Director Pawel Pawlikowski received the 2010 MEDIA European Talent Prize at the last Cannes Film Festival, for his film Sister of Mercy.
The prize was given by Culture Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou who described the film as a “truly European work”.
Pawlikowski, whose previous credits include the critically-acclaimed My Summer of Love, is a director of Polish origin who lives in the United Kingdom. The annual MEDIA European Talent Prize is given to filmmakers with an outstanding European potential. For more, click here.
Wednesday 30 June 2010
Tuesday 29 June 2010
Ofcom publishes product placement proposals
This week Ofcom announced its proposals for the introduction of product placement on UK television screens.
Ofcom was given the go-ahead to begin making revisions to the broadcasting code under the Labour government in April, paving the way for the implementation of product placement.
It is now beginning its final consultation, after proposing to allow placement in drama, sports and light entertainment programming but excluding it from children's programmes, religious shows and current affairs. Ofcom has also suggested displaying symbols at the start and end of programmes containing product placement.
What's your view on product placement? Do you think other genres should be included or exempt from it? Are the proposed symbols adequate warning, or are they in fact unnecessary, or insufficient?
Click here to read more on the consultation.
Ofcom was given the go-ahead to begin making revisions to the broadcasting code under the Labour government in April, paving the way for the implementation of product placement.
It is now beginning its final consultation, after proposing to allow placement in drama, sports and light entertainment programming but excluding it from children's programmes, religious shows and current affairs. Ofcom has also suggested displaying symbols at the start and end of programmes containing product placement.
What's your view on product placement? Do you think other genres should be included or exempt from it? Are the proposed symbols adequate warning, or are they in fact unnecessary, or insufficient?
Click here to read more on the consultation.
Monday 28 June 2010
Skeletons wins Michael Powell award at Edinburgh Film Festival
Nick Whitfield’s Skeletons was recognised by judges as the best new British feature at the Edinburgh International Film Festival this year, taking home the prestigious Michael Powell Award on Saturday night.
Skeletons, which has been described as a quirky ghost comedy, was victorious because it "exemplifies the spirit of Michael Powell in its original vision and dark humor”, according to the jury. Previous winners include Shane Meadows (for Somers Town) and Duncan Jones (Moon).
Other award winners included Ryan Piers Williams’s Dry Land, which won Best International Feature, while Gareth Edwards picked up this year's new directors award for his film Monsters. Laura Poitras won the Best Documentary award for The Oath.
Directors UK would like to congratulate all those nominated at this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival. For more on this story, click here.
28th June 2010
Skeletons, which has been described as a quirky ghost comedy, was victorious because it "exemplifies the spirit of Michael Powell in its original vision and dark humor”, according to the jury. Previous winners include Shane Meadows (for Somers Town) and Duncan Jones (Moon).
Other award winners included Ryan Piers Williams’s Dry Land, which won Best International Feature, while Gareth Edwards picked up this year's new directors award for his film Monsters. Laura Poitras won the Best Documentary award for The Oath.
Directors UK would like to congratulate all those nominated at this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival. For more on this story, click here.
28th June 2010
Justin Hardy reveals the Untold Battle of Trafalgar
Director Justin Hardy talked with the Daily Telegraph recently about his upcoming programme, The Untold Battle of Trafalgar.
The drama-documentary reveals that almost 10 per cent of Nelson’s sailors were foreigners lured in by huge rewards, and is being broadcast as part of Channel 4's Bloody Foreigners series, which "highlights the role played by foreigners at crucial moments in British history".
Click here to read more.
The drama-documentary reveals that almost 10 per cent of Nelson’s sailors were foreigners lured in by huge rewards, and is being broadcast as part of Channel 4's Bloody Foreigners series, which "highlights the role played by foreigners at crucial moments in British history".
Click here to read more.
Friday 25 June 2010
US makes plans for IP protection, and Hackford responds to Viacom court defeat
The US government has for the first time announced a strategic plan on intellectual property enforcement, in an attempt to better coordinate efforts to tackle piracy.
Vice-president Joe Biden, along with Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator Victoria Espinol, released their report and recommendations for a new approach to ensuring the protection of intellectual property, including cooperating with foreign governments to go after foreign-based pirate sites.
"To state it very bluntly, piracy hurts," Vice President Biden said at the press conference on Tuesday. "It hurts our economy, our health and our safety." Meanwhile, Espinel, who was appointed by President Obama last year, sent out a warning to pirates, stating: "We have committed to putting you out of business”.
The announcement came in the same week Google won its court battle with media conglomerate Viacom, which claimed the Internet giant was guilty of copyright infringement through its video-sharing website YouTube.
Google argued successfully that YouTube was protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Viacom called the ruling “fundamentally flawed” in a statement, whilst Directors Guild of America president Taylor Hackford expressed his concern too. “We fear that the precedent established in this ruling, if not overturned by the appeals court, could result in a drastic rising tide of Internet theft that could decimate our members’ livelihoods”, Hackford stated yesterday.
For more on the US Administration's piracy crackdown, click here. To read the full statement from Taylor Hackford, click here.
Vice-president Joe Biden, along with Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator Victoria Espinol, released their report and recommendations for a new approach to ensuring the protection of intellectual property, including cooperating with foreign governments to go after foreign-based pirate sites.
"To state it very bluntly, piracy hurts," Vice President Biden said at the press conference on Tuesday. "It hurts our economy, our health and our safety." Meanwhile, Espinel, who was appointed by President Obama last year, sent out a warning to pirates, stating: "We have committed to putting you out of business”.
The announcement came in the same week Google won its court battle with media conglomerate Viacom, which claimed the Internet giant was guilty of copyright infringement through its video-sharing website YouTube.
Google argued successfully that YouTube was protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Viacom called the ruling “fundamentally flawed” in a statement, whilst Directors Guild of America president Taylor Hackford expressed his concern too. “We fear that the precedent established in this ruling, if not overturned by the appeals court, could result in a drastic rising tide of Internet theft that could decimate our members’ livelihoods”, Hackford stated yesterday.
For more on the US Administration's piracy crackdown, click here. To read the full statement from Taylor Hackford, click here.
Thursday 24 June 2010
Government discards plans for BFI and UK Film Council merger
Culture minister Ed Vaizey has confirmed that plans formed by the previous government to merge BFI and the UK Film Council have been abandoned.
As previously reported, Vaizey announced he intends “to reassess fundamentally how the government supports film in this country... to make sure every pound of public money we spend gives maximum benefit."
John Woodward, CEO of the UK Film Council, was pleased that the emergency Budget this week made no mention of cuts to film funding, but said, “only when we get past October's public spending review will we know the full picture for public funding for film over the next few years."
The DCMS is to reduce spending by 25% or more over the next four years, which could mean cuts to the UKFC's Grant-in-Aid funding. About 60% of its Grant-in-Aid funding goes to the BFI.
For more, visit the IFTN website here
As previously reported, Vaizey announced he intends “to reassess fundamentally how the government supports film in this country... to make sure every pound of public money we spend gives maximum benefit."
John Woodward, CEO of the UK Film Council, was pleased that the emergency Budget this week made no mention of cuts to film funding, but said, “only when we get past October's public spending review will we know the full picture for public funding for film over the next few years."
The DCMS is to reduce spending by 25% or more over the next four years, which could mean cuts to the UKFC's Grant-in-Aid funding. About 60% of its Grant-in-Aid funding goes to the BFI.
For more, visit the IFTN website here
Wednesday 23 June 2010
Director Ronald Neame dies aged 99
Director, producer writer and cinematographer Ronald Neame died on Friday 18th June, at the age of 99.
Born in 1911, Ronald’s career in film spanned over seven decades, and saw him work with some of the most famous names in cinema history. His father, Elwin Neame, was a film director, and his mother, Ivy Close, starred in films such as Abel Gance's La Roue. Ronald started his employment in cinema at Britain’s famous Elstree Studios in the 1920s, where he worked a number of jobs before becoming assistant cameraman to Alfred Hitchcock on the first British “talkie”, Blackmail.
Ronald then moved into cinematography in the 1930s, going on to work with Powell and Pressburger on One of Our Aircraft is Missing (for which he received one of his three Oscar nominations) and Noel Coward and David Lean (For Which We Serve). He maintained a working relationship with Lean for a few years, co-writing and co-producing two of Lean’s most revered and renowned works, Great Expectations and Brief Encounters, before the two fell out after Lean replaced him as director on The Passionate Friend.
Ronald Neame began directing in 1947 with Take My Life, and was prolific in this role throughout the 1950s and 60s. As a director he worked with several acting greats, including Alec Guinness on numerous occasions, Gregory Peck (The Million Pound Note), John Mills (Tunes of Glory), Judy Garland (I Could Go On Singing), David Niven (Prudence and the Pill), and many more besides.
His direction on The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie earned Maggie Smith an Oscar win (1969), whilst his version of Scrooge won Albert Finney a Golden Globe (1970). However, he is perhaps best known for directing the disaster movie The Poseidon Adventure, which was a box office smash in 1973, making twice as much money as the second highest-grossing film that year (Deliverance).
He was formerly married to Beryl Heanley from 1932 until they divorced in 1973. They had one son together, producer Christopher Neame. Since 1993, Ronald had been married to Donna Friedberg. He was awarded the Commander of the British Empire in 1996.
Born in 1911, Ronald’s career in film spanned over seven decades, and saw him work with some of the most famous names in cinema history. His father, Elwin Neame, was a film director, and his mother, Ivy Close, starred in films such as Abel Gance's La Roue. Ronald started his employment in cinema at Britain’s famous Elstree Studios in the 1920s, where he worked a number of jobs before becoming assistant cameraman to Alfred Hitchcock on the first British “talkie”, Blackmail.
Ronald then moved into cinematography in the 1930s, going on to work with Powell and Pressburger on One of Our Aircraft is Missing (for which he received one of his three Oscar nominations) and Noel Coward and David Lean (For Which We Serve). He maintained a working relationship with Lean for a few years, co-writing and co-producing two of Lean’s most revered and renowned works, Great Expectations and Brief Encounters, before the two fell out after Lean replaced him as director on The Passionate Friend.
Ronald Neame began directing in 1947 with Take My Life, and was prolific in this role throughout the 1950s and 60s. As a director he worked with several acting greats, including Alec Guinness on numerous occasions, Gregory Peck (The Million Pound Note), John Mills (Tunes of Glory), Judy Garland (I Could Go On Singing), David Niven (Prudence and the Pill), and many more besides.
His direction on The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie earned Maggie Smith an Oscar win (1969), whilst his version of Scrooge won Albert Finney a Golden Globe (1970). However, he is perhaps best known for directing the disaster movie The Poseidon Adventure, which was a box office smash in 1973, making twice as much money as the second highest-grossing film that year (Deliverance).
He was formerly married to Beryl Heanley from 1932 until they divorced in 1973. They had one son together, producer Christopher Neame. Since 1993, Ronald had been married to Donna Friedberg. He was awarded the Commander of the British Empire in 1996.
Friday 18 June 2010
Government cuts funding to BFI Film Centre
Plans for a new BFI Film Centre on London’s Southbank were dealt a huge blow yesterday, as the Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced they were withdrawing the £45 million funding originally promised by the previous government. The cut is part of £73million of savings announced by the DCMS as further contribution to reducing the national deficit.
Ed Vaizey, Minister for the Creative Industries, conceded that the withdrawal was “obviously disappointing”, but said in a statement, “I want to make sure that we are supporting the film industry so that it is ready for the challenges it will face in the decade to come, and that we make sure every pound of public money we spend gives the maximum benefit.”
The BFI had announced its intentions of building the Centre last year, with plans for five cinema screens, spaces for exhibitions and research facilities at a cost of £166 million in total. The organisation released a statement yesterday saying the cut had been anticipated, and that it was committed to continuing the project.
A further £2.5 million is also being removed by the DCMS from a BFI project to improve digital access to its extensive archive. But the government will still fund the creation of a new film store to safeguard the National Film Archive.
The BFI said it was "relieved that vital monies to save the BFI National Collections are secure”, but was concerned that film was "bearing the brunt" of the cuts. "Over 50% of the department's cuts that have been announced are coming from film”, according to the organisation.
It was also revealed that Ed Vaizey will undertake a reassessment of government support for film, including the impact of National Lottery funding and film tax relief, although it is understood that neither will be affected financially by this.
Roger Michell, Chair of Directors UK Film Group commented: “We deeply regret the cuts that have been announced, but understand that the Arts in general, and Film in particular, cannot be exempted from the forthcoming onslaught upon public spending. However, as a major new report published by Oxford Economics last week makes abundantly clear, the UK film industry contributes a total of over £4.5 billion a year to UK GDP and more than £1.2 billion to the exchequer, and that, crucially, every £1 invested through the Tax Credit system generates an extra £13 in GDP."
"As Ed Vaizey commented at the time, "this report is evidence of how important British film is - to our economy as well as promoting our cultural life, our identity and diversity on the international stage", and we trust that he will be mindful of these conclusions when making his assessment of our industry and particularly the tax credit. We need and expect him to be a strong and compelling voice on our behalf in Cabinet and at the Treasury.”
To read more from the DCMS, click here, and here to read the BFI statement.
Ed Vaizey, Minister for the Creative Industries, conceded that the withdrawal was “obviously disappointing”, but said in a statement, “I want to make sure that we are supporting the film industry so that it is ready for the challenges it will face in the decade to come, and that we make sure every pound of public money we spend gives the maximum benefit.”
The BFI had announced its intentions of building the Centre last year, with plans for five cinema screens, spaces for exhibitions and research facilities at a cost of £166 million in total. The organisation released a statement yesterday saying the cut had been anticipated, and that it was committed to continuing the project.
A further £2.5 million is also being removed by the DCMS from a BFI project to improve digital access to its extensive archive. But the government will still fund the creation of a new film store to safeguard the National Film Archive.
The BFI said it was "relieved that vital monies to save the BFI National Collections are secure”, but was concerned that film was "bearing the brunt" of the cuts. "Over 50% of the department's cuts that have been announced are coming from film”, according to the organisation.
It was also revealed that Ed Vaizey will undertake a reassessment of government support for film, including the impact of National Lottery funding and film tax relief, although it is understood that neither will be affected financially by this.
Roger Michell, Chair of Directors UK Film Group commented: “We deeply regret the cuts that have been announced, but understand that the Arts in general, and Film in particular, cannot be exempted from the forthcoming onslaught upon public spending. However, as a major new report published by Oxford Economics last week makes abundantly clear, the UK film industry contributes a total of over £4.5 billion a year to UK GDP and more than £1.2 billion to the exchequer, and that, crucially, every £1 invested through the Tax Credit system generates an extra £13 in GDP."
"As Ed Vaizey commented at the time, "this report is evidence of how important British film is - to our economy as well as promoting our cultural life, our identity and diversity on the international stage", and we trust that he will be mindful of these conclusions when making his assessment of our industry and particularly the tax credit. We need and expect him to be a strong and compelling voice on our behalf in Cabinet and at the Treasury.”
To read more from the DCMS, click here, and here to read the BFI statement.
Thursday 17 June 2010
Directors Boyle, Daldry and Hamilton join Olympics 2012 creative team
Oscar winner Danny Boyle has been announced as the Artistic Director of the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympics. Stephen Daldry, another Oscar-winner, will executive produce, alongside BAFTA and Grammy-nominated director Hamish Hamilton and two others.
Boyle, who won the Best Director and Best Feature Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire in 2009, said he was “honoured” to be asked. He described the role as a "unique opportunity to contribute to what I'm sure are going to be a fantastic Games".
For more on this story, click here.
Boyle, who won the Best Director and Best Feature Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire in 2009, said he was “honoured” to be asked. He described the role as a "unique opportunity to contribute to what I'm sure are going to be a fantastic Games".
For more on this story, click here.
Wednesday 16 June 2010
Edinburgh Film Festival kicks off today
Edinburgh International Film Festival gets underway today, and the Telegraph has picked out its five to watch this year. Two of which are from Great Britain - Mr Nice, directed by Bernard Rose and Hattie Dalton’s Third Star - whilst another two come from Irish directors (Shimmy Marcus’s Soul Boy and Karl Golden’s Pelican Blood).
Meanwhile, over at Variety, there is a list of the films (and directors) in the running for the festival’s prestigious Michael Powell Award. Nominees include Ashley Horner’s brilliantlove, Paul Andrew Williams’ Cherry Tree Lane and Nick Moran’s The Kid.
Meanwhile, over at Variety, there is a list of the films (and directors) in the running for the festival’s prestigious Michael Powell Award. Nominees include Ashley Horner’s brilliantlove, Paul Andrew Williams’ Cherry Tree Lane and Nick Moran’s The Kid.
Monday 14 June 2010
Directors UK members invited to LFS events this summer
Directors UK members have been offered tickets to some great events taking place at London Film School this week and beyond.
For more details, click here (you will need your login details: if you don't have yours, please contact the Directors UK office).
For more details, click here (you will need your login details: if you don't have yours, please contact the Directors UK office).
Marking makes impression on pupils with Afghan Star
Director Havana Marking was interviewed on the Guardian website this morning, speaking about her experience of participating in a Filmclub screening and Q & A.
Marking’s award-winning documentary Afghan Star, based on the Afghanistan version of X Factor, was shown to 150 11-12 year-old children at a school in Kilburn, London. “The kids didn't ask anything about me as a filmmaker”, Marking said. “They were completely swept up in the characters – they asked how Setara felt, why she did things like take off her headscarf and dance, which is really the point”.
Filmclub was founded by the director Beeban Kidron and the journalist Lindsay Mackie to give children greater access to cinema. Its current Behind the Headlines series focuses on films about countries making news, including Afghan Star, Iraq In Fragments, Hotel Rwanda, Burma VJ, and Persepolis. To read more from Havana, or about Filmclub, click here.
Marking’s award-winning documentary Afghan Star, based on the Afghanistan version of X Factor, was shown to 150 11-12 year-old children at a school in Kilburn, London. “The kids didn't ask anything about me as a filmmaker”, Marking said. “They were completely swept up in the characters – they asked how Setara felt, why she did things like take off her headscarf and dance, which is really the point”.
Filmclub was founded by the director Beeban Kidron and the journalist Lindsay Mackie to give children greater access to cinema. Its current Behind the Headlines series focuses on films about countries making news, including Afghan Star, Iraq In Fragments, Hotel Rwanda, Burma VJ, and Persepolis. To read more from Havana, or about Filmclub, click here.
Vaizey to examine kids’ television amidst fears for its future
Ed Vaizey promised last week to review children’s television funding, according to The Guardian website. There has been rising concern for a while that the current spending on new productions for Britain’s kids is inadequate, with around £50m a year less is being invested now compared with 2004.
ITV has “virtually withdrawn” from investing in new children’s content, whilst the BBC’s plan to increase CBBC and CBeebies spending by £10 million a year from 2013 has been deemed insufficient by some. To read the article, click here.
ITV has “virtually withdrawn” from investing in new children’s content, whilst the BBC’s plan to increase CBBC and CBeebies spending by £10 million a year from 2013 has been deemed insufficient by some. To read the article, click here.
Friday 11 June 2010
Directors UK announces new CEO
Directors UK is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew Chowns as its new CEO. He will be joining Directors UK on 1st September 2010.
Andrew is currently Chief Operating Officer and Director of Business Affairs at PACT, the UK trade association representing and promoting the commercial interests of independent feature film, television, digital, children's and animation media companies. In his role as Chief Operating Officer and Director of Business Affairs, Andrew Chowns was responsible for overseeing the terms of trade with broadcasters, negotiations with unions and collecting societies and other major business affairs matters.
Andrew said of his appointment: “It is a great time to be joining Directors UK as it builds on its new position as the professional body for directors and as a major collecting society.
I want to help Directors UK and its members to play a leading role in the future of creative industries and to continue to work to improve the conditions and the influence of directors in the UK.”
Andrew replaces Suzan Dormer who has been CEO of both Directors UK and before it the Directors and Producers Rights Society (DPRS). Paul Unwin, Chair of the TV Fiction committee and Directors UK Board Member said of the outgoing CEO: “Over the last twenty years directors – both in TV and film – have had their position eroded. Suzan Dormer has often been a lone voice fighting for directors’ rights. First at DPRS and then at Directors UK she has been tireless and our thanks go out to her.”
For more on Andrew’s appointment, and to read comments from Chairman Charles Sturridge and President Paul Greengrass, click here. To read the Broadcast article, click here.
Andrew is currently Chief Operating Officer and Director of Business Affairs at PACT, the UK trade association representing and promoting the commercial interests of independent feature film, television, digital, children's and animation media companies. In his role as Chief Operating Officer and Director of Business Affairs, Andrew Chowns was responsible for overseeing the terms of trade with broadcasters, negotiations with unions and collecting societies and other major business affairs matters.
Andrew said of his appointment: “It is a great time to be joining Directors UK as it builds on its new position as the professional body for directors and as a major collecting society.
I want to help Directors UK and its members to play a leading role in the future of creative industries and to continue to work to improve the conditions and the influence of directors in the UK.”
Andrew replaces Suzan Dormer who has been CEO of both Directors UK and before it the Directors and Producers Rights Society (DPRS). Paul Unwin, Chair of the TV Fiction committee and Directors UK Board Member said of the outgoing CEO: “Over the last twenty years directors – both in TV and film – have had their position eroded. Suzan Dormer has often been a lone voice fighting for directors’ rights. First at DPRS and then at Directors UK she has been tireless and our thanks go out to her.”
For more on Andrew’s appointment, and to read comments from Chairman Charles Sturridge and President Paul Greengrass, click here. To read the Broadcast article, click here.
UK television dominates Rose d’Or once more
UK programmes have made a big impression on the Rose d’Or judges yet again, earning a staggering 48 nominations in total in the prestigious, global television awards.
The United Kingdom dominates across many of the categories, not least in Sitcom, where nine of the ten nominations are from here. Matt Lipsey’s Psychoville, Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin’s Outnumbered: Christmas Special and BAFTA-winning The Inbetweeners, directed by Ben Palmer, are all in the running for the award.
The UK was similarly unstoppable in the Comedy category, with another nine nominations making that shortlist too. Facejacker, directed by Kayvan Novak and Ed Tracy, The Kevin Bishop Show, which had Dominic Brigstocke and Elliot Hegarty as its directors, and another recent BAFTA winner - The Armstrong and Miller Show, also directed by Dominic Brigstocke – are just some of the nominees.
There are seven programmes from the United Kingdom up for the Reality and Factual Entertainment award, including One Born Every Minute – another BAFTA winner, with direction from James House, Emma Tutty and Lisa Smith – and Coach Trip, directed by Keely van Dyke. The UK also has four nominations in Drama and Mini Series, with yet another BAFTA winner Misfits – which included Tom Harper, Tom Green and Amanda Harper as its directors – competing with the likes of Richard Laxton’s An Englishman in New York and Royal Wedding, by director James Griffiths.
Directors UK would like to congratulate all those who have been nominated for a Rose d’Or award. The award ceremony will be held at the Rose d'Or Festival in Lucerne, Switzerland, which runs from September 18 to 22. For a full list of nominations, please click here.
The United Kingdom dominates across many of the categories, not least in Sitcom, where nine of the ten nominations are from here. Matt Lipsey’s Psychoville, Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin’s Outnumbered: Christmas Special and BAFTA-winning The Inbetweeners, directed by Ben Palmer, are all in the running for the award.
The UK was similarly unstoppable in the Comedy category, with another nine nominations making that shortlist too. Facejacker, directed by Kayvan Novak and Ed Tracy, The Kevin Bishop Show, which had Dominic Brigstocke and Elliot Hegarty as its directors, and another recent BAFTA winner - The Armstrong and Miller Show, also directed by Dominic Brigstocke – are just some of the nominees.
There are seven programmes from the United Kingdom up for the Reality and Factual Entertainment award, including One Born Every Minute – another BAFTA winner, with direction from James House, Emma Tutty and Lisa Smith – and Coach Trip, directed by Keely van Dyke. The UK also has four nominations in Drama and Mini Series, with yet another BAFTA winner Misfits – which included Tom Harper, Tom Green and Amanda Harper as its directors – competing with the likes of Richard Laxton’s An Englishman in New York and Royal Wedding, by director James Griffiths.
Directors UK would like to congratulate all those who have been nominated for a Rose d’Or award. The award ceremony will be held at the Rose d'Or Festival in Lucerne, Switzerland, which runs from September 18 to 22. For a full list of nominations, please click here.
Tuesday 8 June 2010
UK Film Industry contributes over £4.5 billion a year to economy, research shows
According to major new research commissioned by the UK Film Council, the film industry contributes more £4.5 billion a year to the UK GDP, over £1.2 billion to the Exchequer and is responsible for supporting 100,000 jobs.
The research, which was undertaken by independent organisation Oxford Economics, proves the value both economically and culturally of UK film to the nation as a whole, and identifies the significance of tax relief to the health of the sector.
You can read the report here. To read a more detailed summary from Directors UK, please visit our website.
The research, which was undertaken by independent organisation Oxford Economics, proves the value both economically and culturally of UK film to the nation as a whole, and identifies the significance of tax relief to the health of the sector.
You can read the report here. To read a more detailed summary from Directors UK, please visit our website.
Online Movie Week in the UK
This week is Online Movie Week in the UK, and VoD website Blinkbox is allowing film fans the chance to stream the likes of Avatar and Sherlock Holmes from now until 13th June.
Full Stream Ahead is offering visitors £20 worth of credit to spend at Blinkbox, in an attempt to halt the practice of the illegal downloading and filesharing of films. It has the backing of Hollywood film studios, and comes after research showed that a major reason for unlawful filesharing sites was that internet users were unable to find the content elsewhere. It is also supported by the BFI and the UK Film Council.
To access your £20 credit, please click here.
Full Stream Ahead is offering visitors £20 worth of credit to spend at Blinkbox, in an attempt to halt the practice of the illegal downloading and filesharing of films. It has the backing of Hollywood film studios, and comes after research showed that a major reason for unlawful filesharing sites was that internet users were unable to find the content elsewhere. It is also supported by the BFI and the UK Film Council.
To access your £20 credit, please click here.
Misfits and The Unloved find approval at BAFTAs
Misfits, The Unloved and Wounded were amongst the winners at this year’s BAFTA Television Awards, which were held on Sunday at the London Palladium. Inside Nature's Giants, Britain's Got Talent and EastEnders also picked up awards on the night.
To read a full report of the awards, visit our website
To read a full report of the awards, visit our website
Deadline for Encounters Festival approaching
The 16th Encounters International Short Film Festival, which takes place between 16-21 November 2010, will stop accepting submissions on the 30th June.
Whilst the standard entry rate has gone up to £25 per submission, the festival is still offering the reduced rate of £15 for digitally submitted films via YouSendIt, and if you are submitting 2 or more there are heavily reduced rates.
For further information visit their website or contact info@encounters-festival.org.uk.
Whilst the standard entry rate has gone up to £25 per submission, the festival is still offering the reduced rate of £15 for digitally submitted films via YouSendIt, and if you are submitting 2 or more there are heavily reduced rates.
For further information visit their website or contact info@encounters-festival.org.uk.
Monday 7 June 2010
Abigail Priddle directs Make Me a New Face: Hope for Africa's Hidden Children
Director Abigail Priddle recently travelled to Africa with Ben Fogle for her film Make Me a New Face: Hope for Africa's Hidden Children. She sent us the following details:
In 2008, Ben Fogle caught a flesh-eating disease called Leishmaniasis which, if untreated, would have destroyed his face. In this film, Ben investigates a sickness that's far worse but virtually unheard of - Noma, which eats away the faces of thousands of Africa's poorest children. Up to ninety percent of Noma victims die, while survivors are left terribly disfigured.
Ben journeys to Ethiopia, where he meets three children whose lives have been blighted by this terrible disease: teenager Rashid, forced to hide his face in public; Asnake, aged 11, whose misshapen mouth makes him dribble constantly; and 10-year-old Mestikma, abandoned by her family because of her deformity.
Ben watches as visiting surgeons carry out amazing transformative surgery. A month later, he returns to Ethiopia to visit the recovering patients. For them, a new face means a new life.
Make Me a New Face: Hope for Africa's Hidden Children has received numerous positive reviews, and is broadcast on BBC2 Wednesday 9th June at 9pm
In 2008, Ben Fogle caught a flesh-eating disease called Leishmaniasis which, if untreated, would have destroyed his face. In this film, Ben investigates a sickness that's far worse but virtually unheard of - Noma, which eats away the faces of thousands of Africa's poorest children. Up to ninety percent of Noma victims die, while survivors are left terribly disfigured.
Ben journeys to Ethiopia, where he meets three children whose lives have been blighted by this terrible disease: teenager Rashid, forced to hide his face in public; Asnake, aged 11, whose misshapen mouth makes him dribble constantly; and 10-year-old Mestikma, abandoned by her family because of her deformity.
Ben watches as visiting surgeons carry out amazing transformative surgery. A month later, he returns to Ethiopia to visit the recovering patients. For them, a new face means a new life.
Make Me a New Face: Hope for Africa's Hidden Children has received numerous positive reviews, and is broadcast on BBC2 Wednesday 9th June at 9pm
Watch two new works from Martin Gooch
Martin Gooch got in touch to tell us he recently completed work on a music video for Will Kevans, which stars Russell Tovey and can be seen here.
He also wrote, directed and starred in a short film based on the Cannes Film Festival, called The Dream Eater. You can see it here. If you've directed any new works recently, in whatever medium, we'd love to hear from you.
He also wrote, directed and starred in a short film based on the Cannes Film Festival, called The Dream Eater. You can see it here. If you've directed any new works recently, in whatever medium, we'd love to hear from you.
Friday 4 June 2010
Good ideas welcome at Good Pitch UK
Applications to Good Pitch UK are open from now until Monday 28th June.
According to the BritDoc website, which is involved in running it here in the UK, "the Good Pitch brings together inspiring social-purpose film projects and a group of expert participants from charities, foundations, brands and media to form powerful alliances around groundbreaking films."
The 2010 event is the second edition of the session, which is held on September 7th. Read more here
According to the BritDoc website, which is involved in running it here in the UK, "the Good Pitch brings together inspiring social-purpose film projects and a group of expert participants from charities, foundations, brands and media to form powerful alliances around groundbreaking films."
The 2010 event is the second edition of the session, which is held on September 7th. Read more here
Wednesday 2 June 2010
Edinburgh announces line-up for 2010
The Edinburgh International Film Festival has announced its line-up for 2010, and having rebranded itself “the festival of discovery”, includes pictures from a number of first and second-time filmmakers.
EIFF kicks off on June 16, and will screen 22 world premieres, including debut features by directors Ben Miller (Huge) and Hattie Dalton (Third Star), and the latest film from London to Brighton director Paul Andrew Williams (Cherry Tree Lane). There is also a retrospective of “lost” British films from the Sixties and Seventies, with Stephen Frears’ debut Gumshoe, Ken Russell’s Savage Messiah and Horace Ove’s Pressure, the first British film by a black director, all screening.
In all, the festival will screen 21 new British films, along with several from more established directors from years gone by. Hannah Gill, the festival's artistic director, commented, ""It will be really interesting to have these new young directors around with Mike [Hodges], Stephen [Frears] and Sean Connery...it's different generations of British cinema."
For more information about the festival, please click here, or read the Guardian article here.
EIFF kicks off on June 16, and will screen 22 world premieres, including debut features by directors Ben Miller (Huge) and Hattie Dalton (Third Star), and the latest film from London to Brighton director Paul Andrew Williams (Cherry Tree Lane). There is also a retrospective of “lost” British films from the Sixties and Seventies, with Stephen Frears’ debut Gumshoe, Ken Russell’s Savage Messiah and Horace Ove’s Pressure, the first British film by a black director, all screening.
In all, the festival will screen 21 new British films, along with several from more established directors from years gone by. Hannah Gill, the festival's artistic director, commented, ""It will be really interesting to have these new young directors around with Mike [Hodges], Stephen [Frears] and Sean Connery...it's different generations of British cinema."
For more information about the festival, please click here, or read the Guardian article here.
Tuesday 1 June 2010
The Walking Wounded wins at the Celtic Media Festival
Stephen Bennett was awarded ‘Best Factual Single’ at the Celtic Media Festival for directing The Walking Wounded; an emotionally charged and uncompromising look at the experiences of young former soldiers struggling with PTSD as they adapt to civilian life.
Directors UK would like to congratulate him for this achievement. If you're a member and would like to share similar news with other members, please get in touch. For more on the awards, please click here.
Directors UK would like to congratulate him for this achievement. If you're a member and would like to share similar news with other members, please get in touch. For more on the awards, please click here.
Ofcom publishes draft Code of Practice for online copyright infringement
Ofcom has published the draft Code of Practice for the Online Infringement of Copyright, and is now seeking views from external parties as part of its consultation over the code’s content.
Ofcom was tasked with drawing up the code, which is expected to come into force at the start of 2011, after the Digital Economy Act was passed earlier this year. The code addresses provisions made in the Act regarding illegal file-sharing, which stated that internet users from the UK who illegally download films, music and TV programmes will have their details collected by internet service providers, and receive warning letters ordering them to cease. Any individual who receives three letters within the space of a year will have their details passed on to the owner of the copyrighted material they are accused of downloading, and may face legal action.
The move has received support from rights holders and creative groups but met with criticism from some ISPs and consumer groups.
To read more about the OFCOM Code of Practice click here and here. For more information about the Digital Economy Act, click here.
Ofcom was tasked with drawing up the code, which is expected to come into force at the start of 2011, after the Digital Economy Act was passed earlier this year. The code addresses provisions made in the Act regarding illegal file-sharing, which stated that internet users from the UK who illegally download films, music and TV programmes will have their details collected by internet service providers, and receive warning letters ordering them to cease. Any individual who receives three letters within the space of a year will have their details passed on to the owner of the copyrighted material they are accused of downloading, and may face legal action.
The move has received support from rights holders and creative groups but met with criticism from some ISPs and consumer groups.
To read more about the OFCOM Code of Practice click here and here. For more information about the Digital Economy Act, click here.
Applications for Sheffield Doc/Fest's MeetMarket now open
Applications for Sheffield Doc/Fest's MeetMarket are now open, and will remain so until Wednesday 1st September.
MeetMarket is described as "a pitching initiative designed to match documentary, factual and cross-platform makers' most innovative project ideas with UK and international buyers". Approximately 60 projects are to be picked to pitch, and there are no rules regarding a production's level of development.
Sheffield Doc/Fest is the UK's most renowned documentary festival, and takes place this year between 3-7 November. For more info, please click here.
MeetMarket is described as "a pitching initiative designed to match documentary, factual and cross-platform makers' most innovative project ideas with UK and international buyers". Approximately 60 projects are to be picked to pitch, and there are no rules regarding a production's level of development.
Sheffield Doc/Fest is the UK's most renowned documentary festival, and takes place this year between 3-7 November. For more info, please click here.
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