Following the success of its inaugural edition, applications for Glasgow Film Festival’s innovative UK-wide comedy lab, Funny Features, are now open. The festival is seeking ideas for bold, original features with the potential to become the next big UK comedy hit. The lab, delivered by Glasgow Film Festival (GFF) and supported by BFI Creative Challenge Fund, awarding National Lottery funding, will support the development of 10 new comedy feature projects over a six-month period. Successful applicants will take part in tailored sessions, workshops and mentoring that will equip them with the tools and knowledge needed to break into the global market.
This year a new partnership with Curzon CM Fund has also been announced, seeing one of the UK’s leading independent film distribution companies coming on board as Headline Partner for 2025/26. This includes a new award given during the live pitch to one project, which comes with an exclusive opportunity to meet with the Curzon CM Fund in person to discuss the future of their project after the lab has ended.
Open to teams of producers and writers or writer/directors developing their first or second feature, Funny Features is the only UK talent development lab dedicated to comedy. The lab culminates with a live pitch event during GFF’s Industry Focus conference in March 2026, where participants will present their projects to a panel of industry experts.
The project genre must be a comedy. 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
- The project must have a completed first draft script
- The project team must comprise of a producer and writer (writer/director is also eligible)
- The maximum number of producers attached to the project for participation is two
- The 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 3 weeks or more (for example, a run at the Edinburgh Fringe where audiences paid for tickets would be eligible).
To apply for Funny Features, you must provide the following:
- Draft of the feature film script
- One-pager of the 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
Writers and producers participating on the Funny Features scheme will be paid a fee for every workshop they attend.
DEADLINE: October 7th at Noon 2025
Source: BBC Writers