WELCOME TO THE CULT!

A support network for ethical filmmakers building an alternative to the inaccessble film industry.🌻

Our Current Projects:

Equipment Share

Pooling film equipment to break the barrier to expensive gear

Fair Film Project

Facilitating and sustaining healthy and accessable film projects

WHAT IS
THE FILM CULT?

We have been misled by an industry convincing us that exclusivity and excessive suffering are required features of our art form. Industry has glorified the mistreatment of our bodies, our relationships and our minds.We are passionate that we ought to take up an alternative space of our own, to practice a different way of filmmaking.We exist for the many denied opportunities in the film industry and those struggling to maintain life within it.We are calling out the current toxic reality of film work while dreaming, building and maintaining a real-world alternative. Our projects challenge how we access the tools, the knowledge, the capacity and the community needed to create films.Through accessible, diverse and healthy filmmaking we can nurture the voices and stories previously locked out from this medium and evolve the art form.We must provide for ourselves a bright alternative through which to contribute to our cinematic culture.Join us on this ambition.

BE PART OF THE STORY

No one belongs here more than you.

Become a Supporting Member

Maybe you're short on time but could offer support through your skills, equipment, a meeting location, solidarity building or donations.

Become a Project Member

Learn more about us at an orientation event and then get diretly involved with one of our projects, we have room for all skills!

Have you got an idea?

Could the mutual support of other like minded doers help you or your group?Tap into a network of experience and mutual aid.

Keep us anti-corporate by buying some art :)

Webpage Under Construction

Fair Film PROJECT

Facilitating and Sustaining Healthy Film Projects

But Why?

Films do not need to be made under the current practice of overwork, stress, exclusivity and so on. It is neccissary they are made instead in a healthy sustainable way for the artform to become universally accessible.The more people we have practicing the artform, the more diverse, insightful and transformative the films will be! The happier our filmmakers will be also :)

And How?

The cult will be assembling in the new year to begin the initial discussions on this project.Potential actions will include the creation of a fair film badge (like fair trade) to show a commitment and achievement in fair practices.The facilitation of film project(s) to demonstrate the concept.

We are trying to gather the resources and money to launch this project, please consider supporting with a donation!

The Film Cult

Equipment Share

Film Equipment For Everyone

What we are doing:• Making the tools of filmmaking affordable to everyone!• Facilitating the creation of independent film projects• Reducing waste and promoting sharing

Together we've saved creators:

£24,285

By pooling our resources for common good the expensive filmmaking ladder has been brought down a peg or two!

By providing access to:

£67,512

worth of film equipment rented out since our launch.

Supporting:

85 Projects

in the last six months!

Support the pay it forward fund!

Some of our community still cannot afford to access our equipment. We have a pay it forward fund for anyone struggling to afford equipment for their project.Those of us with more means can support the fund through the 'pay it forward' account on the share website.Email us to see how we can support you if you are struggling!

F&Qs

Where is the equipment share?

The Nexus Room
9, St Peters Buildings,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9PG

The Film Cult

MEMBERS HUB

Get Involved!

NEW? Attend an orientation to meet the group and hear what we are all about!Support what you believe in and find a project/subgroup you are passionate about and sign up to get involved.If you can't commit to a role, join our helpers list and get notified when we are looking for additional help on an ad-hoc basis.

Decision MAKING

Anyone can submit a concern, proposal or idea for discussion at the monthly spokescouncil.Each subgroup has representatives at the spokescouncil to communicate between their subgroup and the spokescouncil until consensus is found on each proposal.*New project ideas can be submitted as a proposal!

Struggling?

We agree to things and then end up busier than we originally thought. We all experience this and understand it will happen to others. This is a voluntary role which should not be prioritised before personal wellbeing.What is important is that if you can see a busy spell approaching that you take action to pass the work around to ensure that the task still takes place.

Things to try:1. Delegating the work to someone else yourself, communicating this shift of responsibility to the relevant people2. Share your role with another, or multiple members if possible to reduce workload3. Notify us of unavailability and we can organise cover, through this fast and easy form:

Useful Links

BE PART OF THE STORY

No one belongs here more than you.
Support the cult in whatever capacity suits best.

Help build something new

Support the world you want to live in and show there is a desire for a more progressive and sustainable world of filmmaking.

Why Donations?

Our commitment to find solutions without waiting for government support makes it harder for us to secure funding than other charities and non-profits. This means we rely on, and are beholdant to the people who make up our community.

Our Track Record and Numbers

A small amount goes a long way with us. We managed to start an equipment share, a project which should have cost us 10-30K for a much smaller £3,000. This project is on track to save indie filmmakers £41,600 by the end of next year by providing access to £148,164 worth of equipment - a serious impact.See our Transparent Spending

What we will spend it on

After the successful launch of our equipment share our resources for other projects are pretty much at zero. We have started our Fair Film project but will need support in order to pull it off.

Other Ways To Support:

🔨
Resources

We are on the hunt for:
- Film Equipment
- Anything else we might be able to use!

🤝
Solidarity

If you are part of a group, organisation or business with simular principles or goals we would be keen to create solidarty with you!

💡
Skills

You could support us by offering your valuable skills - are you in the industry? Trained in something? Or an experienced community organiser?

🎨
Shop

Keep us anti-corporate by buying some art :)

🔗
Share

Strengthen our fight through social media by following and sharing.

Monthly Support

We've reached a point where our small numbers are bottlenecking what we know we can do.By spreading a donation across a regular interval it allows the group to become resiliant and sustainable enough for us to plan our next big moves.

Keep us anti-corporate by buying some art :)

Here's this years run down:


RESOURCES

Tools and materials to aid the alternative.

BRAND RESOURCES:

We're stronger together, use the graphics as you please!

The Film Cult Graphics Package, Logos etc.

INDUCTION PACKS:

Information on how we organise, roles and values.

Digital Launch Zine
Cult Members Handbook
The Film Cult Manifesto (coming soon)
What is my role? 🧚 Responsibility Packs

PROPOSALS:

Ideas for change within the cult.

In Discussion:

Membership Proposal

In The Stack:

Planning Proposal

Passed:

View All

ARCHIVE:

Recordings and written notes of past meetings.

Meeting Notes + Video Recording Archive

CONSENSUS RESOURCES:

Consensus Agreement Explained - Seeds for Change
How Consensus Democracy Works - Andrewism Youtube Video
^^ These first two resources are a great intro to consensus
Community Organising Guide - Neighborhood Anarchists
^^ A series of zines on consensus and conflict resolution
On Conflict and Consensus: a handbook on Formal Consensus decisionmaking
^^ The consensus bible, any questions still? This is your answer
Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the Next) - Dean Spade
^^ A book on community organisation and mutual aid groups

USEFUL REPORTS:

Looking Glass Report 2022 - Film and TV Charity
Production is Broken Report
Albert (Sustainability in Film and TV)