Screen South Filmmakers Sweep the
Board at London Independent Film Festival

We are thrilled to report on the success of the region’s filmmakers at the London Independent Film Festival (14th-19th April). In all four awards were won by Screen South supported filmmakers, including Jury Prize for Best Short (My Mother, Dir. Elaine Wickham), Best No budget Feature (Jetsam, Dir. Simon Wellsford), Best International Feature (Kill Kill Faster Faster, Gareth Roberts) and Best Feature (Ruby Blue, Dir. Jan Dunn). Read all about it here

Gods On Mountains
Selected for
Satyajit Ray Award

We ‘re delighted to report that Pravesh Kumar’s short Gods On Mountains was nominated for this year’s Satyajit Ray Award. The Screen South supported short tells the story of Nikhil (Arjun Mathur), who returns to India after studying in America to take his place in his typical, middle class Delhi family.

Gods On Mountains ponders on the many realities of an individual and how they can affect the people closest to us. More

The Director’s Lab at Edinburgh
International Film Festival 2008:
Call For Applications

The UK Film Council, Film4, 4Talent and Skillset are seeking six emerging directors with strong, distinctive voices looking to move from shorts or documentary to features to take part in The Director’s Lab. Taking place during the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June, the Lab is an intensive, five-day personal and professional development programme that includes creative and market sessions by leading industry figures. Lab participants will also be matched with a director mentor and will have privileged access to filmmakers, producers, agents and executives from the UK Film Council and Film4. Those selected to take part will have access to free accommodation, travel, subsistence, festival passes and help with childcare during the five days that The Lab takes place. For information, guidelines and application form click here
Deadline for applications: 12th May

CHANNEL 4’S FOURDOCS AND MEDIABOX
LAUNCH SEARCH FOR YOUNG FILMMAKING
TALENT

Channel 4’s FourDocs and Mediabox have joined forces for the second year running to offer an exclusive competition for disadvantaged 13-19 year olds to write, direct and produce their own short documentaries. Ten films will be made of which at least one will get a broadcast slot on Channel 4.
Aspiring filmmakers should visit www.channel4.com/mediabox to submit a 200-word proposal. There are no restrictions on ideas – applicants are encouraged to be creative and think about the issues that matter to them.
Closing date for entries: Monday, 16 June 2008.

Get Off My Land Selected for Toronto

Douglas Ray’s Get Off My Land is gathering festival momentum and has been selected for the Toronto International Film Festival (4-13 September). The film was produced as part of Screen South 2007 Digital Shorts programme and stars Rafe Spall and Ruth Wilson and Robert Glenister.
Congratulations from all at Screen South!

Development & Training Assistant Wanted – Join the Screen South Team!

We are currently looking to appoint a new member to our team , responsible for providing support and assistance to the Head of Development and Training and to Screen South senior staff in administrative and operational areas.
Deadline for applications: 8th May. Find out more

New Mediabox Deadlines Announced
for 2008/09

Mediabox, the Department for Children, Schools and Families fund which offers 13-19 year olds the opportunity to develop and produce media projects has announced its new funding rounds for 2008/09. Grants of up to £40,000 will be available to youth and/or media focused organisations. The next deadline (Round 2) is 19th August, 2pm. For more information please visit www.media-box.co.uk

NB. Projects from the South East shortlisted from Round 1 (29th April deadline) will be required to attend a compulsory training session with Mediabox staff in preparartion for submitting their full application on June 2nd 2008 from 2pm at Lighthouse in Brighton.  Screen South will be available for one to ones with shortlisted projects on the morning of 2nd June in Brighton and will be contacting projects to arrange a meeting once the successful projects have been notified.

The 2008/II UK Film Council Short Film Completion Fund open for Submissions!

Producers or production companies are now invited to send a rough cut of their unfinished short film to Maya Vision International, along with a completed application form. The closing date is Friday 30th May 2008. If you don’t have a rough cut by then, don’t worry as the Completion Fund has expanded to 2 calls per year allowing up to 14 short films to be completed under the scheme each year. The next call, 2009/I, is scheduled to open in September 2008, details to follow in due course. Click here to find out more.

Britdoc Wants
Your Films!

Taking place in Oxford from 23rd-25th July, the Britdoc documentary festival is a great chance for new filmmakers to get their film internationally recognized, and there is a number of sales agents and distributors attending as well as many of the most influential people in documentary. Filmmakers are now invited to submit their work to the short and feature competitions To find out more click here or visit www.britdoc.org.
Deadlines: 9th May (features) 16th May (shorts)

£18 MILLION FUNDING BOOST FOR FILM IN THE REGIONS FROM UK FILM COUNCIL

The UK Film Council recently announced that it will be investing a total of £18 million over the next two years in the English regions to help them boost their local film industries and open up access for the public to our screen heritage. This support will come from two pots of funding, with £15.4 million allocated to the regions over the next two years and a further £2.7 million Digital Archive Fund from Lottery cash to help unlock the nation’s rich screen heritage. Each region will receive £300,000 over the next two years. Read all about it here.

Screen South Digital Shorts conquer
festivals around the world

Screen South’
2007 Digital
Shorts are
already proving
popular at
festivals around
the world.
Trevor de Silva’s Would Like To Meet was recently selected for the SOHO Rushes (and came runner up in the Newcomers category), together with Elaine Wickham’s My Mother, which has also been picked by Brief Encounters in Bristol. Time Piece, directed by Kat Mansoor is heading for Palm Springs, whilst Danny Weinstein’s The Blind Piano Tuner will show at the United Nations International Film Festival from September. Finally Get off my Land, directed by Douglas Ray, will be playing at Edinburgh later this month on the UK Film Council's Digital Generation Screening. And they have only just begun!!

The Screen South Database is now live - Have you registered yet?

Whether LOCATIONS, CREW OR FACILITIES, by registering your details on the Screen South database you will be expanding your potential opportunities locally and globally, as Screen South handles enquiries for production companies from all over the world. Click here to register your details - it will only take you 10 mins and it's FREE! For telephone enquiries please contact the Screen South Film Commission office on: 01753 656 412

MEDIABOX –
Helping Young People Make their Mark

Mediabox, a £6 million fund supported by Department for Education and Skills and launched by Young People’s Minister Beverley Hughes, has been created to give young people in England a positive public voice. The fund offers grants to young people to create and distribute high quality media projects that inspire change for 13-19 year olds and their communities. Mediabox will be delivered by a consortium led by First Light Movies, in partnership with the UK Film Council, the Media Trust and Skillset.

For more detials vist www.media-box.co.uk

New Post Production Facility in Kent

Regional film production company MEDB, founded by filmmakers Jan Dunn and Elaine Wickham, have set up a state of the art post-production facility in Ramsgate, Kent.

To find out more visit
www.medbfilms.co.uk

Digital Content Sector Consortium Launched To Enable South East To Gain Global Success in Massive New Market

A new company has been launched to support the exciting new industry of digital content. Known as the South East Media Network (SEMN), the company is receiving backing from the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to establish a three-year programme to win a major position in the global market for digital content for companies based in the South East of England. For more information click here