As the traditional indie film market falters, is the future for writers the £1K - £100K feature they can make themselves?
Date: Sunday, April 12th
Time: 09:00 to 09:50
Room: Tuke Hall
Filmed: YES
For years, the conventional wisdom for writers has been to aim for the “properly financed” indie feature, the £1–5 million film with recognised talent and traditional distribution. But in 2026 that model is looking increasingly fragile. Financing is harder, sales are tougher, and many mid-range independent films are struggling to get made at all.
So does it make more sense to stop waiting and just make the film yourself?
This panel explores the rapidly evolving world of micro-budget filmmaking, from features made for £100,000 all the way down to £1,000–£2,000, and asks what real value these films can have for writers and filmmakers today.
Moderated by prolific indie filmmaker Pat Higgins, the session brings together filmmakers who have taken different routes through the indie landscape. Paul Fitzsimmons has just completed a £50,000 feature, offering fresh insight into the realities of getting a film made at that level right now. Ben Mole, meanwhile, has produced a number of higher-end independent features and can speak to how the economics and opportunities differ across budget ranges.
Together, the panel will discuss:
- Whether the micro-budget feature is becoming the smartest way to break through
- The practical benefits of making something rather than waiting for permission
- What you learn when your script is forced through the realities of production
- How having a finished film can build your reputation and expand your network
- Strategies for attracting collaborators from directors and actors to producers, sales agents, and distributors
- Practical tactics for actually getting a film made on very limited resources
In an industry where thousands of writers have great scripts that remain unproduced, making a micro-budget feature can transform you from “a writer with ideas” into a filmmaker with a finished movie.
So is the micro-budget feature the new indie path forward?
This session explores whether the smartest move in today’s industry might be the simplest one: stop waiting and start shooting.
Speakers in this session
Ben Mole // Director
Ben Mole, a London-based filmmaker, has directed 4 features, show-run a $20M series, and helmed 30+ global TV projects. He’s won dozens of awards across film, TV, VR, and commercials.
Pat Higgins // Independent Filmmaker and Screenwriter
Pat Higgins is an acclaimed writer/director known for his indie films, creative expertise, and proven filmmaking success.
