Since its inception, in 2000, the Film Council's Development Fund has been the biggest development game in a town that has never much gone for development heaven or hell. Yet despite writing cheques for over £30 million covering over 550 projects, the Fund has yet to win the hearts of writers, the film industry or the UK audience.

Tanya Seghatchian, whose track-record as producer ranges from "Harry Potter" to BAFTA-winning "My Summer of Love", has shaken up the system, as well as abolishing two senior development executives and replacing them with three new positions, each of which requires practical production experience.

She told Euroscript this week, "I want to try to use my time to help build as dynamic and talent-driven a home for writers, directors and producers here as I can." And the job-changes and new funding channels are the first step.

First Film Development Programme

This "channel" is aimed specifically at screenwriters and writer-directors who have yet to have a feature length film broadcast or released.

They will be eligible for awards of up to £25,000 and writers can apply as individuals directly or with producers and/or directors attached. The UKFC will not get involved in any financial split. "It is up to applicants to agree between themselves how awards are to be shared," she says.

A major change is the immediate removal of the need for match funding, which hamstrung many applications in the past, and Seghatchian has also done away with the infamous premium and interest that the UKFC used to demand from producers.

Furthermore, personalised development programmes may be devised with experienced industry mentors.

Feature Film Development Programme

The Feature Film Development Programme is aimed firmly at writers, directors, producers and companies with a "demonstrable track record". Seghatchian tells us that she is looking for "films creatively driven by the applicant, with a view to them being set-up... and achieving their commercial potential."

In this programme, financial awards will generally be granted on a project by project basis and writers with their own companies and "a plan for the development process" may also apply directly - if they can drive development themselves.

She encourages partnership funding, ideally "match" funding - matching the UKFC's input pound for pound - but does say that partners will not be essential in every case.

Signature Awards

To supplement the above funds and "in order to help further encourage ambitious and original projects," she adds, the Development Fund will seek out filmmakers with a "distinctive voice or style". These will be invited to apply for new "Signature" Awards.

Funding will be open to non-UK talent, but usually only if their project has UK-related aspects, primarily subject matter or setting - falling under the new Cultural Test for British Film.

While Seghatchian restructures the department, with new job vacancies being advertised this month, writers with projects currently in development, or wish to have, will need to be patient.

The new awards will be decided every three months with the first likely to be announced Spring 2008. Will they help address the perennial British problem of putting serious and effective money into developing scripts - and particularly screenwriters? The new system looks hopeful, but as ever the proof will be in what is actually done and who is actually helped. Here the jury, as ever with the UKFC, will remain out for a little time yet.

Slate funding is to be addressed separately in the next few months.

For further details, FAQ's and guidelines on how to apply check out the UKFC website at http://www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/filmmaking/funding/features/development/