Dating App Bumble Moves Into Original Content Space
Contributed by: kellyseal on Friday, May 18 2018 @ 11:43 am
Last modified on
Bumble announced the launch of its new creative endeavor: granting five female filmmakers and screenwriters in the U.K. $27,000 each to make a short film. This marks the company’s first official move into the original content space, following in the steps of Netflix, Amazon, and iTunes.
Bumble’s content shingle, dubbed The Female Film Force, came to fruition after the 2018 awards season, where only 15% of Oscar winners and 20% of BAFTA winners were female. Bumble wanted to ensure more women’s voices were heard and reflected in film, so its executives decided to launch this initiative.
Bumble writes on its website:
“So how do we change this? We are proud to announce Bumble Presents...The Female Film Force – the opportunity for five filmmakers (writer, directors or producers) to be granted £20,000 each to make a short film. Our final five films will embody Bumble’s values of female empowerment, equality and kindness.”
The move into content creation is a surprise. Many industry experts were betting on other high-profile tech giants to be the next to look into creating or funding their own content, rather than a dating app creator. However, this move is in line with Bumble’s female-first attitude towards dating and networking, taking it a step in a new direction. Female storytelling, as Bumble sees it, is a very important part of female empowerment, the company’s core mission.
The contest rules are laid out on Bumble’s website as well: when users sign into the app, they can swipe right with the in-app card that links to an online application. Participants will then be prompted to provide a description of who they are, relevant experience, and a summary of their films. A panel of industry experts will judge the submissions, including Edith Bowman, Broadcaster and film expert; Kate Kinninmont MBE, Chief Executive, Women in Film & TV UK; Ophelia Lovibond, Actor and activist; Georgina Campbell, BAFTA winning actor; Nicholas Pinnock, Actor; Helen Bownass, Entertainment Editor, Stylist Magazine; Emily Phillips, Features Editor, Grazia Magazine; and Louise Troen, VP International Marketing & Communications at Bumble.
Bumble also requires that all writers, directors and producers on each project be female.
This move follows other bold moves by the company, including a lawsuit with rival Tinder over sensitive information Bumble shared when they were in negotiations for acquisition. Bumble has recently launched other female-focused initiatives, including partnering with Planned Parenthood to promote discussions about consent in sexual relationships, as well as the partnership with Kris Jenner and Bumble Bizz to help her hire an assistant.
Lovibond told The Hollywood Reporter, “When women take up less space on screen, they take up less space in life...Figures show that women filmmakers tend to depict more gender-balanced stories, and so more women filmmakers could help redress the power imbalance and shift how women are viewed."
The competition is live, with entries for the first round of judging due by May 23rd. To enter you need to download bumble now.