticket

Best wishes,

Chris

Chris Collier
CEO, Film Sussex

This year’s festival showcases the very best of independent filmmaking from across Sussex—from bold student work to ambitious features, intimate documentaries to inventive shorts. Every film in our lineup represents the creativity, resilience, and vision of filmmakers who are making cinema happen against the odds.

FRIDAY 27 MARCH

We kick off the festival with STARGAZERS (5:45 PM), screening alongside the short film ARSEHEAD.

SATURDAY 28 MARCH

Saturday morning belongs to the next generation with The Made in Sussex Student Film Awards (11:00 AM), featuring eight student films: Under the Lamplight, Erased, Freedom of the Sea, Reliquary, The Shore of Promises, Tiny, Overdue, Purser, and Peaches.

At 1:30 PM, we present The Made in Sussex Short Film Showcase Part 1, a packed programme of fourteen shorts including Clutter, Wavelength, How to Save a Life, Jan the Fifth, My Name is Brian Britton, Cross Stitch, Prom Not Prom, Flat Pink Roses, The Ballad of Rufus Stone and Hightown Crow, Ritual, and Not Like This.

The afternoon brings A LIFE IN TANDEM (4:15 PM) with short film REPETITION, followed by RUMPELSTILTSKIN (7:30 PM) with short film ALBERT.

SUNDAY 29 MARCH

Sunday opens with The Made in Sussex Short Film Showcase Part 2 (1:00 PM), featuring eleven films: Future of..., Rabbit Ears, Duphomf’s Passing, Still Life, Ova, The Influence of Ping Pong is Big, Tank, Flying Lessons, Sonder, and Life Class.

At 4:15 PM, we screen THE BYSTANDERS with short film SHED, followed by the Made in Sussex Awards 2026(6:00 PM)

We’ll announce the winners of our competitive categories—including the £10,000 Best Director Prize, sponsored for the second year by Clear Futures.

The festival closes with CHARLIE SHAW’S REVENGE (7:30 PM), screening alongside the short film GRANNY DJ.

TICKETS ON SALE SOON

Keep an eye on our socials and your inbox for the announcement.

This is Sussex cinema at its finest. We can’t wait to share it with you.

Made in Sussex Film Festival 2026
27-29 March | Depot Cinema, Lewes
[Instagram: @madeinsussexfilmfest]
[Film Sussex Instagram: @filmsussex]

Thanks for taking the time to read this week’s quick update. Have a good week.

Speak soon,

Chris

Chris Collier
CEO, Film Sussex

🗓️ PS Our next email will be coming your way on Thursday.
✍️ PPS We’ll always let you know whose words you’re reading.

We had another great focal point on Monday. As has now become a regular occurrence, all the spaces go quite quickly (we have limited space at Depot, so we have to limit the number we send out).

With filmmakers of all ages and levels of experience, this has become a great place for those just starting out, looking to make connections or learn from others. One of the most exciting elements has been the number of experienced filmmakers from all crafts who have come along and shared their knowledge and experience.

We’re very much looking forward to next month’s edition. Tickets are available now in the paywalled section of this email for Friends of Film Sussex (paid subscribers to this Substack. You can become a Friend of Film Sussex here. I also believe free subscribers can unlock a free paid one, once in a while.

All the remaining tickets will be made available this time next week.

Grierson DocLab

This is a great opportunity for UK-based people aged 18-25. If this is you, you have until 5pm on Thursday, 19 February 2026, to apply for this prestigious training programme.

Grierson DocLab: New Entrants aims to help people without connections to the factual TV and documentary industry take their first steps into securing the work experience and networks to succeed in the sector.

Find Out More

Read more

Join us for our New Year Get-Together in the Studio at Lewes Depot Cinema on Monday, January 26th, 2026, at 7 pm.

This is a relaxed networking evening for filmmakers—whether you’re a writer, director, producer, or just starting, come along, meet like-minded creatives, and share ideas over a drink.

No agenda, just good conversation and great company. See you there!

📍 The Studio, Lewes Depot Cinema
🕖 Mon Jan 26th, 2026 - 7pm

Grab Your Free Ticket

Best wishes,

Chris

Chris Collier
CEO, Film Sussex