The NTA Film & TV is excited to invite filmmakers to attend an information day for the Live-Action Drama Short Film Fund 2026.
What is the Short Film Fund?
If you are already working in the live-action or animation industry, this initiative from the NTA Film & TV Drama and NTA Animation aims to support you to transfer, upskill and/or make a career move from your current area of expertise.
The National Talent Academies Short Film Fund is targeted at practitioners who wish to learn additional skills or move into a different role. It is underpinned by a €15,000 fund that will provide the filmmaking team with carefully tailored mentoring, training, and workshops delivered by experienced industry professionals over the course of a year. This scheme is heavily focused on skills development and supporting you in expanding your skillset and enabling you to take on the new role.
Recent successful applicants included an established DOP, a Script Editor, and Unscripted and documentary filmmakers, all of whom received funding to transition into the role of director on their first funded live-action short film.
This is a fantastic opportunity to enhance the skills you already have, learn new ones, and allow your career to take new direction and flourish.
Who can attend?
If you meet the applicant requirements and are interested in submitting an application, you are welcome to register and attend this event.
Bear in mind that applications to the scheme are made as a team, made up of two or more members, which must contain a Director seeking to transfer/upskill or move into a writing/directing or directing role for the first time.
Information Day Event Details
We are running two information days in 2026, one in-person and one online via Zoom.
- Day One: Monday, January 26th 2026, Online (Evening)
- Day Two: Saturday, February 21st 2026, Dublin (Morning/Midday)
The in-person session will kick off with an introduction from the NTA about the Short Film Fund. NTA staff will then run a Q&A session, giving participants the opportunity to ask any questions that they have. If you are taking part in the online event, you will be able to submit questions when completing the RSVP form. The event will conclude with a networking session where all attendees can mingle and discuss potential projects.
The structure for the in-person information day will be as follows:
- Tea & Coffee
- NTA Introduction
- Q&A
- Networking
How To RSVP:
Register for any of the events with the RSVP link HERE
If you RSVP to take part in a registration day, your place is automatically confirmed. You will receive the location details or Zoom link closer to the meeting date.
Please list any access requirements that are needed when submitting an RSVP.
The deadline to RSVP for either of our two information days is 24 hours before the event’s start time or when the list reaches capacity. RSVP are first come, first served.
Please note that capacity for all registration events is limited, and once those RSVP lists reach venue capacity they will be closed to further registrations.
Further Information:
These events are for Live-Action applicants only.
More information about the application process, eligibility and guidelines for the Short Film Fund is available HERE
For any queries about this event and in general, you can contact NTA Film & TV Drama at liveaction.shorts@nationaltalentacademies.ie or NTA Animation animation@nationaltalentacademies.ie
You can contact NTAFT with any queries around the application process at liveaction.shorts@nationaltalentacademies.ie Please read the guidelines in detail before emailing.
We are happy to provide additional support and adjust guidelines if necessary to meet any accessibility requirements you may have. To discuss this, please contact Eibh Collins at liveaction.shorts@nationaltalentacademies.ie with the subject ‘application accessibility supports’ at least fourteen days before the application deadline.
National Talent Academy of Film and TV Drama is an initiative of Screen Ireland/Fís Éireann, managed by Ardán.
Subscribe to our newsletter
This newsletter will keep you up to date with courses, activities, programmes, events, news, and resources related to the Irish screen sector from crew, film, and television to animation and VFX.
Subscribe