A new scheme launched this week aims to help Bristol's local writers, producers and directors team up with the best national filmmaking talent to make the leap from TV and short films to the big screen.

Features from South West Screen and BBC Films is a new digital film initiative that will see three full-length feature films developed and shot in Bristol over the next 18 months. Open to writers, directors and producers, each film will have a £300,000 budget and be drawn from a slate of 12 projects which the partners will support through a six-month creative and commercial development process. Filming is scheduled for summer 2010 for the films to premiere in early 2011.

Christopher Moll from iFeatures is in charge. His producing credits include the Wallace & Gromit animation The Wrong Trousers, and the upcoming John Lennon biography Nowhere Boy.

He said the scheme "aims to tap into Bristol's burgeoning cultural confidence in the wake of such high profile offerings as the recent Banksy exhibition, TV shows Being Human and Skins, and the acclaimed Encounters International Short Film Festival".

Bristol's filmmaking talent was recognised at this year's Baftas, with Esther May Campbell from Easton and Aardman Animations both winning awards.

Bristol City Council is co-financing the iFeatures initiative alongside South West Screen and BBC Films, with BBC Films pre-buying UK TV rights to the final films.

iFeatures opens for submissions from today until December 4. For more information, visit www.ifeatures.co.uk.