In 1992, at a time when the British film industry was still finding its feet, Elliot founded Raindance as a film training provider. He founded the Raindance Film Festival the following year, which became the voice of independent film in the UK.

In the mid to late 1990s, Elliot felt that the film industry needed a space to celebrate the new British wave in the early part of the decade. With inspiration from Film Independent in the US and the Spirit Awards and the backing of a committed few in the industry, Elliot and Raindance founded the British Independent Film Awards in 1998, of which he remains a member of the board.

The British Independent Film Awards are now a key date in the British calendar year, with nominees and winners celebrated internationally.

Since the turn of the century, Elliot has founded Raindance Toronto [2004] and Raindance Vancouver/New York City/Los Angeles/Berlin/Brussels [all 2010].

Throughout his career, Elliot has produced more than 700 short films and six feature films, including Deadly Virtues [2014] and the 2019 SWSX Grand Jury Prize winning film, ALICE. He has also written three books which have become standards in the industry, including ‘Raindance Writers’ Lab: Write + Sell the Hot Screenplay’, ‘Raindance Producers’ Lab: Lo-To-No Budget Filmmaking’ and ‘Beginning Filmmaking: 100 Easy Steps from Script to Screen [Professional Media Practice]’.

In October 2021, Elliot appeared on a Leaders Council of Great Britain & Northern Ireland podcast, discussing the importance of leadership and the impact it has had on his career to date.