Exciting new directors given privileged access to world-class filmmakers
18 June 2009
Six emerging directors will take part in The Director's Lab; an intensive, five-day professional feature film development programme at this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF). Number 9 Films producer/director Stephen Woolley (Sounds Like Teen Spirit, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People) has been named Patron of the Director's Lab for the second year running.
The Director's Lab will give six selected participants privileged access to filmmakers, UK Film Council executives, producers and agents, including David Thompson, Robert Jones, Paul Frazer, Tony Grisoni and Kerry Fox. The Skillset and UK Film Council-supported initiative runs from June 19-24 and includes bespoke creative, craft and market sessions. Participants will also be matched with a director mentor, who can provide creative support, advice and insight.
The six talented new directors have been selected for their strong, distinctive voices and are looking to move from shorts, TV drama, theatre or documentary to features. They are:
- Esther May Campbell - winner of this year's Short Film BAFTA for September
- Deborah Haywood - 2007Screen International Star of Tomorrow
- Corinna Faith - BAFTA nominated for her short film Care
- Johnny Barrington - Scottish BAFTA nominated for short film Trout
- Chris Shepherd - multi award-winning animation and live action writer/director
- Avie Luthra - BAFTA nominated and Oscar® shortlisted for short film Lucky
Three of those taking part - Esther May Campbell, Corinna Faith and Johnny Barrington - are graduates of Think Shoot Distribute, a London Film Festival initiative supported by Skillset and Film London which gives producers, screenwriters and directors an opportunity to meet with leading film professionals in a series of workshops and master-classes exploring the international film industry.
Skillset's Director of Film Neil Peplow said: "This initiative offers emerging directors an amazing opportunity to learn from those at the top of their game. They will be given essential advice on everything from sales and distribution to generating ideas and working with writers and actors. It will be a great help for them when making the leap from shorts to features."
Lenny Crooks, Head of the UK Film Council's New Cinema Fund, said: "At a time when audiences are seeing an exciting new wave of energy and creativity surfacing in British film, the UK Film Council/Skillset Lab is an excellent way of advancing the next generation of filmmakers. The fact that such eminent professionals come on board to give their time, experience and expertise to benefit these newcomers shows the confidence that the UK industry has in our emerging talent."
Edinburgh International Film Festival Artistic Director Hannah McGill said: "EIFF prides itself on being an international festival of discovery and a showcase for new talent. The Director's Lab is a perfect fit, and we are honoured and delighted to host it again in its second year. The lab has already proven a hugely successful addition to the programme: nurturing and developing the next generation of world class UK filmmakers, and providing a platform for them to meet some of the leading figures in the industry. I'm delighted by the standard of this year's participants and look forward to welcoming them all to the festival."
The Directors Lab is funded by the UK Film Council's New Cinema Fund and Skillset and run by Lifesize Pictures. The Director's Lab is also supported by Scottish Screen. Those selected will have access to free accommodation, travel, subsistence, festival passes and help with childcare.
Last year's Directors Lab participants were Hope Dickson Leach, Charles-Henri Belleville, Scott Graham, Jane Linfoot, Rene Mohandas and Amy Neil.
Media enquiries:
Jennifer Walters
e: jenniferw@skillset.org
t: 0207 713 9812
Notes to Editors
About this year's Director's Lab participants
1. Chris Shepherd - Writer/Director
Chris is an acclaimed animation and live action writer/director. He set up Polkadot Productions in 1995. There he produced BAFTA nominated The World Of Interiors (2001), and directed multi-award winning film The Broken Jaw (1997) for Channel 4 and the award winning Stareout sketches in BBC/Talkback's Big Train. In 2000 he co-founded Slinky Pictures, where he wrote and directed short films including BIFA winner and BAFTA nominated Dad's Dead (2002), Who I Am And What I Want (co-directed with David Shrigley in 2002) and TCM Classic Shorts Award winner Silence Is Golden (2006). He is currently developing a feature film for Film4, and is in pre-production on his new short, Bad Night For The Blues.
2. Deborah Haywood - Writer/Director
Deborah's first short Lady Margaret (2007) screened at festivals worldwide. In the same year she was named as a Star of Tomorrow by Screen International. She recently finished her second short film Tender (2009), written by Roger Hadfield, and is currently developing new shorts Sis and Shit Fly. Deborah is also developing two features: BITE, with Sally Hibbin and the UK Film Council's First Feature Development Fund and Pin Cushion, with Tina Pawlik and EM Media.
3. Esther May Campbell - Writer/Director
Self-taught in the world of independent film production, Esther has experience ranging from directing full 35mm drama productions to on-the-fly shooting and editing. She's directed prime-time TV serials, sex education films in South Wales and corporate drama for and about randy sailors. Her captivating, cinematic stories tell of lost souls, tragic lovers, limbo lives, daydreamers, musical wonder and door slammers. With latest short film September (2008) winning this year's BAFTA, Esther has been selected by Zentropa and Sigma Films to work on an original feature. She is also developing an adaptation with Robyn Slovo and a book adaptation with Ben Slater.
4. Johnny Barrington - Writer/Director
Johnny attended the Glasgow School of Art and the Gothenburg School of Photography & Film. He went on to direct experimental short films and several pop promos, which screened on MTV. His recent short films include the Scottish BAFTA nominated Trout (2006) which screened at festivals worldwide including Sundance and Terra Firma (2007), a UK Film Council/Film4 funded Cinema Extreme film set on a North Sea ferry. Johnny is currently developing feature film Aberdeen Angus with the UK Film Council, a story about a boy racer sucked into a vortex of lust and guilt.
5. Avie Luthra - Writer/Director
Avie is an award winning writer/director who has worked on short films, features, TV dramas, documentary and radio. In 2003 he wrote an episode of the high-profile BBC series, Canterbury Tales (2003) and won the Dennis Potter Award for his 60 minute BBC film, Indian Dream (2003). He was named as a Star of Tomorrow by Screen International in 2004. His short film Lucky (2005) won 42 awards and was BAFTA nominated and Oscar® shortlisted. In 2007 he devised the Radio 4 drama, The Prospect, currently in its second series. His first feature Mad, Sad and Bad (2009) premieres in the British Gala section at the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2009.
6. Corinna Faith - Writer/Director
Corinna graduated from the University of Westminster in 1996 with first-class honours in Film and Video Arts. In 1998 she won a Channel 4 competition to direct her first short film, Deep Water (1998), a documentary about depression. Her short film, Ashes (2004) screened at numerous festivals and was nominated for the TCM Classic Shorts Award. In 2006 she was named as a Star of Tomorrow by Screen International. The same year, her short film Care (2006) was nominated for a BAFTA. Corinna was recently selected to direct The Thai Bride (2008) for the highly competitive Channel 4 drama scheme Coming Up, and she is currently developing her first feature length screenplay This Little Piggy, in collaboration with Warp X.
About Skillset
Skillset is the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for Creative Media which comprises TV, film, radio, interactive media, animation, computer games, facilities, photo imaging and publishing. SSCs are licensed by the UK Government and by Ministers in the devolved administrations to tackle the skills and productivity challenge by sector. They are independent, UK-wide organisations, are employer-led, and actively involve trade unions, professional bodies and other stakeholders in the industry.
About the UK Film Council
The UK Film Council is the lead agency for film in the UK ensuring that the economic, cultural and educational aspects of film are effectively represented at home and abroad. We invest Government grant-in-aid and Lottery money in film development and production; skills development; international development and export promotion; distribution and exhibition; and education. Our aim is to deliver lasting benefits to the industry and the public alike.
About the Edinburgh International Film Festival
Since 1947, the Edinburgh International Film Festival has devoted itself to discovering and promoting the very best in international cinema - and to embracing, celebrating and debating changes and developments in the global film industry.Intimate in its scale, ambitious in its scope, and fuelled by pure passion for cinema in all its manifestations, EIFF seeks to expose the cutting edge of new film talent, in a setting steeped in history.
A Bigger Future
A Bigger Future is a strategic plan for delivering industry relevant skills in the UK film industry. The result of 12 months research and consultation with the industry - from those involved in script development to those working in exhibition - it is a £50m, five-year plan. It is funded by the National Lottery through the UK Film Council, and from contributions made to the Skills Investment Fund (SIF) from feature films, and additionally-levered sources of finance.