worcsff Official PR

Very pleased to see this article in the Worcester Standard

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 17:17:41 +0000

Very pleased to see this article in the Worcester Standard

Presenting Elliander Pictures

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 09:33:52 +0000

As we’ve grown up in an industry family I suppose it was an inevitability that we’d eventually get the bug for filmmaking. We made our first short film at the ages of 3 and 5 (taking our toys and making them come to life!… well before Toy Story!) and haven’t stopped since. Throughout our school years we continued to produce short films with our friends, including our 20min period drama, The Price of Freedom, which focused on one soldier’s story during the First World War and utilizes the stunning poetry written by the Great War Poets to weave a story. We even worked closely with some school friends to write an original score for the film which was eventually recorded live with the school’s orchestra. Before leaving school we were commissioned to produce the school’s new promotional video.

Over the past decade we’ve tried our hardest to take our passion and turn it into a career. We’ve endeavored to secure our place in this competitive industry and currently work as freelance camera operators and editors. Having been trained by numerous experienced professionals, we’ve learned to respect and understand the industry and its structure. Since leaving school we’ve produced a multitude of projects including: 10 music videos for companies such as Polydor records and artists like Xfactor’s Jamie Afro, a series of documentaries profiling celebrities such as US hip-hop group the ‘Black Eyed Peas’, which sold over 25,000 copies in its first week of DVD release and most notably directed and produced a one hour documentary special commemorating the 40th anniversary of APOLLO 17, NASA’s final manned mission to the moon. The documentary has been represented at the world’s leading TV acquisition market in Cannes and has subsequently been acquired by several foreign territories including UK’s factual programming giant, Discovery Channel and PBS in America. We’ve travelled to Ethiopia to produce a promotional video for the local charity LUCIA and this year our footage was also selected for the Scott Free - BBC co-production “Britain in a Day”.

In 2009 we decided it was time to set about writing, producing and directing our first feature film; a sci-fi thriller intended for theatrical release. This high concept, commercially appealing film is targeted at both the sci-fi and thriller genre fanbases, giving it the greatest chance of commercial success with the broadest demographic appeal. So far, off the strength of the script, we’ve gained the attachment of a multitude of highly respected industry professionals and several world class companies who will be involved with the production of Encounter. We’re currently in the process of raising the budget for the film through independent investment with high net worth individuals and film partnerships. It’s a long process and we’re learning a lot; but we believe that filmmaking isn’t just about being creative, a large element to the film industry is exactly that, an industry and therefore we’ve spent a lot of time researching and understanding the markets, audience expectations, box office figures and production structures to give this project the best possible chance of success.

Most of all we’re crazy about films. We love movies and we love making them. For a long time we’ve dreamed of becoming feature film directors and hopefully in the coming months that will become a reality. Encounter has been 3 years in the making and we’re still in development, but we know that one day all the hard work, time, patience and effort will be worth it; when we’re standing on that set seeing it all come together. It’s incredibly exciting.

Our plan is to begin writing the screenplay for our next feature, the story for which is already in development, during the post production stages of Encounter; this way we’ll be able to repeat the fundraising formula off the back of Encounter and continue to make features. Our ultimate goal is to make mainstream, commercial movies for the cinema. We want to make movies that audiences love to go and see, the movies that we fell in love with when we were younger and the movies that have inspired us to do crazy things at a young age!”

Website

Presenting Simon Tate

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 22:20:52 +0000

This weekend is Worcestershire’s first ever Film Festival, being held at The Hive in Worcester. We’ve been digging around to discover Worcestershire’s hidden film artists and today we would like to introduce director Simon Tate.

Simon was born and raised in Canada and was on track to being a professional football player, until he was struck down with a knee injury effectively ending his career. So, Simon turned to his next passion which was writing. He teamed with a college friend who was into film and created a production company. Simon muses “we had no idea what we were doing, but I knew from that point on that I wanted to tell stories through film.” Simon soon found himself working for the likes of Discovery Channel, Nickelodeon and CNN.

Fast forward on, and Simon found himself in Worcester, creating his first feature film called The Point Of Regret.

“We also wanted to do it up here in Worcestershire so we put a call out for help and had a fantastic response. We just had the attitude that no matter what got in our way, we’d over come it. In the end we made a film for £500 that was an official UK Film Council selection for the Sundance Film Festival”

He is now just in the final stages of writing his second feature, Viewers.

Simon Munn, Festival Director added: “The Point Of Regret is a powerful drama that proves quality films can be made for a paltry budget. It also shows Worcestershire is ready to be put on the film-making map and we commend Simon for challenging the idea that films have to be made in London.”

Worcestershire Film Festival is proud to open with The Point Of Regret on Friday, 2nd November at 7.00pm in The Hive. If you can’t wait, then catch the trailer at http://youtube.com/watch?v=Jvg-Wmgpvgo

Some online coverage

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 14:08:14 +0000

Some online coverage

Presenting Emily Currie

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 10:14:00 +0000

Based in Hanley Swan, Emily studied Art and Graphical Drawing and realised she wanted to become an animator after doing some small scale projects at home for fun. She went to Herefordshire College of Arts and used equipment there to experiment in different techniques. Following this, she went to the University of Glamorgan to study Stop Motion Animation full time and has now returned to Worcestershire and made In Dreams for a friends band Symphonika.

In Dreams was made in Emily’s parents house, taking over a spare room and turning it into an animation studio, blocking out the windows and removing everything but a table and computer. The idea was band’s vision of a man of Victorian times. It took 8 months to complete!

Emily says “The concept of this animation is chasing something you want in your dreams. The man in the film lives in his dream land, where he sells more dreams to people. When he gives one to a girl he likes and she disappears into her own dream he gets worried and tries to catch up to her by speed dreaming, in the hope that one of his dreams will eventually be the same as hers.”

Simon Munn, festival organiser added “We played Emily’s work at a day organised at Worcester Arts Workshop where she received three roars of applause from the audience! The quality of her work is fantastic and we are so pleased to be presenting it at our festival.”

Worcestershire Film Festival is proud to present In Dreams on Sunday, 4th November at 2.30pm in The Hive.

Details for the full festival are at www.worcestershirefilmfestival.co.uk

Another King Adora Mention

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 06:13:11 +0100

Another King Adora Mention:

The festival gets another mention for screening Who Do You Love : The King Adora Story

Making Of King Adora

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 20:45:44 +0100

Making Of King Adora:

Article from Digital Arts about the making of the King Adora documentary that we are proud to be showing at Worcestershire Film Festival. We will be holding a Q&A session with Ben after the film.

Date : 3rd November 2012
Time : 18:00 - 21:30
Location : The Hive, Worcester

Worcestershire Film Festival

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 22:50:03 +0100

OK this is it.. The BIG FINALE of..

The 1^st (drum roll and trumpet fanfare) .. ever..

Worcestershire

Film Festival 2012

When: 2^nd to the 4^th November 2012

Where: @ The Hive in Worcester City, Worcestershire, UK

We’ve got absolutely loads going on all weekend and it’s all completely FREE to attend!

Friday 2nd November: 18.00 to 21.20

Friday night is the opening gala including short films from local filmmakers, showcasing with Simon Tate (The point of Regret) plus a panel Q+A session.

Saturday 3rd November:

Morning 11.00 to 17.00 and then 18.00 to 21.00

Throughout Saturday we’re showing some of our competition entry films and shorts that will be competing for a much-coveted award at the end of the Festival. This will be interspersed with a presentation on the Festival’s Cinema Heritage Project at 12.30. Throughout the day we have workshops on graphics, cinematography and a talk from Tony Chance, Hollywood storyboard artist from films such as Mission Impossible, Road To Perdition and American Beauty

Afternoon:

The second day will finish with a showing of local filmmaker Ben Lewis’s Who Do You Love? The King Adora Story about the local rock band and their rise and fall.

Sunday 4th: 11.00 to 17.00 and then 18.00 to 21.30

More competition film entries followed by the moment everyone’s been waiting for, the award for the best film. Workshops on script writing, funding and even a talk from GemsTV!

Then, to wrap it all up, Jan Ryan from UKARTS International will be undertaking a Q+A on The Harder They Come, made just after Jamaican independence, 50 years ago.

Simon Munn one of the festival organisers calmed down for 30 seconds to say:

“ We are absolutely bursting with excitement about the finale. So many people have put so much hard work and effort into making the festival a success and the festival organisers would like to send a big thank you to everyone who has helped out, made a film or turned up at an event.”

On the awards he had this to say:

“There are so many talented film makers in this county of ours and we can’t wait to show you all of the brilliant films they’ve made”

Remember all the festival events are free to attend and everyone is welcome.

Worcestershire Film Festival is thankful from the support of the Film Course from University of Worcester, Worcestershire County Council and the Avalanche Group.

For more information about this release or to arrange an interview with the team please contact Nigel at NASMediaUK on 07411132097 or enquiries@nasmedia.co.uk (Twitter: @nasmediauk)

Tenbury Wells Film Roadshow

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 21:58:02 +0100

Location : Regal Cinema
Date : 20th October 2012
Time : 10:00 – 16:30

Since May 2012 we’ve been running road shows over the county. We started in Worcester, we’ve been to Redditch, Kidderminster and Bromsgrove and now we’re off to our final road show destination the mighty Tenbury Wells!

As well as film screenings from local filmmakers we’ve had talks on the rise of online distribution, to storyboarding, motion GFX, animation and how to fund your independent film.

For the Tenbury Wells event, we are at the Regal Cinema, where will be showing films on the big screen will have a talk from award winning Special Effects Maestros AirCGI.

We would also like to invite anybody who has memories or used to work at the Regal. We are building an online album called Worcestershire Cinema Through The Ages and would the opportunity to talk to you or see any pictures you have of the times.

Festival Finale:

Don’t forget - November 2nd to the 4th is the Festival Finale in Worcester at The Hive, incorporating the WOSCAR award ceremony for the best local films.

For more information about this release or to arrange an interview with the team please contact Nigel at NASMediaUK on 07411132097 or enquiries@nasmedia.co.uk (Twitter: @nasmediauk)

The Birmingham Mail covered our Bromsgrove Film Roadshow, many...

Sun, 30 Sep 2012 09:20:27 +0100

The Birmingham Mail covered our Bromsgrove Film Roadshow, many thanks to them!

Visit Worcestershire coverage of our Kidderminster Film Roadshow

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 08:31:25 +0100

Visit Worcestershire coverage of our Kidderminster Film Roadshow

Dave Pitt talks about Redditch Film Roadshow I’ve had a weekend busier than Andy Murray’s frown...

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 07:39:47 +0100

Dave Pitt talks about Redditch Film Roadshow

I’ve had a weekend busier than Andy Murray’s frown coach. It all started on Saturday (as weekend’s usually do) with a Worcestershire Film Festival event in Redditch. That day started with an hour and a bit of driving with a slightly deaf eccentric, a Polish girl in a great hat and a wee man with a cinema fixation and ended with the greasiest kebab in existence. In fact, it was so greasy that I had to have a shower when I got home. In between those events I chaired some Question and Answer sessions with some filmmakers and saw their short films. It was a long but very enjoyable day. The stand out film for me was Eventide. The thing is, not only is it a great film but the director, Brian Harley, is a really nice bloke as well… the bastard. Talented and nice… the utter utter bastard.

By Dave Pitt

Redditch Film Roadshow

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 12:48:33 +0100

In advance of the ultra exciting finale to the counties very first film festival, we got a bit over excited, we couldn’t’ wait for November and so we’ve decided to bring the Film Festival to YOU.

We’re still having the finale of the festival in November but in the meantime we will be running road shows in different parts of the county starting in Redditch.

Redditch Film Roadshow

When: 7th July 2012, 3pm

Where: Palace Theatre, Redditch, Worcestershire

Do You Remember:

• The Gaumont on Church Road or maybe the ABC on Unicorn Hill?

• The Palace as the Palace Super Cinema?

Maybe you or someone you know worked in these places. We would like to invite people who have memories of the old cinemas in the Redditch area and incorporate them into our cinema heritage project by recording them talk and taking photos of any clippings or items.

Over the next few months we will let you know of other forthcoming events.

Don’t forget - November 2nd to the 4th is the Festival Finale incorporating the WOSCAR award ceremony for the best local films.

For more information about this release or to arrange an interview with Simon please contact Nigel at NASMediaUK on 07411132097 or enquiries@nasmedia.co.uk (Twitter: @nasmediauk)

WORCESTERSHIRE FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FESTIVAL FINALE DATES

Thu, 31 May 2012 08:52:00 +0100

We are pleased, no hold that thought … we are ridiculously excited to announce the dates for the Finale of the Worcestershire Film Festival 2012.

When: 2ND to the 4TH November 2012

Where: Hive and Worcester Arts Workshop

What We Have Got Going On: Back to back screenings of local films, workshops on filmmaking, tours and much more.

How Much: Its Free!

By the Way: Whilst we’ve had lots of entries, there is still time to enter the film making competition, just go to http://www.worcestershirefilmfestival.co.uk/submissions

The festival will draw together our cinema heritage project funded by Heritage Lottery Fund and our exhibition that brought in over 5,000 visitors at the Worcester City Art Gallery and finish with a the presentation of the ‘WOSCARs’ to the winners of the best film.

For more information about this release or to arrange an interview with Simon please contact Nigel at NASMediaUK on 07411132097 or enquiries@nasmedia.co.uk (Twitter: @nasmediauk)

5 Ways Amaze Magazine

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 22:25:01 +0100

5 Ways Amaze Magazine:

We are featured in the first ever Amaze Magazine, a new publication for creatives!

Open publication - Free publishing - More 5ways

News Mag Bobs Blog

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:49:43 +0100

News Mag Bobs Blog

42 Nosferatu Night Review

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 22:28:53 +0100

42 Nosferatu Night Review

Worcester Standard

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:04:07 +0000

We get a mention in the Worcester Standard for supporting the 42 Open Mic Night celebrating Nosferatu. Click here for more details of the event.

Open Mic Night celebrates 1st birthday and Nosferatu anniversary

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:54:30 +0000

It has been almost 12 months since 42, the Genre Open Mic Night, started in Worcestershire, and the founders have something special planned for their birthday bash in March.

42 was started by Glenn and Angela James in 2011, to provide a platform for writers, musicians, and performers interested in genre subjects to find their audience and a voice. It has grown significantly in the last year, and branches of 42 will be starting in Birmingham, Newcastle-Under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent. With the event’s first birthday coming up, the significance of its opening month can be revealed.

In looking forward when 42 was established, March was chosen as in that month in 2012, it will be 90 years since the premiere of the first full-length film adaption of Dracula: The legendary German film Nosferatu by F. W. Murnau.

Nosferatu, the most Gothic and chilling vampire film ever made, will be the event’s theme for the evening, and the organisers invite contributors to embrace the dark theme in their works for the night.

42’s organisers have formed a strong bond with the Worcestershire Film Festival (now in their inaugural year), and headed by founder Simon Munn, the Film Festival will be contributing to the Nosferatu evening in style.

Contributors on the evening will include the renowned Gothic Diva Suz Winspear, Raine Evans, Fergus McGonigal, Damon Lord, Darren Farley, John Taylor, Joseph O’Donnell, and continues with the fine serial of Michael R. Brush.

The anniversary meeting will be held on Wednesday 28 March 2012 in the Lunar Bar above the Swan with Two Nicks public house in central Worcester. Tickets are £3.00 and available on the door. Further information HERE

Last Chance to See the Worcestershire Cinema Through The Ages Exhibition

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 04:00:00 +0000

To date we’ve had over 4,000 people visit our exhibition at Worcester City Art Gallery. That’s enough people to feature in a Cecile B. DeMille film!

For those who haven’t heard about the exhibition, a quick recap:

Worcestershire Film Festival (worcsff) in partnership with Worcester City Art Gallery are this winter taking us back through the Ages of Cinema by way of a unique exhibition dedicated to the history of the Picture House.

Cinema and film are to many people as sacred and beautiful as the finest works of art and the majestic temples that house them.

This FREE exhibition takes the visitor on a journey of discovery and rediscovery to the cinemas of the last 100 years and their impact upon culture, art and society.

Curator of the exhibition and Director of the Worcestershire Film Festival, Simon Munn:

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the people who have supported the exhibition either through visiting it or by contributing to its development and running”

“Cinemas are not just places where you go to see a flick. They hold meaning and memories for many millions of people.”

“Unfortunately many of our cinemas have been forgotten to make way for the multiplex. This exhibition not only highlights a bygone age but also emphasises the need to protect those traditional pictures houses that still stand today.”

For more information about this release or to arrange an interview with Simon please contact Nigel at NASMedia on 07411132097 or enquiries@nasmedia.co.uk