A new £2.5m equity scheme is set to boost film and high-end TV production in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
Screen Cornwall Equity Production Investment (SCEPI) is a public-private project designed to unlock the region’s potential as a nationally significant screen cluster.
Led by regional screen agency Screen Cornwall, the scheme will invest in a portfolio of up to 10 high-end TV and film projects produced or filmed in the region between 2025 and 2028, and support skills development with placements for trainees.
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The scheme was unveiled by Cornwall Council Leader Leigh Frost during a set visit to Beyond Paradise - the hit BBC crime drama starring Chris Marshall and Sally Bretton currently filming its fourth series in Cornwall.
SCEPI, which includes a £1.25m investment from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Programme, will back projects that deliver "strong commercial potential".
Mr Frost said: “This scheme builds on Good Growth investment in Screen Cornwall and marks a bold step forward for Cornwall’s creative industries. It will drive jobs and career development opportunities for locally-based talent and crew and strengthen and retain our diverse and highly skilled workforce.
"Supporting stories and storytellers with natural links to the region also promotes Cornwall and the Isles of Scily at home and abroad as a dynamic place to live, work and invest in through on-screen cultural and geographical representation to audiences worldwide.”
Projects will be required to contribute production spend to the local economy and have strong creative links to Cornwall. The scheme is open to 海角视频 production companies with narrative feature film projects, and high-end scripted drama or comedy projects intended for television or streaming.
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Supported productions will also be required to meet advanced environmental standards, reinforcing Cornwall’s commitment to green growth and net zero ambitions.
Each production will receive between £125,000 and £500,000, with investments matched by private investors.
By attracting inward investment and supporting local production companies, freelancers, and service providers, the scheme is expected to generate more than £6.75m in additional regional spend and support the creation of up to 117 jobs across the sector.
Alongside production investment, the scheme will provide paid placements for 30 local trainees, helping them transition into the industry and build sustainable careers.
Projects backed by the scheme will be selected for their ability to "reflect Cornwall’s unique identity and culture", including the use of the Cornish language.
Nada Cirjanic, recently appointed investment manager for SCEPI at Screen Cornwall, said: “SCEPI will offer experienced producers a source of equity for high end audience facing projects which shoot in Cornwall, answering a need for new finance in the market, but also drawing on the resources and experience in the region after many years of high-profile film and TV shoots here.”