Are you:
If so, then this First Feature – Producer Lab is here to help you make this challenging next step and realise your ambitions to produce your first narrative feature film.
We welcome applications from all individuals. If you would like support completing the application form and/or would like us to send it to you in an alternative format, please email training@mission.guru.
Join us on Monday 17 November, 7–8pm, for a free webinar to learn more about the course.
The Producer Lab is aimed at early-career producers with a minimum of two years’ professional experience and demonstrable credits on short films and/or micro-budget features. You will be preparing to produce your first narrative fiction feature (you may have previously produced micro budget features).
We welcome producers returning to the industry after a career break who have equivalent experience.
Each producer on the Producer Lab must have a fiction feature film project in active final stage development. By this, we mean a project with a completed second or third draft script and supporting development materials (e.g. pitch deck). You may or may not have received development funding for this project already.
We acknowledge that some producers may have a producing partner on their project and where appropriate, both producers may take part in the lab if they are sharing the responsibility of driving their project forward.
All projects supported by the Producer Lab must meet BFI requirements and be capable of being certified as British under the cultural test for film. The projects selected for the Producer Lab must also be ones that are unlikely to receive commercial financing.
Applicants must:
- Be based in the UK and committed to producing fiction feature films
- Have a project in active final development (minimum 70 minutes runtime)
- Not have previously produced a fiction feature film (except micro-budget/self-financed work)
- Be able to demonstrate why their project cannot currently be financed through commercial means alone
- Show readiness to take the next step toward production
Selection will be via an open online application process, followed by interviews for shortlisted candidates. Applicants will need to complete an application form outlining:
- their readiness/the status of their project
- their goals for the Lab
- how their project meets BFI and programme criteria
- they will also be required to submit a pitch deck.
The Producer Lab provides dedicated time and expert facilitators to support producers with taking their projects from development to production.
Crucially, this Producer Lab provides emerging producers with funded time, space, and support to lead their project toward a successful production greenlight.
The benefits include:
- A tailored strategic plan to move project toward production.
- Access to regional industry professionals, including Michelle Stein and Jennifer Monks, with proven track records in getting films made regionally.
- Introductions to key industry contacts (sales agents, distributors, casting directors, financiers).
- Increased confidence in negotiation, pitching, and deal-making.
- A robust understanding of what a ‘market-ready’ project looks like and how to build it.
- Deeper understanding of the processes involved in bridging the gap between development and production including closing finance
- Financial contribution towards time spent attending the lab (per BFI guidance).
Michelle Stein – Founder of The Fold – Lead Trainer
Michelle Stein runs The Fold with Jen Monks. She is a BAFTA, RTS nominated and BIFA winning producer. Her recent feature films include sci-fi ‘Sky Peals’ (2024), made with writer/director Moin Hussain and backed by Film4, BFI and Screen Yorkshire, and ‘Retreat’ (2025), made with writer/director Ted Evans and backed by BFI, BBC Film and Creative UK, which premiered at TIFF this year. Over the last 16 years, Michelle has worked on a plethora of projects from producing a micro-budget first feature that secured international theatrical distribution to developing a big-budget animation franchise with Aardman, based on original IP sourced and developed by her. Michelle has a keen eye for international-level talent and has produced content that has screened in competition at A-list festivals such as Cannes, SXSW, LFF, Tribeca and Venice and been bought by the BBC and Sky.
Michelle’s previous company, Escape Films, was a recipient of the BFI Vision Award.
Jennifer Monks – Founder of The Fold– Lead Trainer
Jennifer Monks runs The Fold with Michelle Stein. She is a BAFTA, RTS and BIFA nominated producer. Hailing from Liverpool, Jennifer’s past projects include producing a BAFTA nominated documentary for the BBC, a BBC Culture in Quarantine drama and BIFA nominated single TV drama ‘To Know Him’ (Produced alongside business partner Michelle). Most recently she produced ‘Retreat’ (2025) alongside Michelle Stein, which premiered at TIFF as well as ‘The Fall Of Sir Douglas Weatherford’ from writer/director Sean Dunn which will launch in 2026.
Jennifer has a wealth of production experience, having Co-produced and Line Produced for some of the biggest and best indies in the UK. She has headed the production of multiple independent feature films for funders such as BBC Films, BFI, Film4, A24, Screen Scotland, Netflix and Screen Yorkshire. She Co-Produced 14 time BIFA-nominated ‘Scrapper’, which won the World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury prize at Sundance 2023 and was nominated for Outstanding British Film at the 2024 BAFTA’s. Most recently she co-produced Clio Barnard’s ‘I See Buildings Fall Like Lightening’.
Jennifer’s previous company, Pencil Trick, was identified as one of the top 50 UK creative businesses by Creative England and was a recipient of a BFI Vision Award.
The Producer Lab will be delivered in a hybrid format between January – April 2026 and will support 10 projects and 10–12 participants (up to 2 producing pairs).
Initial 1-2-1 session
Online session 1: Welcome and introductions online session
- The role of the producer.
- What is expected of a producer when you move from development to production.
- Packaging your project and ensuring it is market ready.
Online session 2: Overcoming Barriers to Production
Exploring the key challenges that prevent projects from progressing beyond development, and practical strategies to navigate them:
- Attaching a high-profile director.
- Getting your existing director on the radar of financiers (where appropriate).
- Engaging a casting director to attach prominent talent.
- Securing a sales agent to provide estimates or pre-sell the film.
- Reviewing the types of finance available.
Session 3: In-Person Sessions – (2 days, Birmingham)
Case-study based sessions examining:
- How different financiers work – what drives them and why they get involved.
- De-mystifying film finance plans.
- How different kinds of money work, with examples of recoupment waterfalls.
- Sales and distribution – understanding where your project sits in the market and how to sell a film from packaging through to completion.
- The pitching process.
- Packaging your project.
- The process of closing finance – walking through a Transaction Summary Sheet.
- Moving from investor interest to cash in the bank – how to navigate this often opaque and stressful period.
- An in-depth exploration of the information and documentation needed to close finance.
- Next steps: preparing the materials required to push your film into production.
Mid point 1-2-1 session: Each producer will create a tailored action plan detailing their strategy and next steps toward production.
Over the next 4 weeks, this plan of action will be implemented by the producers, facilitated by the lab facilitators leaders. Where requested lab facilitators will make introductions to a selection of the following depending on the devised plan:
- Casting Directors
- Talent Agents
- Sales Agents
- Distributors
- Financiers
Online session 4: Guest speakers – producers who have recently completed their first feature film will be invited to speak about their journeys plus wrap up and reflections.
Post-Cannes in person event: Final opportunity for Producers to come together, reflect on their learnings during the lab as well as an opportunity to meet key industry players and network.
Deliverables: For each project, the producer(s) will prepare a set of key materials that form part of a package that will be instrumental in helping the producer(s) convert the project from development to production. Each producer (or pair) will create:
- A revised pitch deck
- A finance plan
- A bespoke recoupment waterfall
- A strategic action plan detailing next steps for taking the project from development through to production.
Final 1-2-1 session: The lab facilitators will review these deliverables prior to this final 1-2-1 session and will use the session to feedback and discuss with the producer(s).
All producers on the Producer Lab are expected to attend all scheduled live sessions (33 hours).
1 to 1 sessions will be bookable in advance from a selection of dates (3 hours).
Homework / deliverables preparation by producers across the lab (32 hours).
The First Feature – Producer Lab recognises the challenges that producers face in bringing their first film to market and the unpaid time they put in. All producers on the lab will be paid a stipend of £1,020 towards the time spent on the project.
In addition, travel and accommodation costs will be paid in line with the BFI expenses guidance.
If a producer fails to dedicate the time to the Producer Lab that is expected, Mission Accomplished reserves the right to reduce the stipend accordingly.
By the end of the programme, each project/Producer will have created a set of deliverables during the Producer Lab which will give tangible next steps toward production readiness.
- A revised pitch deck
- A finance plan
- A bespoke recoupment waterfall
- A strategic action plan detailing next steps for taking the project from development through to production.
Additional outcomes include:
- Access to industry professionals, including Michelle Stein and Jennifer Monks, with proven track records in getting films made.
- Introductions to key industry contacts (sales agents, distributors, casting directors, financiers).
- Gained a robust understanding of what a ‘market-ready’ project looks like and how to build it.
- Deeper understanding of the processes involved in bridging the gap between development and production so that producers are fully prepared.
- Attended a pre-Cannes networking event
Webinar: Monday 17 November, 19:00 – 20:00
Applications close: Sunday 14th December 2025, 23:59
Interviews: Monday 19th January 2026
Course dates
- Week commencing 9 March – Pre-course 1-2-1 sessions with Producers
- Tuesday 17 March, 10.00 – 14.00 – Session 1: Online – participants read decks for other projects
- Week commencing 23 March – 1-2-1 sessions with Producers
- Tuesday 24 March, 10.00 – 14.00 – Session 2: Online – 1-2-1s with participants
- Tuesday 31 March – full day – Session 3: In person, Birmingham
- Wednesday 1 April – full day – Session 3: In person, Birmingham
- Tuesday 14 April, 10.00 – 14.00 – Session 4: Online
- From 15 April – 1 June – Producers to work on deliverables for Producer Lab
- Week commencing 1 June – Post-Cannes event and deadline for submission of deliverables (In person, Birmingham)
- Week commencing 8 June – Final 1-2-1s with participants
The BFI acknowledges that each Project’s Project Deliverables are owned and controlled by its Participants and shall not make use of the Project Deliverables save in relation to promotion of the BFI and the National Lottery and shall obtain the relevant Participant’s permission prior to any such use.
Should the Project be made or produced, the onscreen credit should be Developed with Mission Accomplished in partnership with The Fold, supported by BFI NETWORK through the BFI Creative Challenge Fund.
Followed by the BFI NETWORK static logo.
The First Feature – Producer Lab is delivered by Mission Accomplished in partnership with The Fold, through the BFI Creative Challenge Fund, made possible with National Lottery funding.
