Amy Ricker with "Having You" in post.

Amy Ricker (producer, graduate from Steve May's MA programme in 2011) has a new feature in post, "Having You", starring Anna Friel and Romola Garai.  This is the feature directing debut for the actor Sam Hoare (Captain America, Borgen).
http://www.finitefilmsandtv.com/having-you-film-2012/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2397390/

Dan Smyth (writer/director) selected for iFeatures2

Dan Smyth (graduate from Steve May's Screenwriting and Producing programme in 2007) has two reasons to celebrate.  His short, "Gummy Man", has been picked up by the Virgin Shorts Competition and is online.  And his feature, "The Prefect", has been selected for the iFeatures2 programme.  The producer, Marcie MacLellan, is also a graduate from Steve May's MA Programme.

If you want to check out some of the events at iFeatures summer development programme, check the link immediately below.

Good luck, Dan.  Mates, spread the word.


http://www.ifeatures2.co.uk/ifeatures-events-at-the-summer-development-programme.html
http://www.ifeatures2.co.uk/the-16-teams.html
http://danpksmyth.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/new-feature-development-with-ifeatures2/
http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/2716/gummy-man-rage#.UAVqzpcA4rQ.gmail

The Screen Arts Institute launches "Storytelling for the Screen" Programme

The Screen Arts Institute (London) launched its “Storytelling for the Screen” programme in February this year.   Based in central London’s Portland Place, the programme is designed to help emerging film talent develop, package and sell their movies and TV programmes in the most efficient manner possible.

Ten filmmakers joined us in February to develop feature film projects – and we are looking to recruit new participants for Courses running later in 2012 and for February 2013. 

We are confident that we are running the most pragmatic programme in the country with an ethos that is “shortening the odds of getting your movies/programmes made”.    Our team boasts some of the biggest names in the business.

Our mentors include:

Tim Bevan (Co-chairman of Working Title Films, with a dozen Oscars and some 20 Baftas under his belt)

Hossein Amini (writer; “Drive”, an Oscar nod for “The Wings of a Dove”, and work with Winterbottom, Scorsese, Curtis Hanson and co.)

Olivia Hetreed (writer of “Girl with a Pearl Earing”, Andrea Arnold’s “Wuthering Heights” and is Chair of the Writers Guild Film Department)

Rob Kenny (Director of Operations of the Curzon Cinemas – the holy grail of all indie film-makers)

and Oliver Parker (Director; “Othello”, “An Ideal Husband”, “St. Trinians”)

The Director of Programmes at the Institute is Stephen May who, until January, ran the Masters Programme in Screenwriting and Producing at the University of Westminster.  Programmes under his direction have produced a near 100% record of industry employment for graduates.

If you, or any of your colleagues, are interested in what we are doing, check out this link for more information:

www.thescreenartsinstitute.com

Or contact the Director at:

Stephen.May@thescreenartsinstitute.com

Graduate wins European 3D Film Mart Competition

Yesterday, Amy Ricker (class of 2010/11) won the EU’s 3D Film Mart Competition with her film “Billy and the Goblin Rebellion”.  The script was developed as her major project on the MA Screenwriting & Producing programme.

The win guarantees her a Euro 3,000 further development deal and links her to financiers, sales agents and distributors.

http://www.3dstereomedia.eu/en/film-festival-mart/3d-film-mart
           http://finitefilmslondon.com/

To McKee or not to McKee, that is the question.

So here's the thing.  Has Robert McKee (McKee, R, Story, Methuen, 1999) and all his work made one bad writer a good one?  Or, indeed, a good writer a better one?

Has his work helped one film script, one movie, to be better than it would have been without his influence?

Joanna Hogg - birth of a new auteur.

The writer/director Joanna Hogg has cemented a reputation as an auteur after just two movies ("Unrelated" & "Archipelago").  Working with no script and muttering a “When you’re ready…” rather than screaming “Action!” she’s putting actors at the centre of the creative process.

She’s made a fully-fledged star of Tom Hiddleston ("Thor", "The Deep Blue Sea", Spielberg's "War Horse") and woken the broadsheet critics from their slumbers.  Check the links below for how the hype has hit the polar extremes of The Guardian and Comic-con.

Joanna joins us for a workshop this month.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/amex/video/joanna-hogg

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/video/2011/mar/04/archipelago-interview-joanna-hogg-tom-hiddleston?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3486
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjU2tMmeXm0

Hossein Amini accelerates away from “Drive”

Ryan Gosling in "Drive', 2011

Hossein Amini’s script for “Drive” helped Nicolas Winding Refn to this year’s Best Director gong at Cannes and Hoss is not slowing up.

This month his script for “47 Ronin” (Keanu Reeves, Rinko Kikuchi) goes into post, and he’s presently scripting “Snow White and the Huntsmen” (Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron) for a 2012 shoot.

As well as Refn, Hossein has chalked up work with Scorsese (on Gangs of New York, Winterbottom (Jude), Ian Softley (Hossein was Oscar-nominated for The Wings of the Dove) and John Madden (Killshot).

Hossein will be doing a workshop with the MA Screenwriting & Producing programme next semester.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0024925/

Youtube Q & A with Refn and Gosling

http://itccommunicationsnet-johnnichols.blogspot.com/2011/05/cannes-film-festival-2011-best-director.html