Motherhood shouldn’t prevent women from making films, but it can. Caring for one’s elderly parents or sick family members shouldn’t upend a person’s career in show business, but it can. These are problems UK organization Raising Films is trying to rectify. Launched in 2015, Raising Films works to achieve greater inclusivity in UK film and TV as well as support parents and carers in the industry. At the moment, the organization is raising funds to ensure it can continue its work for the next two years, a press release has announced.
In order to keep going through 2020, Raising Films has set a goal of £50,000 (about $70,000 USD). £36,000 has already been secured from donors and supporters in the film industry. To obtain the rest of the sum, Raising Films is asking for contributions via its new crowdfunding campaign.
Since its beginnings, Raising Films has been successfully operated by volunteers. While films projects have been completed via partnerships with BFI, Directors UK, and others, “core financial support is needed to sustain and develop the organization to the next level.” In other words, Raising Films is growing and wants to pay its staff going forward.
“All of the money we raise will go directly into creating fairly-paid, part-time, flexible positions that uphold our values,” explained co-founder and “The Levelling” writer-director Hope Dickson Leach. “We’re so grateful of the support we’ve had from industry organizations and individuals so far and know the support for our activities is out there.”
Dickson Leach continued, “The rewards we are offering [via the crowdfunding campaign] are the knowledge that our work will continue and thrive, and a little dose of inspiration for everyone, whether they can donate or not, through unique, inspirational messages from A-list talent including Amma Asante and Sally Potter when we hit certain milestones, recorded exclusively for Raising Films.”
The crowdfunding campaign will be live until March 5, 2018.
Actress and “Prevenge” writer-director Alice Lowe will also help by hosting a fundraising closing event on March 9. Ticket sales and the event’s raffle will contribute to Raising Films’ overall fundraising goal.
Raising Films has made extraordinary strides since it began. In the past year the organization has penned an open letter detailing the actions the industry should take to obtain justice for victims of workplace harassment, introduced a personal development program for parents and carers, and published a report outlining parents and carers’ working conditions and recommending practices for better inclusion and diversity.
“Conversations about inclusivity have never been more alive than they are right now, and Raising Films are committed to generating solutions,” said co-founder and producer Nicky Bentham.
Check out Raising Films’ Crowdfunder page to contribute to its campaign. For more information about the org, go to its website. Raising Films’ crowdfunding video pitch is below.
