Norwich University of the Arts and the National Centre for Writing are excited to announce a competition to find the next generation of documentary filmmakers based in Norfolk.
Colton Lives is a collaboration between Norwich University of the Arts, the National Centre for Writing, Norwich Film Festival, Young Norfolk Arts Trust, and the Colton’s Acre General Trust.
About the competition
Three competition winners will each receive a bursary of £1,500 plus workshops and training in factual filmmaking.
In May 2027 the three winners will direct their own documentary. Each film will be a contemporary portrait of someone living or working in the St Giles parish in Norwich city centre (see map). The documentaries will be crewed by graduating students from the university’s film course, which will also provide camera kit and resources.
The project culminates in a gala screening at Norwich Film Festival 2028 where the documentaries will receive their world premiere.
How to enter
Applicants do not need to have any professional credits as a documentary maker, but they should be able to demonstrate a commitment to factual storytelling, e.g. as a journalist, blogger, or podcaster.
The competition is open to anyone aged 18+ who lives, works or studies in Norfolk.
To enter, please submit the following:
1. short statement about why you believe documentary filmmaking is important (200 words or less)
2. an example of your work as a factual storyteller, e.g. article or blog post. If you’re submitting a film please send a link, not a file.
3. an up-to-date CV (in PDF format)
Email your application to c.bryant@norwichuni.ac.uk
The closing date for applications is midnight on Wednesday 30 September 2026.
Terms and conditions
By entering the competition you agree to the following:
1. If selected, you (‘the filmmaker’) will attend workshops, carry out research, direct your documentary (‘the film’), and attend post production to a schedule set by Colton’s Acre General Trust and Norwich University of the Arts (‘the producer’) and detailed in clause 5 below.
2. The filmmaker grants to the producer the exclusive right to produce a documentary based on the filmmaker’s research and to promote and show the film at festivals and non-profit screenings worldwide
3. All rights to exploit the film commercially will be retained by the filmmaker
4. Any profit arising from film festival screenings described in clause 2 will be reallocated at the discretion of the producer
5. The schedule will be as follows:
(i) Autumn 2026 – filmmakers receive workshops and training at Norwich University of the Arts; and research their documentaries
(ii) May-June 2027 – shoot
(iii) July 2027 – edit begins
6. Producer will pay the filmmaker a bursary of £1500 in three instalments as follows:
(i) £600 on successful selection for the competition
(ii) £600 in January 2027
(iii) £300 when filming is complete
This agreement does not constitute a contract of employment between producer and filmmaker
7. Competition winners will be notified no more than three weeks after the closing date of the competition
8. Producer is unable to respond to individual correspondence about the competition and these terms represent the entirety of the agreement between producer and filmmaker
Design and graphics by Mara Rodriguez.
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