TERMS AND CONDITIONS
First Flights Media Ltd
Short Film Fund Application
1. Who we are and how to contact us
1.1. We are First Flights Media Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales with company number 12272236. Our registered office is at 7 Florence Road, London, N4 4BU. We are the promoter of the grant funding process.
1.2. In these terms, First Flights Media Ltd. are referred to as "First Flights", "we", "us" and "our".
1.3. If you have any questions about the application process or these terms and conditions, or need help with entering, you can contact us at hello@first-flightsfilms.com
2. The application process
2.1. The short film fund application allows new filmmakers to test their ideas before embarking on a feature film, and gives filmmakers the chance to win a grant of up to £7,000 to be used towards the production costs of scripted and documentary short film content.
2.2. Where a filmmaker obtains a grant, they are required to grant First Flights certain rights in regard to the creation and development of the film. These are explained fully in section 11 below.
3. Eligibility
3.1. Each application period will run from a three month period, and the entry period will be set out on our website at www.first-flights.com. Entries may be submitted at any time during the relevant three month period, but must be received by First Flights no later than 23:59pm on the last day of the entry period (the "Closing Date"). Please see section 4 which explains how to enter.
3.2. In order to submit an application a filmmaker will be required to create an account on the First Flights website. When opening the First Flights account, a filmmaker will be required to accept our Privacy Policy at https://www.first-flights.com/privacy-policy/
3.3. The application process is open to filmmakers regardless of location, provided that in order to enter you must:
3.3.1. be aged 18 years or over; and
3.3.2. must be the filmmaker of the entry/entries that you submit (see section 10 for more detail on the promises you give about ownership and permissions in respect of entries).
and except that application process is not open to:
3.3.3. employees of First Flights or its holding or subsidiary companies;
3.3.4. employees of agents or suppliers of First Flights or its holding or subsidiary companies, who are professionally connected with the application process or its administration, including any promotion partners or those involved in judging entries; or
3.3.5. members of the immediate families or households of 3.3.3. and 3.3.4 above.
3.4. In submitting an application, you confirm that you are eligible to do so and eligible to receive the grant you may obtain. We may require you to provide proof that you are eligible to enter.
3.5. We will not accept entries that are:
3.5.1. submitted by someone other than the filmmaker;
3.5.2. illegible or incomplete; or
3.5.3. contain corrupt or incomplete files;
3.6. A filmmaker may submit up to ten entries in each application window, but each entry will be subject to the payment of a separate fee. Where a filmmaker enters multiple films in any application window, each will be judged independently on the basis of the judging criteria. Entries on behalf of another person will not be accepted and joint submissions are not allowed.
4. How to enter and entry fee
4.1. All entries must be submitted via your account at www.first-flights.com. At the time of entering, you will be required to pay a non-refundable entry fee.
4.2. The entry fees payable will be set out on the website at www.first-flights.com, and will be explained to you at the time of submission of your entry. For some application windows, we may charge a discounted or "early bird" rate for entries which are received before a certain cut-off date. All entry fees are payable in pounds sterling.
4.3. To enter, you must submit an official application via your account on the website at www.first-flights.com by the Closing Date. All entries received after the Closing Date are automatically disqualified.
4.4. The application must be fully completed, in English, without errors or inaccuracies, and must include all required pre-populated information.
4.5. All entries are final once submitted, and cannot be revised or amended once submitted.
4.6. In submitting an entry, a filmmaker will be required to provide details of the amount of grant award which they are requesting, which may be any amount up to £7,000 per film.
4.7. We will not accept responsibility for entries that are lost, mislaid, damaged or not received by us, regardless of cause, including, for example, as a result of equipment failure, technical malfunction, systems, satellite, network, server, computer hardware or software failure of any kind.
4.8. By submitting an entry, you are agreeing to be bound by these terms and conditions.
5. The judging process
5.1. The judging criteria for each application window will be made available in advance, and at the time of entry on our website at www.first-flights.com.
5.2. After the Closing Date, a team of qualified First Flights employees will evaluate all valid entries received against the relevant judging criteria, and will determine a shortlist of up to 25 entries which they consider most satisfy the applicable judging criteria.
5.3. All valid entrants will be notified within 14 days of the Closing Date as to whether their entry has been shortlisted.
5.4. First Flights may at its sole discretion cancel, withhold or postpone naming any shortlisted entrants if in the sole discretion of First Flights, there are not a suitable number of entries which meet the judging criteria.
5.5. These shortlisted entries will be submitted for judging to a panel of judges, which will include the directors of First Flights, and will include at least one independent expert in the film production industry. The panel will invite each shortlisted entrant to a 15 minute interview to discuss their entry. This will be conducted by remote means rather than by a face to face meeting and will be conducted with a First Flights producer. An entrant will be provided with a time and date for the meeting, and First Flights cannot guarantee that this will be capable of being re-arranged if the entrant cannot attend at that time.
5.6. Following conclusion of the 15 minute interview process, the panel will review all shortlisted entries against the judging criteria, and will select up to four winning entries based on the judging criteria.
5.7. There is no guaranteed timeframe for the judges to select winning entries, but First Flights will notify winning entrants and the remaining shortlisted entries of the decision as soon as reasonably practicable after the decision having been made.
5.8. The filmmakers of winning entries may be obligated to agree to additional conditions prior to being awarded any grant, for example in regard to having obtained all rights and permissions to develop the works where the same are based on real life events.
5.9. The decision of the independent expert panel of judges, and of the shortlisting process by First Flights will be final and no correspondence or discussion will be entered into.
5.10. First Flights will send the full names of the judges to anyone who writes within one month after the Closing Date requesting details of the judges and who encloses a self-addressed envelope to the address set out at the start of these terms.
6. Successful entries
6.1. First Flights will contact the winners personally as soon as practicable after the Announcement Date, email address provided with the submitted entry.
6.2. First Flights will also publish a list of winners and shortlisted entries on the website.
7. Grant provision
7.1. Each winner will receive a grant award of the amount requested in their application.
7.2. The grant award must be used for the development of the film project which was the subject of the winning entry.
7.3. The grant provided is not negotiable or transferable.
7.4. Each winner is responsible for the payment of any taxes, duties, charges or levies to be paid to any third party in connection with receipt of the grant.
8. Claiming the grant
8.1. We will pay the grant funding to each successful entrant within thirty days of the announcement of winners for each application window. The grant will be paid into the bank account which you nominate after you have won the grant.
8.2. The grant may not be claimed by a third party on your behalf.
8.3. First Flights do not accept any responsibility if you are not able to take up the grant for whatever reason.
9. Limitation of liability
Insofar as is permitted by law, First Flights, its agents or distributors will not in any circumstances be responsible or liable to compensate the winner or accept any liability for any loss, damage, personal injury or death occurring as a result of taking up the grant except where it is caused by the negligence of First Flights, its agents or distributors or that of their employees. Your statutory rights are not affected.
10. Ownership of entries and intellectual property rights
10.1. By submitting an entry you warrant (promise) that:
10.1.1. all information provided with your entry and during the account creation process is complete and accurate in all respects;
10.1.2. subject to section 10.2 below, you are the sole filmmaker in regard to your entry, you are the owner of all intellectual property rights therein, and the submissions are your original works, are not defamatory, and do not infringe any third party intellectual property rights or other third party rights;
10.1.3. there are no conflicting agreements in place which restrict your usage of the submission;
10.1.4. where your entry does rely on third party intellectual property rights, or contains the image or likeness of any third party, that these are listed in your entry form and you have obtained all appropriate licences and consents required to use such content in your entry, including any parental or guardian consent where there is a third party image of any person under 18.
10.2. You are responsible for obtaining all necessary rights and consents if your entry contains the personal data of a third party, or any third party intellectual property, and you will provide us with evidence that you have all such licences and consents, and all other evidence required in regard to demonstrate your compliance with the warranties at section 10.1 on request. If you are unable to provide such evidence, in a form satisfactory to First Flights, we may reject or withdraw your entry.
10.3. You shall indemnify and hold First Flights, its employees, owners, directors and any judges harmless in full and on demand against any loss, cost, damage, injury or expense that such party may incur as a result of any claim being brought against such party by a third party in relation to the breach of that third party's intellectual property rights, arising out of the use by that party of your entry.
10.4. All entries that violate any third party intellectual property rights, data protection laws, these terms and conditions, the First Flights Website Terms and Conditions or any other applicable national laws, will be deemed ineligible.
10.5. First Flights reserves the right to exclude anyone and to refuse any entry at any time, for any reason, without prior notice and without incurring any liability to the fullest extent permissible by law. Without limitation, any inability to participate in the publicity and promotional activities described in Section 11 below shall constitute grounds for disqualification.
10.6. All entries and any accompanying material submitted to First Flights will be held confidentially on receipt.
10.7. First Flights does not claim any rights of ownership in your entry.
10.8. By submitting your entry and any accompanying material, you hereby grant First Flights an irrevocable, worldwide, sub-licensable, royalty free right and licence to use the contents thereof for the purposes of evaluation of your entry, and the promotional rights set out in section 11.
11. Our promotional rights, and right of first refusal
11.1. You shall not engage in any publicity or promotional activities or make any public announcement about your participation in the grant application process without the prior written consent of First Flights.
11.2. You shall:
11.2.1. fully co-operate with and participate in all publicity and promotional activities in respect of each application process that you enter, in particular:
11.2.1.1. you agree to the publishing by First Flights of your name and the name and description of your project on First Flights’ website and any Goldfinch group company websites, and each of their related social media accounts;
11.2.1.2. you agree to inclusion in press releases and other media coverage (including social media) if your entry is selected as a shortlisted entry or a winner.
11.3. Where you obtain a grant, this constitutes permission for First Flights and its affiliates, agencies, contractors and designees to use each winner’s name or likenesses, for advertising and promotional purposes in any and all media now or hereafter devised, worldwide in perpetuity (to the maximum extent permissible under applicable law), without additional compensation notification or permission, unless prohibited by law.
11.4. Each winner shall, in addition to the other promotional rights set out in in this section:
11.4.1. include First Flights' logo (in such form as First Flights' requires) amongst all other logos appearing before the start of the film, and in at least as prominent a manner as those other logos;
11.4.2. will also afford First Flights a company presentation credit immediately prior to the main titles in the film as well as in all advertising (including print advertising) and posters for the Film, subject to reasonable and customary distributor exclusions. First Flights also reserve the right to include an additional production logo from their partner(s) in such positions. Such logo placement and presentation credit will be on a most favoured nations basis with all others being afford the same or similar credit. First Flights shall also be afforded a maximum of three (3) Executive Producer Credits.
11.5. In the event of the film being selected to screen at a prestigious film festival/awards ceremony e.g. The Academy Awards, BAFTA’s etc. then one (1) First Flights EP must attend.
11.6. For films who obtain a grant from First Flights, First Flights have the right of first refusal to develop the film into a feature or TV series. Should the short be developed into a feature film, independent of First Flights, the end credits on any feature version to include 'Developed with the support of First Flights"
12. Data protection and publicity
First Flights will only process your personal information as set out in our privacy policy https://www.first-flights.com/privacy-policy/ See also section 6.2 and section 7, with regard to the announcement of winners.
13. General
13.1. If there is any reason to believe that there has been a breach of these terms and conditions, First Flights may, at its sole discretion, reserve the right to exclude you from participating in the then current or any further application window.
13.2. First Flights reserves the right to hold void, suspend, cancel, or amend the grant application process where it becomes necessary to do so.
13.3. These terms and conditions shall be governed by English law, and the parties submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.