What we’re about
Calling all independent filmmakers and film lovers! Raindance's Boozin' & Schmoozin' is a monthly meetup for those who make films and love films - whether it's your career or your hobby; whether you're thinking about making your first or you've made 20; whether you're a director, writer, producer, actor, cinematographer, production designer, composer, film blogger, gaffer, best boy, first AD, runner, editor, Netflix addict, camera person or student - you're welcome at Raindance! Come along to find your next collaborators, volunteer your services for some set time, get tips and advice, or just to chat film with other passionate film buffs.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- 99 Minute Film School: Introductory Filmmaking ClassALL IS JOY, LondonGBP 25.00
Description
Why come to 99 Minute Film School
About 99 Minute Film School
Of course, we can’t teach you everything there is to know about filmmaking in 99 minutes, but you’d be surprised how much you can learn about making films and the film industry in just a single evening. The 99 minute film school will run through the core essentials you will need to make a film and create a plan to launch your career, with dozens of tangible tips on everything from sourcing your film crew, marketing your film and finding work on film sets.
What will it cover?
By the end of the class, you have an introductory understanding of:
Finding a viable script
Sourcing cast and crew
Shooting tips
Getting your film seen
Social media basics for filmmakers
The career ladder
Distribution and exhibition
Money and how to get paid
Who is it for?
99 Minute Film School is suitable for people new to filmmaking, as well as those with some knowledge and experience looking to gain a better understanding of working in the film industry.
About the tutor
Elliot Grove is the founder of Raindance Film Festival and the British Independent Film Awards. He has produced over hundreds of short films and also five feature films, including the multi-award-winning The Living and the Dead in 2006. He teaches screenwriting and producing in the UK, Europe, Asia and America. Elliot has written three books which have become industry standards: Raindance Writers’ Lab: Write + Sell the Hot Screenplay, now in its second edition (Focal Press 2008), Raindance Producers’ Lab: Lo-To-No Budget Filmmaking (Focal Press 2013) and 130 Projects to Get You Into Filmmaking (Barrons 2009). In 2009 he was awarded a PhD for services to film education. Elliot also teaches the Screenwriters’ Foundation Certificate, Lo-To-No Budget Filmmaking and Write and Sell the HOT Script classes at Raindance.
What they’re saying
@RobSladden
Loved the #99minutefilmschool today @Raindance really insightful and inspiring! #filmmaker #raindance #film #director
- Robert Sladden
@altonletto
Interesting insights @Raindance last night. A great crash course in how the film industry works! #99minutefilmschool
- Alton Letto
@sweet_est_pea
@elliot_grove Elliot thank you for an an exciting and enlightening 99 minute film school just now. It was really excellent
- kayvan
- Live!Ammunition! Pitching CompetitionRaindance Film Centre, LondonGBP 15.00
Have you got a great idea for a movie?
The Live!Ammunition! pitching competition returns to Raindance.
Your chance to pitch your movie idea directly to a panel of film industry executives and the toughest critics of all, a Live Audience.
The people on our Panel are the people who matter. They decide what gets made.
Pitching skills are the one skill often overlooked by writers, directors and producers. Learn how it’s done by watching the rest. Hone your pitching skills by getting instant feedback. Your pitch could be taken up by one of our panel. Past Pitches that have gone into production include Meet The Parents (1994), 51st State (1995), Siamese Cop (1996) and White Bhaji (2001).
Registrations to pitch are taken on a first come, first served basis in reply to an email which will be sent at a predetermined time on the day of the event. There are twenty places guaranteed to pitch. Once the first 20 places have been filled we will keep a waiting list.
The demand to pitch is high and admission does not guarantee you a slot to pitch. However, we will accommodate as many pitches as possible and if you’re on the waiting list this does not necessarily mean you won’t get the opportunity.
Not ready to pitch? Then just come, watch, learn and network.
*Verbal pitches only, no visuals
*Panelists subject to change
## The Panelists on 20th January 2025 were:
Lucy Beresford is a broadcaster, writer, and psychotherapist. She is the author of 4 best-selling books. INVISIBLE THREADS was shortlisted for the Rubery International Prize and is currently in film development, and she is currently working on the screenplay for HUNGRY FOR LOVE.
Best known for hosting a weekly Sex & Relationships phone-in show on LBC Radio, where she was dubbed ‘the naughty Mary Poppins’, Lucy hosts On The Couch podcast for Reaction magazine, and reviews the papers every fortnight for The Jeremy Vine Show and Times Radio. Her TEDx talk “Infidelity: to stay or to go?” has been viewed on You Tube over 3.3 million times.
Twitter: @lucyberesford
Instagram: @thelucyberesford1## Dean Cross
Dean Cross is the Film Content Manager for Vue Entertainment with 20 years experience in the business. Dean has an appreciation for films across the whole spectrum, from the smallest art house and independent films to the biggest of Hollywood’s blockbusters, he can usually spot a hit.
Mark Christopher Lee was born – not so recently in a Northern mill town where he studied Classical music at the renowned Huddersfield School of Music – eventually escaped to the glorious south of England and found solace in indie pop and after a short stint with morose Scots band The Jesus And Mary Chain he formed his own band The Pocket Gods in 1998.
Some 25 years later, and 76 albums and 5,000 songs later, the band have gone from playing gigs to a couple of dogs and a piano tuner to obtaining 10 Guinness World Records, millions of streams and have brought real change to a broken music industry.
His campaign for fair royalties from Spotify led to them changing their playlist rules to allow 30 sec tracks on them and also led to them increasing their subscription rates which hopefully will be passed onto artists. He has also given evidence to the UK parliament in their investigation into the economics of music streaming.
He decided to start making films in 2019 to tell the story of his band and then to make TV so that he could explore his love of UFOs and the paranormal.Daniel Gordon is an entrepreneur and thought leader at the intersection of technology and creativity. A former Amazon brand specialist and AI startup CMO, Daniel is now the Founder and CEO of Moonmax, a pioneering organisation dedicated to AI and XR film events, education, and production, and recent hosts of the first AI Film Festival in Jamaica with Tech Beach, a high-end retreat sponsored by Google.
With a background as an independent film producer, Daniel has organised world-first initiatives like the first AI Filmmaking Foundation Course at Raindance Film School, and AI film events in Cannes, Venice, and Dubai. As a speaker, Daniel has presented at prestigious venues, including the House of Lords, AIAI New York, and World AI Congress, and has showcased innovation at global platforms like GAIN AI Summit, Web Summit, CogX, and LEAP Saudi Arabia. Ultimately, Daniel's mission is to unlock new possibilities for storytelling through innovation.Additional resources:
Pitching essentials for screenwriters and filmmakers
https://www.raindance.org/pitching-essentials-for-filmmakers-and-screenwriters/Did you know?
Raindance members attend this event for FREE? Join online here
https://www.raindance.org/membership/
