News release 13/05/08

Swale Film Festival –
Calling All Kent Filmmakers

The Swale Film festival is to be a three day event held within the Swale Festival season on 10-12th July. Events will take place on Sheppey, in Sittingbourne and Faversham. The organisers will be screening a selection of old and new films that have connections with Kent, and are also hoping to give young people within Kent the opportunity to make their own 5 – 10 minute film or video production to enter into the Swale Film Awards. The theme of this year’s competition is MIME. Closing date for entries is 14th June. To find out more or to apply visit www.swalefilmfestival.org.uk



News release 13/05/08

OFVM Course News

Our network partners OFVM have just updated their course information on their website - some dates have been changed and some more courses have been added, including Developing and Pitching Documentaries, which OFVM are running jointly with the National Film and Television School (NFTS). Full details and booking can be found here



News release 6/05/08



Andy Heathcote debut feature selected for LUFF

Andy Heathcote's documentary The Lost World of Mr. Hardy, has been selected for the forthcoming London UK Film Focus (LUFF) as one of this year's 12 UK breakthrough films. The film looks at the life and works of JJ Hardy, a legendary figure in angling circles. Andy is a graduate from the Screen South Good Foundations programme. Visit www.thelostworldofmrhardy.com to read more about the film.



News release 6/05/08

Reading & Leeds Music Festival Call for Shorts

It may be grey and rainy outside, but before you know it we'll be deep into the summer music festival season and you could be watching your film screen in the cinema tents at the Reading & Leeds Festivals (22nd - 24th August)? Directors Notes and OFVM are looking for shorts that run 5 mn or so, but if you have a killer 10 minute film then send it in too. Aside from the glory of having your film play to the festival crowds, you'll get to let everyone know you're special with a backstage wristband for the day your film screens. You can find full details of how to submit on the Directors Notes 'Contact/Submit' page at: http://www.directorsnotes.com/contact-submit/.
The submission deadline is 30th May



News release 6/05/08

Work Begins on The Stasi Files of Hans Kramer

Sussex producer Heike Bachelier, a graduate of Screen South’s Good Foundations programme, recently started work on her documentary The Stasi Files of Hans Kramer. Heike also received support from Screen South to take the project to the 2006 Britdoc festival and ultimatley secured backing from German broadcaster ZDF towards the project, along with support from Media and two other German institutions.



News release 6/05/08

Skills for 2012 - Employer Conference -
20 May 2008

In 2012, the Olympic and Paralympic Games are coming to London. But what does this mean for businesses in Kent? The London Games and the preceding Cultural Olympiad are a once in a lifetime opportunity, but how ready are you to take advantage and do you have the right skills for the job?
The Learning and Skills Council can support you to develop the skills of your staff to ensure you maximise the benefit of the 2012 Games, and that's why they are investing over £32 million each year from now until then to expand the range of Train to Gain, Apprenticeships and other training for employers in Kent and Medway. 'Skills for 2012' is your chance to have your say and help the LSC prepare you for success. To sign up to this free event, please open the attached PDF



News release 6/05/08

LOCAL FILMMAKER JAKE SCOTT’S SHORT FILM PREMIERES AT CANNES

At the age of just 18, Jake Scott has written and directed a stunning short film that is set to premiere at Cannes Film Festival in May, as part of the Short Film Corner. Jake has been experimenting with film and projection since he was very young and has been recognised by the film industry as an exciting and talented young visionary. The film was produced by Janey Moffat of Hastings’ Toaster Productions.

‘One of our most exciting, up and coming filmmakers’
– Nichola Bruce, Award Winning Director



News release 6/05/08



We’ve Got The Toaster Hits The Shops

The epic journey of the micro budget feature film We’ve got the Toaster, lovingly produced by over 100 young people from across Kent and Sussex, has come to its latest high point. The movie has been purchased by Woolworths, HMV and Zavvi, and is set for a national release in shops on 26th May. The chap who watched it at Woolworths thought it was ‘hilarious’ and called it ‘Skins meets American Pie’. The arrival of ‘Toaster’ in shops is the culmination of four years of hard work that was supported by many including the people at the Kino Cinemas, Kent County Council, Skinners’ School, Screen South, The Assembly Hall and not least BBC South East.

The very first 2 Days Laughter Comedy Shorts Screenings and Awards took place at Margate’s Theatre Royal on Saturday 5th April and was a resounding success. Filmmakers from around the country packed out the historic Georgian building to watch no less than 26 hilarious shorts, in an entertaining and very diverse matinee and evening performance.



Organised and hosted by Margate’s Beeping Bush Productions and Canterbury-based publicists Close-Up Films, with support from Screen South, the event created a fantastic atmosphere, with Beeping Bush’s own Mick Etherton commenting ‘it was great to see so many previous 2 Days Later Horror Competition filmmakers now making comedies! 12 of the 26 films were from Kent and the wonderfully diverse styles made it very difficult for the judges to agree on clear winners as the standard was so high.’ Read all about it here



News release 16/04/08



Hastings Filmmaker Conquers French
Audiences

In addition to its success at the Clermont Short Film Festival earlier this year, Hastings director Ornette Spenceley recently reported that his short film Tall Greens, Tight Yellows had since been selected for a further five international film festivals, in addition to being picked up by a distribution company and sold to the France 3 TV network. Perhaps most impressively the French Ministry of Culture also ordered 20 prints of the film to be screened before feature films. Ornette Spenceley received funding from Screen South and the RIFE/Lottery fund towards producing a 35 mm copy of the film which can be seen online at www.bikinifilms.co.uk



News release 16/04/08

Young Filmmakers win
Prestigious Award

Some of Brighton’s youngest ever filmmakers recently won an award at the Young Brighton & Hove Environmentalist of the Year Competition with their film The Amazing Adventures of the Plastic Bag. Produced by Shoot it For Yourself Productions through the First Light scheme, with additional support from Screen South and the RIFE/Lottery fund, the short was made by a group of seven and eight-year-olds from Balfour Junior School in Brighton, and investigates the problems that plastic bags cause to the environment.



News release 16/04/08



Screen South Supported Short Selected
for Hollywood Festival

Rita Osei’s latest short The Curry Club, which received completion funding from Screen South, will screen in competition as part of the Official Selection at The Hollywood Black Film Festival (June 3rd - 8th) in Beverly Hills, California. The festival now in its 9th year is dubbed “The Black Sundance”. Visit www.hbff.org to view the programme. Rita will be able to attend the screenings as she was selected as part of the Breakthrough Brits scheme, the UK Film Council's high end talent initiative which aims to celebrate the new wave of British film-making talent who are on the cusp of breakthrough international success. Congratulations from all at Screen South!



News release 12/03/08

The Guernica Children Scoops
Prestigious RTS Award

The epic documentary film project The Guernica Children, directed and produced by Steve Bowles at Eye Witness Productions and supported by Screen South, won the award for Best Non-Broadcast Production at last night’s Royal Television Society Awards held in Southampton. The film tells the story of the four thousand Basque refugee children who were evacuated to Britain in 1937 in the wake of the bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. At a packed event, Steve said how pleased he was that the film should be recognised in the city where the story had its beginnings just over seventy years ago. He dedicated the award to the memory of the Basque children and the ordinary people of Britain that cared for them.
Congratulations from all the team at Screen South!



News release 20/02/08

OFVM’s Adventures in Cyberspace

In their ongoing quest to reach an ever greater filmmaking community, Oxford Film & Video Makers recently joined the websites Myspace and Youtube, so why not become a friend, share videos, chat, and thus further your knowledge and skills? The pages will be updated regularly with fresh and interesting content. You can subscribe to OFVM’s channel and share videos, advice, tips and tricks or you can just sit back, relax and enjoy film works old and new. Become a friend at www.myspace.com/ofvm and share films on youtube.com



News release 20/02/08

Film Society Fundraiser

Forrest Row Film Society are currently fundraising for new digital equipment and are currently in the process of applying for a number of grants. They have so far received in excess of £250 in donations from members (thank you to everyone who has contributed!) and have just set up an account at: http://easyfundraising.org.uk/
If you routinely buy things from online stores (eg Amazon and eBay) you can help us raise money at no cost to you! Find out how



News release 02/02/08

Folkestone Film Factory Launches Website

The newly launched Folkestone Film Factory is now looking for partners and support. The community filmmaking group are looking to shoot their film in Febuary and are calling for young people to be a part of it. The assistance of local crew is also being sought so if you or your fellow filmmaking friends wish to be part of this great initiative then please visit www.folkestonefilmfactory.com
 


News release 17/01/08

Pinewood Studios broadcasts live to the world

TV shows hosted at Pinewood can now transmit and receive live broadcasts using BT technology with Tiger Aspects Keith Barry – The Escape Live being the first to utilise this. Increased network performance allows Pinewood to introduce live programme feeds and distribute finished programmes to broadcasters across the world. The live element promises to boost excitement and interest in all programmes such as sports broadcasts, entertainment shows and news bulletins. Read all about it at www.pinewoodgroup.com



News release 03/01/08


OFVM Courses
- Now booking

Oxford Film and Video Makers have a number of courses booking in the coming weeks, including evening and week-end courses. These cater for all levels from beginner to experienced and cover Shooting video and 16mm, Flash Animation, Final Cut Pro Editing, Adobe Premiere Editing, screenwriting and shooting documentaries, to name a few. For full details, dates and costs please click here



News release 20/12/07

Isle of Wight Film Network Launches New
Website

The Isle of Wight Film Network have recently launched their new website. If you were previously registered on the website you will need to login your details onto the new website. To do this you need to go to www.iowfilmnetwork.org.uk and click on "register" which is on the top right hand corner of the home page. You can change your details anytime, and these include your photograph, biog, up to 3 job titles and 3 web links. Registering is FREE as is the use of the website. Also keep an eye on the news page as well for events and screenings as The IOW Film Network is presenting a season of Cannes Film Festival winners at Quay Arts starting on the 31st January.



News release 16/11/07