Northern Ireland Screen

What Northern Ireland Screen does

Northern Ireland Screen is the statutory screen agency for Northern Ireland, established as a non-departmental public body sponsored by the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) via the British Film Institute (BFI), with additional funding from Northern Ireland's Department for Communities and the Irish Government. Its mission spans three pillars: boosting the local economy, celebrating Northern Ireland's culture, and enhancing children's education through film and television. Between 2022 and 2026, the agency's "Stories, Skills and Sustainability" strategy generated more than £477 million for the Northern Ireland economy while backing productions that secured over 100 major industry awards across Academy Awards, BAFTAs, Emmys, Royal Television Society, and Broadcast Awards.

The organisation administers a broad portfolio of funding programmes — including the Screen Fund for production financing, Development Fund for script and project development, Green Lit (with BBC Northern Ireland), New Writer Focus, Short Film Schemes, Games & Digital Assets, the Irish Language Broadcast Fund (ILBF), and the Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund (USBF). Its technology infrastructure is anchored by Studio Ulster, a £72 million, 75,000 ft² virtual production facility in Belfast — the only purpose-built virtual production campus on the island of Ireland — featuring LED volume stages, motion capture, 3D/4D scanning, and Dell Technologies-powered AI workflow systems. The CoSTAR Screen Lab (£75.6 million AHRC-backed) provides embedded R&D capacity.

Northern Ireland Screen does not generate commercial revenue; it is a publicly funded intermediary that distributes grants and recoupable awards to Northern Ireland production companies, emerging filmmakers, animation studios, language-sector producers, schools, and young people aged 14-19. Distribution of funded content occurs through partnerships with BBC (NI, One, Two, iPlayer), RTÉ, TG4, Channel 4, ITV, and Netflix, with international distribution via Fox Entertainment Global and Fremantle. The agency operates from Belfast with 11-50 employees under the leadership of CEO Richard Williams (departing June 2026), with sub-brands including the Digital Film Archive, BFI NETWORK Northern Ireland, Film Hub NI, and ScreenWorks.

Name

Northern Ireland Screen

Legal name

Northern Ireland Screen

Website

https://northernirelandscreen.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Northern Ireland Screen is the statutory, government-backed screen agency for Northern Ireland, administering public funding, talent development programmes, and virtual production infrastructure (Studio Ulster) to support the local film, television, animation, games, and digital content industries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Screen Industry Development and Funding

NAICS

Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921), Motion Picture and Video Production (512110)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Broadcasting Grants & Government Funding Administration (MPABADAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grant Funding & Public/Nonprofit Financing (MPADAAAO), Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH), Intergovernmental Affairs & Federal Grants Administration (BPAIAAAC)

Keywords

• Screen industry funding
• Film production grants
• Broadcast content development
• Creative skills training
• Cultural heritage preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Belfast

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding & Grants: Northern Ireland Screen operates as a publicly funded body receiving funding from UK government departments (DCMS), Northern Ireland Executive, and lottery funds through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and BFI. The organization distributes this funding as grants and recoupable awards to eligible production companies, educational institutions, and training programmes. This is not a revenue-generating commercial enterprise but rather a government-funded agency supporting the screen industry.
2. ILBF Production Funding: Irish Language Broadcast Fund provides up to £400,000 per project, up to 75% of project costs, requiring minimum 70% spend in Northern Ireland. Funded by DCMS via British Film Institute and Irish Government's Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media.
3. USBF Production Funding: Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund provides financing for television, radio, and digital content relating to Ulster-Scots heritage, culture and language. Supports minimum 10 hours of moving image programming and 1 radio project per annum.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Northern Ireland Screen is a government-funded statutory screen agency that distributes development and production grants, recoupable awards, and tax relief guidance to Northern Ireland-based film, television, animation, games, and digital content producers. It runs dedicated language broadcast funds (Irish Language Broadcast Fund and Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund), skills and training programmes, youth work experience schemes (ScreenWorks, Academy Programmes), cultural preservation through the Digital Film Archive, and supports the Studio Ulster virtual production facility. The organisation operates as a non-departmental public body sponsored by the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport, with funding from BFI, Department for Communities, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, and the Irish Government.

Product overview

Northern Ireland Screen operates as a government-funded screen industry development agency offering a comprehensive portfolio of funding programs, training initiatives, and cultural services. The core offerings include the Screen Fund for production financing, Development Fund for script and project development, and specialized language broadcast funds (ILBF and USBF) supporting Irish and Ulster-Scots content. Talent development programs encompass New Writer Focus, Short Film Schemes, Green Lit (BBC NI partnership), and BFI NETWORK initiatives for early-career filmmakers. The skills ecosystem includes Training & Skills programs, ScreenWorks youth work experience, Academy Programmes, and Company Placement Schemes. Cultural preservation is served through the Digital Film Archive, Film Hub NI, and film festival funding. Tax relief guidance and travel bursaries round out the support services. The organization does not operate as a traditional software or technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Irish Language Broadcast Fund (ILBF): An Ciste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge - Funding Irish language content of high quality and fostering the Irish speaking independent production sector in Northern Ireland. Established 2005.
• Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund (USBF)
• Digital Film Archive (DFA)
• BFI NETWORK Northern Ireland
• ScreenWorks
• Screen Academies

Products and services

• Screen Fund (Production Funding) Core production funding program offering recoupable awards or grants for feature films, television drama, animation, factual, and entertainment content with a maximum investment and requires at least 65% of project funding already in place.
• Development Fund Funding for script development, project development, and slate development covering feature films, television drama, and interactive content for Northern Ireland writers and production companies. Maximum award for script development to companies is £40,000 (50% of total development costs) and for individuals is £2,250 through the New Writer Focus scheme.
• Irish Language Broadcast Fund (ILBF) Funding program supporting Irish language content production and fostering the Irish-speaking independent production sector in Northern Ireland. Provides up to £400,000 per project, up to 75% of agreed project costs, with minimum 70% spend required in Northern Ireland. Works with BBC Northern Ireland, TG4, and RTÉ as broadcast partners.
• Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund (USBF) Funding program ensuring Ulster-Scots heritage, culture, and language is expressed through moving image and fostering the Ulster-Scots independent production sector in Northern Ireland. Supports television, radio, and digital content related to Ulster-Scots heritage, culture and language, with minimum 10 hours of moving image programming and 1 radio project per annum.
• Green Lit Collaboration between Northern Ireland Screen and BBC Northern Ireland Drama Initiative supporting emerging Northern Ireland resident writing, directing, producing, and acting talent through scripted comedy and drama productions. Six projects receive £10,000 development funding each, with three proceeding to production and broadcast on BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer.
• New Writer Focus Flagship script development scheme discovering and nurturing emerging screenwriting talent for feature film, featuring writers' rooms, individual development, and networking opportunities. Maximum award for individuals is £2,250 through New Writer Focus scheme.
• Short Film Schemes Production funding for short films including live action, factual, and virtual reality up to 15 minutes, available at individual and company levels through Lottery Funds and BFI NETWORK. Short Film Call covers live action, factual and VR. Creative Animation scheme supports up to 2 animated shorts. New Shorts Focus provides production awards up to £12,500 for up to 3 projects.
• Games & Digital Assets Prototype and production funding for video games, immersive, and web projects for Northern Ireland companies, including development mentoring and industry event support. Prototype funding up to £30,000 (90% of budgets up to £34,000). Production funding up to £500,000 (25% of project budget, requiring 65% of funding already in place). Games Development Call up to £15,000.
• BFI NETWORK Northern Ireland UK-wide initiative supporting early career filmmakers through New Writer Focus, London Readings, Talent Showcase, Short Film Calls, New Shorts Focus, and Creative Animation programs in Northern Ireland.
• Skills & Training Programmes Comprehensive training programs including Research Ready, Company Placement Scheme, Puttnam Scholarship, Trainee opportunities, Animation placements, Director/Producer Shadowing Scheme, and Skills Fund. Supports tailored training and workforce development in partnership with BFI Skills Cluster (£900,000 over three years).
• Digital Film Archive Free public access resource containing hundreds of hours of moving image titles spanning 1897 to present, documenting Northern Irish society and pre-Partition Ireland with broadcast news, films, TV dramas, sport, documentaries, and animation. Over 200 pieces of cine film digitised and preserved through Unlocking Film Heritage project.
• UK Tax Reliefs Guidance Guidance and support for accessing UK tax reliefs including Film Tax Relief (25%), High-end Television Tax Relief, Animation Tax Relief, Children's Television Tax Relief, and Video Games Tax Relief administered via Northern Ireland Screen as the designated body for Northern Ireland.
• ScreenWorks Work Experience Work experience program for young people aged 14-19 exploring screen crafts including Costume Design, Game Development, Storyboarding, VFX, Camera Operating, Location Scouting, and Production roles. 1,100+ young people aged 16-19 engaged through ScreenWorks placements.
• Academy Programmes Training and mentorship programs for young people aged 16-19 including BFI Film Academy, Animation Academy, Games Development Academy, and VFX Academy delivered through Creative Learning Centres for those not currently at university.
• Film Hub NI Part of BFI's UK-wide Film Audience Network developing and delivering pop-up cinemas, film clubs, programming initiatives, special events, and training to grow film audiences in Northern Ireland. One of 9 Film Hubs across UK.
• Film Festival Funding Funding support for Northern Ireland film festivals including Belfast Film Festival, Foyle Film Festival, and Cinemagic, providing access to diverse range of films.
• Travel Bursary Financial support for Northern Ireland talent to attend international markets, festivals, and conferences outside the UK and Ireland for career advancement.
• Marketing Support for Shorts Support for new and emerging filmmakers to attend international Oscar or BAFTA accredited film festivals with their Northern Ireland Screen-supported short films.
• CINE - Creative Industries New Entrants Entry-level program broadening access to screen and creative industries, providing training and 12-18 month paid industry placements with mentorship for underrepresented communities. 102 new entrant jobs created for people from underrepresented groups through CINE scheme.
• Studio Ulster Virtual Production Facility Virtual production facility featuring LED volume stages, motion capture technology, 3D/4D scanning, and AI-powered workflow systems. Powered by Dell Technologies AI infrastructure in partnership with NantStudios, Brompton, and ROE Visual. Houses the CoSTAR Screen Lab backed by £75.6 million AHRC funding.

Quantifiable outcome

• £477 million generated for Northern Ireland economy over four years, exceeding £442 million target by £35 million
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• British Film Institute (BFI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026BFI awarded £900,000 over three years to Northern Ireland Screen for BFI Skills Cluster Northern Ireland programme, part of £11.85m UK-wide investment in screen workforce development. The partnership addresses below-the-line production skills gaps through tailored training, workforce development, and career pathways with education providers. One of seven BFI Skills Clusters across UK.
• BBC Northern IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 January 2026Green Lit is a collaboration between Northern Ireland Screen and BBC Northern Ireland to support emerging NI resident writing, directing, producing, and acting talent. Three new standalone scripted comedies or dramas will be broadcast on BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer. Six projects receive £10,000 development funding each, three proceed to production.
• Dell TechnologiescoreTechnology or Integration · 11 November 2025Studio Ulster partnered with Dell Technologies to enhance virtual production capabilities using Dell's AI infrastructure solutions. The partnership supports the £72 million facility's LED panels, real-time digital environments, and AI-powered scalable data management to improve workflow efficiency and sustainability.
• Ulster UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2025Studio Ulster developed by Ulster University in partnership with Belfast Harbour and supported by Northern Ireland Screen. The £72 million, 75,000 ft² facility is the only purpose-built virtual production campus on the island of Ireland.
• Belfast HarbourcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2025Belfast Harbour partnered with Ulster University and Northern Ireland Screen to develop Studio Ulster at Belfast Harbour Studios, hosting the virtual production facility.
• Screen IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScreen Ireland partnered with Northern Ireland Screen and Atticus Education to offer four Northern Ireland residents the Puttnam Scholarship 2026 Programme - six online masterclasses with Lord David Puttnam plus in-person event. Scholarship valued at €1,000 plus travel bursary.
• Atticus EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtticus Education partners with Northern Ireland Screen and Screen Ireland to deliver the Puttnam Scholarship programme featuring six interactive online masterclasses with Lord David Puttnam covering creativity, storytelling, business, and future of filmmaking.
• BBC NI, TG4, RTÉcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerILBF works with BBC Northern Ireland, TG4, and RTÉ as broadcast partners for Irish language content. The fund also produces annual commissioning documents with these broadcasters detailing content priorities. Additionally partners with various digital platforms.
• British Film Institute Film Audience NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm Hub NI is part of BFI's UK-wide Film Audience Network, one of 9 Film Hubs across UK. This major audience development initiative aims to bring broader range of film to more audiences across UK.
• Cinemagic and Nerve CentrecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInto Film delivered by Cinemagic and the Nerve Centre across Northern Ireland, providing film education programmes, workshops, and CPD sessions for schools.
• Into FilmcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInto Film delivers ScreenWorks programme providing 3-5 day work experience placements across film, TV, animation, gaming, and VFX sectors for young people aged 14-19.
• NantStudios, Brompton, ROE VisualcoreTechnology or IntegrationStudio Ulster features technology partnerships with NantStudios, Brompton (for LED processing), and ROE Visual (for LED panels) to deliver virtual production capabilities including LED volume stages and motion capture.
• Rare TV, Stellify MediamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDuffy documentary for Disney+ produced by Rare TV in collaboration with Stellify Media and Northern Ireland Screen, featuring interviews with Duffy, family, friends, and music industry peers.
• Element Pictures, FremantlemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChannel 4 drama 'Close to Home' produced by Element Pictures based on Michael Magee's novel, distributed by Fremantle, filmed in Belfast with support from Northern Ireland Screen and Screen Ireland.
• Mammoth Screen, Alcon Television Group, ZDF GermanymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerITV thriller 'First Woman' starring Andrea Riseborough and Ashley Walters is co-production between ITV Studios-owned Mammoth Screen, Alcon Television Group, and Germany's ZDF, marking Alcon's first co-financed international co-production of this scale.
• Fox Entertainment GlobalmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFox Entertainment Global serving as international distributor for UK-Canada comedy 'Committed' produced by Cameron Pictures and Fabel Productions.
• NSPCCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthern Ireland Screen developed Standards of Behaviour with NSPCC for safeguarding of screen industry personnel, particularly young adults (18-25), protecting from physical, sexual and emotional harm.
• National Museums Northern Ireland, UTV, Tourism NI, Irish Film ArchiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Unlocking Film Heritage project digitising cine material, with Northern Ireland represented alongside British Film Institute National Archive and UK regional screen archives.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Ontario Creates: Provincial film-funding and economic-development agency in Ontario, Canada. Comparable regional screen agency model administering tax credits and production funds — relevant peer for benchmarking how sub-national agencies operate internationally, especially given the UK-Canada co-production 'Committed'.

Broad incumbents

• BFI (British Film Institute): UK-wide lead body for film and the moving image, distributing National Lottery and DCMS funding, operating the BFI NETWORK and BFI Skills Clusters. Comparable as the parent UK funder/administrator and a direct strategic partner (BFI Skills Cluster NI), but operates at much larger national scale across all four UK nations.
• ScreenSkills: UK-wide industry-led skills body for the screen industries, funded by industry levies and government. Peer in workforce-development mandate (CINE, Skills Fund, traineeships, BFI Skills Cluster all map directly to ScreenSkills programmes), but operating at UK-national scale rather than regional focus.
• Coimisiún na Meán: Ireland's statutory regulator and development agency for broadcasting and on-demand media. Comparable public-body role in funding Irish-language and regional media content (paralleling ILBF/USBF mandates), but with a regulatory as well as funding remit.

Emerging players

• Sundance Institute: US-based nonprofit supporting independent film and emerging storytellers through labs, festivals, and grants. Comparable focus on new-writer/talent development (paralleling New Writer Focus, Green Lit, and Academy Programmes) and supporting films that go on to major festival and Academy recognition.

Direct peers

• Creative Scotland: Scotland's public body for arts, screen, and creative industries funding. Directly comparable devolved-agency model providing development, production, and skills funding for film/TV in a UK region — competing with NI Screen for tentpole UK productions and BFI allocations.
• Screen Ireland: Ireland's national screen agency, funding film, television, and animation production across the Republic of Ireland. Closest functional peer — same industry-development mandate, overlapping co-production partners (e.g., 'Close to Home' co-funded by both agencies), and direct competition for studio and streamer attention on the island of Ireland.
• Ffilm Cymru Wales: Wales's national screen agency funding development and production of Welsh film, TV, and digital work. Functionally equivalent devolved model — both agencies operate at sub-national level, administer BFI NETWORK in their region, and pursue similar policy outcomes around indigenous language content and regional economic impact.
• Arts Council of Northern Ireland: Statutory body distributing National Lottery and exchequer funds for arts in Northern Ireland. Direct funding-flow peer — ACNI provides lottery funding to NI Screen's Short Film Call and broader programmes, and both organizations share the same NDPB/government-accountability structure.

Others

• Canadian Media Producers Association: Canadian trade association for independent producers, administering the Canada Media Fund. Ecosystem peer relevant to the UK-Canada co-production pathway that Northern Ireland Screen is now actively pursuing; comparable industry-association role in production funding and policy advocacy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/niscreen
• Facebookfacebook.com/93215885529
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/northern-ireland-screen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Northern Ireland Screen