James Schamus at forefront of Skillset-packed Times BFI London Film Festival programme
12 October 2009
Oscar-nominated and BAFTA winning producer and screenwriter James Schamus will deliver an "anti-keynote" speech as part of a Skillset-packed schedule of events at this year's The Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival (LFF).
The inaugural address on Tuesday, October 27, entitled "My Wife is a Terrorist: Lessons in Storytelling from the Department of Homeland Security", is being hosted in partnership with the Sector Skills Council for the Creative Media Industries
It is part of a packed programme being supported by Skillset at the festival, which runs from October 14-19, to stimulate discussion and share knowledge and insight among established industry and newer filmmakers.
Neil Peplow, Skillset's Director of Film, said: "We are delighted to have someone of James Schamus's stature and unique experience to deliver the festival's keynote address, which we hope will just be the start of a significant annual event in the festival's calendar.
"Skillset is delighted to be partnering with the LFF once again, and to be funding a broad range of initiatives at this year's festival to bring together people from all sides and levels of the industry -as we embrace the major challenges ahead, Skillset's role is to make sure that the UK is equipped with the right people, knowledge and skills to help our film industry remain one of the best in the world."
Skillset is joining forces with the LFF, UK Film Council and Film London, to put on a major one-day film festivals forum - Virtually A Reality: How to Digitise Your Festival, on Monday, October 19.
Hosted by technology critic Bill Thompson, the event is aimed at UK film festivals of all sizes and types and anyone interested in the development of the film festival sector. It will delve into digital opportunities for film festivals across the UK's regions and nations.
Skillset is working with Women in Film and TV on a series of events, including the launch of a report, ‘Why Her?'. Pinpointing factors that have helped a number of women develop successful careers in film, acclaimed director Gurinder Chadha will be launching the report on Wednesday, October 21, at 8.00pm.
Skillset, Film London, Adobe and The Hospital Club are supporting the festival's five-day professional development programme Think-Shoot-Distribute. In its sixth year, it will bring together 25 talented filmmakers developing their feature film careers with leading industry professionals for a week of workshops and masterclasses. Alumni include former Screen International Stars of Tomorrow Geraldine Patten and Esther May Campbell, who won a BAFTA for Best Short Film.
Eminent producer Ted Hope (21 Grams, American Splendor) will present the keynote address at this year's Power to the Pixel. The Cross-Media Film Forum takes place from 14-15 October. Principal funder Skillset, alongside main partners the UK Film Council, Arts Council England, NESTA and Babelgum, is bringing together creators and key digital innovators, who are developing new models of storytelling, financing and distribution across multiple platforms.
It includes the Pixel Pitch - new for this year - a ground-breaking cross-media pitching forum for seven of the best UK and international cross-media film projects.
Media enquiries:
Jennifer Walters
e: jenniferw@skillset.org
t: 0207 713 9812
m: 07827 989 330
Notes to Editors
About James Schamus keynote address, in his own words
"Does the British film industry really need another "keynote" address? You know - the one where people like me intone about the challenges of our digital future, new distribution models, the threat of piracy, etc. etc.? The answer is: of course it does. But I'm too lazy or bored to whip up one of those. So instead I'll talk about what the film industry has to learn from contemporary narrative theory, by way of a discussion about my wife, who apparently is a terrorist. For the most powerful narrative factories today reside not in Hollywood but in places like Alexandria, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., and in the various unnameable suburbs of Maryland and Colorado and Georgia where hundreds of thousands of workers toil within America's vast homeland-security bureaucracies, spying on the rest of us - and they have a lot to teach us about storytelling."
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. Jointly funded by industry and government, our job is to help the UK creative media industries have the right people, with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time, so that our industries remain competitive.
About 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.
About the BFI
The BFI - the home of film in Britain. There's more to discover about film and television through the BFI. Our world-renowned archive, cinemas, festivals, films, publications and learning resources are here to inspire everyone.
British Film Institute