Funny Features

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Funny Features

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Funny Features is delivered by Glasgow Film Festival and supported by BFI Creative Challenge Fund, awarding National Lottery Funding and is GFF’s UK-wide talent lab.

Who is the lab for?

The lab is for producers, writers and writer/directors developing their first or second comedy feature.

About the Lab

Over six months, selected creative teams will take part in an intensive programme combining script and story sessions and consultancy, tailored workshops on finance and film packaging, one-to-one mentorship, and dedicated pitching sessions.

This rare opportunity offers comedy projects the chance to grow within a supportive and practical development environment, with access to peer-to-peer exchange and professional feedback.

The lab will culminate at Glasgow Film Festival 2026, where teams will present their projects live to a panel of leading industry experts.

Funny Features supports projects, that 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.

What you will get from Funny Features

extensive knowledge of the film finance landscape
heightened confidence in navigating the marketplace
a clearer understanding of market placement, and widened network of decision makers
A film finance plan, a polished draft of their script, and a project ready to enter the international marketplace to begin securing financing

Funny Features is the only UK talent development lab dedicated to comedy, providing a rare opportunity to develop comedy features to enable them to secure finance.

Funny Features Intensive Weekend

If your application is successful, you will be asked to attend our in-person weekend in Glasgow from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 November 2025. You will also be expected to attend the Funny Features Live Pitch which will take place from Tuesday 3 to Friday 5 March 2026.

Please confirm in your application you are available across these dates. Your travel and accommodation will be covered.

Curzon CM Development Fund

This year we’re thrilled to be partnering with the Curzon CM Development Fund as our 2025/26 Headline Partner. Their team brings invaluable industry expertise offering participants unique insight and guidance. From the initial project selection right through to the live pitch, Curzon CM Development Fund will play a central role in supporting the lab.

At the conclusion of the programme, one project will be specially selected to meet with their team in London and explore the project’s future potential. Funny Features will provide financial support to ensure the chosen creative team can attend this meeting.

Curzon section

Curzon CM Development Fund

We’re thrilled to welcome Curzon CM Development Fund as this year’s Headline Partner for Funny Features. Their partnership brings invaluable industry expertise to the programme, offering participants unique insight and guidance that will shape every project.

From the initial project selection right through to the live pitch, Curzon CM Development Fund will play a central role in supporting the lab.

At the conclusion of the programme, one project will be specially selected by Curzon CM Development Fund to meet with their team in London and explore the project’s future potential. Funny Features will provide financial support to ensure the chosen creative team can attend this meeting.

2025/26 Application Process

Application Process

Applications close on Tuesday 7 October at 12 noon.

Want to know more? We’re hosting Information Sessions on Wednesday 24 September and Tuesday 30 September. These free to attend sessions will go through application requirements, the programme, and answer any questions you might want to ask. Please see below for information on timings and links to sign up.

Information Session 1

When: Wednesday, 24 September 2025, 12pm – 1pm

How: You can sign up to the Info Session and find out further details here

Information Session 2

When: Tuesday, 30 September, 12pm – 1pm

How: You can sign up to the Info Session and find out further details here

For full application guidelines, FAQS, how to apply and how to contact the team, please read our application guidance pack HERE

The application form can be found HERE.

2025/26 Application Criteria

Application Criteria

To apply for Funny Features, you must provide the following:

Draft of the feature film script
One-pager of feature film idea
Personal statement
Names, biographies and CVs of creative team members
Examples of previous work
Declaration of any finance/funding already secured/Letters of Interest

Funny Features is open to producers, writers and writer/directors who are developing a comedy project that is their first or second scripted feature.

To be eligible for Funny Features, you must apply as a creative team which includes a producer and writer (or writer/director). You can apply if you already have a director attached, but they cannot participate in the lab sessions. We cannot accept applications from individuals.

Applicants must also meet the criteria below:

Genre must be a comedy, and this includes sub-genres such as Romantic Comedy, Drama Comedy and Horror Comedy. Comedy must be central to the overall theme of the project.
The project must be:

the producer or writer’s (or writer/directors) first or second feature
have a completed first draft script

Project team must:

comprise of a producer and writer (writer/director is also eligible)
have a maximum number of producers attached to the project for participation is two
have a maximum number of writers (or writer/directors) attached to the project for participation is two

Producer(s) or Writer(s) must match one of the below minimum experience criteria:

made at least three short films, two of which must have been commissioned
made at least two short films (one commissioned) and have one TV Credit as a writer or producer
have at least two TV credits as a writer or producer

If from a theatre or live comedy background, you must have written or produced three plays or long-form live comedy shows that were performed publicly, at least one of which must have been a ‘professional production’.

Professional production in this instance is defined as a paid run of three weeks or more (for example, a full-run ticketed show at the Edinburgh Fringe would be eligible). If you are unsure about your eligibility, please contact industry@glasgowfilm.org

Only one of the team need to meet these minimum requirements.

No Producer?

If you are a writer with a project but no producer, or a producer seeking a project, we encourage you to join our Discord community. This space is designed to connect writers and producers, foster collaboration, and support potential new teams for Funny Features applications. Our hope is that this channel offers a platform to meet like-minded creatives and explore possible partnerships, however please note, we cannot guarantee you will find a collaborator here. You can join via the link below, where you’ll also find our community guidelines. Please make sure to read these guidelines before using the group.

Follow this link to the Discord - https://discord.gg/p3FqZpGWEs

2025/26 FAQs

FAQs

Q: Who is Funny Features for?

A: Funny Features is open to producers, writers and writer/directors who are developing their first or second feature which is a comedy. The scheme is only for producers and writers (or writer/directors), and they must apply as a creative team. Directors can be attached to prospective projects, but they will not be able to participate in the sessions.

We encourage applications from people who are from underrepresented groups, including but not limited to, those from the global majority, LGBTQIA+ people, disabled people, those who identify as a gender minority and/or those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. We also encourage applications from across Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and Northern England. Funny Features is only open to teams based in the UK.

Q: What level of filmmaking skills and experience do I need to have to apply for Funny Features?

A: One of the producer(s) or writer(s) must match one of the below minimum experience criteria:

Made at least three short films, two of which must have been commissioned
Made at least two short films (one commissioned) and have one TV Credit as a writer or producer
Have at least two TV credits as a writer or producer
If from a theatre background, you must have written or produced three plays that were performed publicly, and one of which must have been a ‘professional production’. Professional production in this instance is defined as a run of 3 weeks or more (for example, a run at the Edinburgh Fringe would be eligible)

Films made with funding from a university course or talent development scheme are eligible as commissioned shorts.

Q: Which benefits will I gain from Funny Features?

A: If you are successful in your application, teams will leave Funny Features with:

Extensive knowledge of the film finance landscape
Heightened confidence in navigating the marketplace
Clearer understanding of market placement
Widened network of decision-makers
A film finance plan
A polished draft of their script
A project ready to enter the international marketplace to being securing financing

Q: Can I request a specific mentor when I apply or if I am successful in my application?

A: No - we will assign a mentor to you based on our assessment of your application and project needs.

Q: What happens after I’ve submitted my application?

A: Applications will be reviewed by a panel of industry experts. Applications will be scored primarily on project quality and originality. The panel will also consider the project’s probability of securing financing in the current market, the strengths of the creative team and their potential to be able to deliver a final product ready for theatrical distribution.

We aim to confirm successful projects and will communicate decisions to applicants by the end of October 2025.

Q: Will sessions take place in-person or remotely?

A: Sessions will take place remotely apart from the introductory weekend and the final pitching workshop and Live Pitch.

Q: Will I be reimbursed for any costs accrued while taking part in the lab?

A: We will be able to cover the cost of travel and accommodation associated with any in-person requirements from the lab.

Q: Which other access measures are available to support people taking part in the mentorship?

A: We will do our utmost to support all reasonable access requirements, including but not limited to: childcare, BSL interpretation, live-captioning, and note-taking.

Q: Will I be paid to take part in Funny Features?

A: Yes, writers and producers participating on the Funny Features scheme will be paid a fee for every workshop they attend.

Q: We're a team with two writers, can we apply?

A: Yes, you may apply as long as the project also has a producer or producers attached.

Q: I’m a first-time feature writer or writer/director working with a producer who has already made a feature, can we apply?

A: Yes, you may apply if you’re working with a more experienced producer who meets the minimum application criteria.

Q: My experience is in documentary and not scripted, can I still apply?

A: Yes. We encourage talent with experience in other mediums to apply, though you must be applying with a scripted comedy project.

Q: Our producer is based in Scotland, but our writer is based in Wales. Can we still apply

A: Yes. Creative team members do not all need to be based in the same location, however everyone in the team must be based in the UK.

Q: I am a writer with a first draft of a comedy feature, but I don’t have a producer attached. Can I still apply?

A: No. You must have a producer attached to apply. We would encourage you to reach out to producers you have worked with in the past, or to do a call out on social media to find a producer to collaborate with. We have also created a Discord to facilitate introductions between writers and producers. This Discord is free to join, and we would advise giving a brief introduction of who you are, whether you are looking for a producer or writer, and whether you meet the minimum criteria to apply. We would also encourage you to reach out to your local film network or hub to see if they can help you connect with a producer.

Q: What should I include in my personal statement?

A: This is an opportunity to tell us more about your creative team, your project and why we should support you in developing your project. This should ideally be written by the lead applicant (i.e. the producer).

Be clear in your application about your motivations as a team and what you wish to gain specifically from the mentoring and masterclasses. You may wish to include why you think your project has market potential, how it fits into the wider comedy landscape, or how it subverts comedy tropes and genres. We want to see commercially ambitious work that appeals to contemporary audiences.

Q: How many applications can I submit?

A: Writers can only be attached to one submitted project. Producers may be attached to more than one submitted project but personal statements for each application must be unique to the individual project.

If you have any questions that haven't been answered, please feel free to get in touch! You can reach us at industry@glasgowfilm.org

Project Title

Projects (click to find out more)

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Rhys Aaron Lewis (Writer)

Adley Lewis (Writer)

Olivia Song (Producer)

Hundreds and Thousands

During an intense heatwave, a misfit couple’s plan to get rich quick by selling ice cream in their community inadvertently triggers a violent turf war with a local Ice Cream Man.

Kaljeven Lally (Writer)

Isabella Bassett (Producer)

Jena Hunter (Producer)

ਜ਼ਿੰਮੇਵਾਰੀੀ (Or Responsibility as it translates to)

24-year-old ex-con Sanjeev is forced to return to a life of crime when desperately needing a lot of money, fast! An odd robbery leads to a chain of unfortunate events leaving Sanjeev now the target of his employers, their enemies and the police!

Toby Parker Rees (Writer)

Ray Wilson (Producer)

Katie Bonham (Producer)

Beach Body

A mermaid, stuck in her human body at a party full of grief and drunken denial, tries to find a cure for the human condition.

Jason Barker (Writer)

Loran Dunn (Producer)

Natasha Dack (Producer)

Mister Uterus

He always wanted to be just an ordinary bloke but a trans man finds that pregnancy leads him to re-evaluate his ideas of what being a man is all about.

Ciaran Lyons (Writer)

Beth Allan (Producer)

The Floaties

While everyone around her seems to be fixating on the wee asteroid that’s going to hit America, Kim is more focused on her weird, panic-inducing hallucinations of floating jellyfish. She just wants to move to a small town, get an undemanding job, and finally get her shit together - or does she…?

Emerald Paston (Writer)

Tom Levinge (Producer)

My Fake Family

'My Fake Family' is a warm-hearted comedy feature following Ivy Chung, as her lies about her family background threaten her dream destination wedding.

Philip Wright (Writer)

Reece Cargan (Producer)

Committed

'Committed' is a fearless and darkly funny exploration of mental health that follows Jay Murphy, a loveable one-man train-wreck, as he rebels against his sectioning in a psychiatric hospital...

Noor Abdel-Razik (Writer)

Katie Mallinder (Producer)

The Crown Mules

'The Crown Mules' is a riotous heist film that sees first-year university student, Anu, lead her unapologetic girl gang to rescue the controversial Koh-i-Noor diamond from the British monarchy's crown jewels and return it to its native land — inspired by the true story of the infamous Stone of Destiny.

Grant Taylor (Writer)

Audain Thompson (Producer)

Ecstasy

‘Ecstasy’ is a comedy-drama about a disabled father and his son’s crazy attempt to buy drugs so his Dad can dance with his wife at her birthday party, one last time. What could possibly go wrong?