Elliot Grove is a Canadian film producer who moved to London in the late 1980s before starting the Raindance Film Festival in 1993 and the British Independent Film Awards in 1998, both of which have grown to enormous success ever since. Elliot is a real expert when it comes to film and events, and in 2009 he was awarded a doctorate from the Open University at the Plymouth College of Art.

He is also an author and a global lecturer, where his talks cover screenwriting and filmmaking for enthusiasts with a low budget looking to get into the film industry. In 2001, he released ‘Raindance Writers Lab: How to Write and Sell the Hot Script,’ and in 2004, he followed with ‘Raindance Producer’s Lab Lo-To-No Budget Filmmaking.’

Elliot has also been an executive producer for ‘The Quiet Hour’ and ‘The Living and the Dead,’ as well as a producer for ‘Deadly Virtues: Love.Honour.Obey.’

I caught up with Elliot to find out how he has achieved his success and what Raindance has lined up for the future.

Q: Raindance has become a globally respected brand and institution for the film industry. Did you foresee that happening when you first launched it? What were your initial goals?

A: ‘I started Raindance as a thought experiment. Could I make a movie without any budget, no film training and no experience? My first intern was Edgar Wright who carried a lot of heavy boxes. When that kind of worked (I produced several no budget shorts and features), I started the film festival. 

I never planned for this to go on long, and all my mates in the so-called British film industry were taking bets that I would fail, but here I am, still standing since those very humble beginnings in 1992.’

Q: Wow. So your persistence paid off! And how big is Raindance now?

A: ‘It’s the largest independent film festival in the UK now and according to Variety, it’s one of the top 50 ‘must attend’ film festivals in the world – a great honour given there are over 5,000 film festivals worldwide.’

Q: What a fantastic and impressive achievement. What decisions did you make over the years that have helped it to grow as an event?

A: ‘My main decisions have been, I suppose, branding ones. What is the voice of Raindance? What sort of events should we do? What chances will we take? And what do people think of us?

The most difficult decisions have been to decline my mate’s films to the festival when I didn’t think they fit. As a result I have destroyed quite a few personal relationships. But if a festival doesn’t show really good films, then no one will come.’

Q: I guess sometimes business makes us face difficult decisions. With the rise of an ever more fragmented landscape for filmmakers due to digital distribution, do you see that as a challenge or an opportunity?

A: ‘A filmmaker with a voice, a filmmaker with something to say, a filmmaker good at visual communication and most importantly a filmmaker good at reaching their audience will always have people willing to pay to see their films, online or off.’

Q: How can events play a central role in how an industry evolves?

A: ‘Event cinema is the big new growth area and filmmakers are now following the model set by their music colleagues a generation ago; touting, performing and selling CD’s off the back of a van. Now of course it’s touring, Q and A’s, and selling the DVD’s or downloads off the back of the van.

Q: What is your best advice for other event organisers?

A: ‘Be organised. And be really clear in your marketing message. If you don’t understand social media, find another job!’

Q: Ha Ha. That’s good advice! What’s your best Raindance memory to date?

A: ‘After over 2 dozen years there are tons of memories. If I had to pick one right now on the spot, it would have to be Mick Jones of the Clash, a juror in 2007 turning to me after the screening of ONCE saying ‘I can’t get that song out of my head.’ He was referring to ‘Falling Slowly’ which went on to win the Oscar for the best song!’

Q: That’s quite an impressive story! What are you most excited about in 2015, and what’s next for Raindance?

A: ‘We are planning a touring programme and we are expanding our hubs to Athens, Mumbai and Tokyo in 2015, meaning us here in London get to meet and network with even more filmmakers from more interesting and exciting places around the world.’

That is fantastic. Best of luck with creating more hubs overseas, and thank you for your time!

Want to learn more? Check out the Raindance Film Festival (submissions are now open!) or follow Elliot on Twitter @elliot_grove.

The 23rd RAINDANCE FILM FESTIVAL is being held between SEPTEMBER 23rd and OCTOBER 4th 2015. You can sign up to Raindance’s Newsletter here.