Initiated by Creative Scotland in 2011, Market Leaders was an annual programme that aimed to help connect Scotland-based feature film producers with the international market.
Through the programme, producers with market ready projects were encouraged to access key sales and distribution personnel and international co-production forums and partnerships, with a view to getting their projects the necessary co-production finance required.
The programme was designed to provide producers with the opportunity to concentrate on selling their projects and negotiating co-production finance and producing partners at a number of key major international markets. As well as supporting experienced producers, the programme also offered mentored market access to emerging producers to help support progression within the industry.
The filmmakers supported through Market Leaders received full pre-market support with research, introductions and an assessment of areas of focus for the trip on an individual basis, as well as guidance on latest market trends, and arranged meetings set up by Market Leaders with financiers, sales agents, financiers and distributors.
The markets and festivals that Scottish producers were supported to access included Cannes, the International Toronto Film Festival, the FIN Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax Nova Scotia, London Film Festival and Berlin Film Festival.
Market Leaders helped develop international relationships between Scottish producers and filmmakers that still remain in place to date.