Cinéformation: SCRIPTWRITING

7pm Thursday 28th May 2009, Waterside 3 Watershed Media Centre

What makes a great script? Ever wondered how to get your masterpiece on to the big screen? Come down to Cinéformation this month to hear from the experts as well as fresh talent and hear how they broke into the business as well as general advice on writing for film.

Eileen Elsey will be interviewing Raheela Raza-Syed writer of See Red and Richard Penfold writer of the hard-hitting social drama, ‘Leaving’.

Eileen Elsey designed and then ran the MA Screenwriting at the University of the West of England for six years. She is now a freelance writer, lecturer and script consultant, and is currently developing an interactive drama project. Eileen has a long-standing involvement with the Encounters Short Film Festival, and has carried out research into the creative process of film-making – both short film and features. Her co-authored book In Short: A Guide to Short Film-making in the Digital Age was published by the BFI in 2002 (reprinted 2005)

Raheela Raza-Syed began screenwriting whilst employed as a journalist in 1995. She was trained in screenwriting along with Television and Film research in 1999. Raheela is busy at her word processor even today. Remarkably, starvation and debt hasn’t quite put her off. Not yet at least, as she is unwisely obsessed with the idea of vulnerable and damaged misfits. In her slightly twisted mind desperation is appealing and inevitable. Nobody escapes in the end. She is also is the author of BHANGRA HEADS, screened on HTV 1999/2000 and the writer behind SPOKE, SWANKMEISTERS and road-movie SLANTED

SEE RED was selected for production by Channel 4’s New Directors scheme in the 1998 and has toured England, Scotland and India! It has enjoyed several rewrites by the author because of its controversial blend of satire and euthanasia.

Richard Penfold is a Writer, Director and Co-Founder of Bristol based Digital Marketing Agency and Production Company; Omni.

Whilst producing a range of video work for Omni clientele, Richard has written and co-directed with Sam Hearn, several shorts including:

DOG YEARS (2004) – recently chosen as a short film of note (alongside the early works of Shane Meadows, Ridley Scott and Simon Beaufoy) by the BFI for their definitive guide to Britain’s film and TV History; Screen Online

LEAVING (2008) – a Social Film Drama that has won three International Visual Communication Awards for Best Direction, Script and Drama, Best Cinematography at the Fuji Shorts Awards and 1st Place at the Annual Turner Classic Movies Shorts Awards at the 52nd London Film Festival.

Richard has now been signed up by Europe’s leading talent agency Independent Talent Group, and is being mentored by Rebecca O’Brien, Ken Loaches’ long time producing partner at Sixteen Films. He is currently developing his first feature production and a TV drama.

If you are interested in being a guest speaker at a future event please send in a viewing copy of your film on DVD along to:

Menekse Meech, Managing Director, Cineformation, c/o Encounters Short Film Festival, St Bartholomews Court
, Lewins Mead
, Bristol
 BS1 5BT

info@cineformation.com www.cineformation.com

Cinéformation: Helen (PG) Screening & Q&A with Director Christine Molloy

6pm Tuesday 5th May 2009
Cinema T.B.C, Watershed Media Centre, Bristol BS1 5TX

The first 25 responses that email: info@cineformation.com with Helen Discount in the subject bar will get a special discount code which will give you the concession rate of £5, the normal price is £6.50.

Award-winning short filmmakers Lawlor and Molloy extend their celebrated short Joy into an understated and gorgeously captured blend of British realism and European psychological tension, a first feature which marks them as talents to watch. When a young woman disappears, lonely teenager Helen agrees to play her in a police reconstruction. As the missing girl’s persona begins to influence Helen, filling gaps in her own fractured life, Lawlor and Molloy maintain a sense of slow-burning mystery, treating the characters with heart-twisting compassion whilst keeping their true motivations ambiguous.

Writer Director Producer CHRISTINE MOLLOY

Over the past 4 years Christine Molloy has worked with her co-director Joe Lawlor on a project called Civic Life. Civic Life involved local community groups in the production of nine high-quality short films for the cinema, shot on 35mm cinemascope making extensive use of the long take. In 2004, their film Who Killed Brown Owl won the award for Best British Short Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. In January 2008 their latest short film Joy won the Prix UIP Rotterdam at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. Helen is the culmination of the Civic Life series.

www.desperateoptimists.com <http://www.desperateoptimists.com> <http://www.desperateoptimists.com>

Revolution
Watch Joe and Christine’s 2005 short, part of the Civic Life series.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/filmnetwork/A12815543 <http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/filmnetwork/A12815543>

“An impressive, beautifully shot debut feature”
Leslie Felperin, VARIETY

“A remarkable first feature”
Roger Clarke, SIGHT & SOUND

“A hypnotic first feature”
Allan Hunter, SCREEN DAILY

“The latest vital sign of a UK art-cinema resurgence”
Jonathan Romney, THE INDEPENDENT

“An outstanding feature debut”
Philip French, THE OBSERVER

Winner Grand Jury Prize Premiers Plans Festival d’Angers 2009
Winner Best Actress Prize Premiers Plans Festival d’Angers 2009

Few links:
The film-makers: Christine Molloy & Joe Lawlor
By Jonathan Romney, Saturday, 27 December 2008
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/the-filmmakers-christine-molloy—joe-lawlor-1205645.html <http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/the-filmmakers-christine-molloy—joe-lawlor-1205645.html>

Stars who will shine in 2009 – Film: Joe Lawlor and Christine Molloy – Telegraph.co.uk

Hannah McGill, director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival, on filmmakers Joe Lawlor and Christine Molloy

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culture-preview-of-the-year/4030720/Stars-who-will-shine-in-2009—-Film-Joe-Lawlor-and-Christine-Molloy.html <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culture-preview-of-the-year/4030720/Stars-who-will-shine-in-2009—-Film-Joe-Lawlor-and-Christine-Molloy.html>

Cineformation: Comedy

7pm Thursday 30th April 2009, Waterside 3 Watershed Media Centre

What makes an audience laugh, can you learn comic timing? Director Michael Davies and Producer Sandra Gorel will be joining us at Cineformation to discuss their award winning short film What’s Virgin Mean? Also Guest Speaking will be new talent, Felix Massie who will be showing his award winning short animation, Keith Reynolds Can’t Make it Tonight amongst some of his other comedy gems.

Cineformation is a forum for independent film & video makers offering an opportunity for writers, producers, directors, actors, crew & enthusiasts to meet, share ideas, screen films and foster an active vibrant creative frenzy of filmmaking in the South West.

If you are interested in being a guest speaker at a future event please send in a viewing copy of your film on DVD along to:

Menekse Meech

Managing Director
Cineformation
c/o
Encounters Short Film Festival
St Bartholomews Court

Lewins Mead

Bristol
BS1 5BT

Encounters presents The Oscar® Nominated Short Films 2009

The Oscar® Nominated Short Films 2009
In partnership with Shorts International and Cinéformation

Cinéformation: 12.40pm – FREE EVENT!
Free panel discussion on What makes an Oscar®-winning short

DATE: Saturday 18 April 2009, VENUE: Waterside 3, Watershed, 1 Canon’s rd Bristol, BS1 5TX

As part of this exciting screening Cinéformation will be presenting a free panel discussing what makes an Oscar®-winning short film. Our panel will include Christopher Moll, who produced the Oscar winning short Wallace & Gromit in The Wrong Trousers, Chris Tidman from Shorts International and Matthew Walker from Arthur Cox Animation who’s film John & Karen gained a commendation at this years Oscars.

Email your full name to info@cineformation.com with Oscar Panel in the subject bar, to reserve your place.

Oscar Short Film Screenings will take place as follows:

Animation: 11.00am (1hr 28mins)

Break for Cinéformation: 12.40pm – FREE EVENT!

Live Action: 14.00 (1hr 32mins)

Tickets: £6.00 / £4.50 concessions each, or both screenings for £10.00 / £7.50 concessions

To book: phone 0117 927 5100 or buy online at www.watershed.co.uk

Encounters Short Film Festival in partnership with Shorts International and Cinéformation present the unique opportunity to see two programmes of the best in Animation and Live Action Short Films nominated at the 2009 Academy Awards, including the winners La Maison en Petits Cubes (Pieces of Love, Vol 1) and Spielzeugland (Toyland). Presented in partnership with Shorts International, ShortsTV (Sky 34) and Cinéformation.

Animation Programme

Lavatory Lovestory (Russia/10mins/2007)
A lonely toilet attendant attemps to uncover the identity of her secret admirer.

*La Maison en Petits Cubes [Pieces of Love] *(Japan/12 mins/2008)
An old man battles to save his house in an attempt to beat the rising tide.

Oktapodi (France/3 mins/2007)
Two octopi fight for their lives in a comical escape through the streets of a small Greek village.

*Presto *(USA/5 mins/2008)
Dignity poise mystery. We expect nothing less from the great, turn-of-the-century magician, Presto. But, when Presto forgets to feed his rabbit, the revered conjurer gets more than he bargained for!

*This Way Up *(UK/9 mins/2008)
Laying the dead to rest has never been so much trouble.

Live Action Programme

Auf der Strecke [On the Line] (Switzerland, Germany/30 mins/2007)
A department store security guard is secretly infatuated with a clerk in the store’s bookshop. When he witnesses a love rival being attacked on a train, he abandons him – a decision that carries with it devastating consequences.

Manon sur le Bitume [Manon on the Asphalt] (France/15 mins/2007)
A girl has an accident while riding home on her bicycle.

New Boy (Ireland/11 mins/2007)
Based on a Roddy Doyle short story. A young African immigrant struggles to find a place for himself during his first day at an Irish school.

Grisen [The Pig] (Denmark/22 mins/2008)
When Asbjorn is admitted to hospital, he finds comfort in a painting of a whimsical pig – until it is removed at the request of another patient.

Spielzeugland [Toyland] (Germany/14 mins/2007)
Germany 1942. A mother convinces her son that the Jewish neighbors are going on a journey to ‘Toyland’.

Encounters presents The Oscar® Nominated Short Films 2009 in partnership with Shorts International and Cinéformation continues the Encounters Short Film Festival side events. Previous shows have focused on Gordon Murray’s Trumptonshire Tales (Trumpton, Camberwick Green and Chigley) Morph, the character credited with establishing Aardman Animations as a company destined for success, Phil, Bagpuss and Friends, recounting Peter Firmin and Oliver Postgate’s achievements with Small Films and most recently Encounters and Aardman present Ray Harryhausen.

About Encounters Short Film Festival is one of the world’s best-known showcases and meeting point
for new and established international film and animation talent, buyers, students and the
ever-expanding numbers of businesses that need moving imagery, for advertising, digital
games, e-marketing and mobile communications. The main festival takes place in Bristol, UK,
the 2009 festival takes place from 17 – 22 November.

For regular up-dates about plans, screenings, special events, guests, awards and sponsorship
opportunities, please visit: http://www.encounters-festival.org.uk or contact the festival
office: info@encounters-festival.org.uk; Telephone +44 (0) 117 929 9188

About Shorts International

Shorts International Ltd. is the world’s leading short film entertainment company with the largest and most diverse film catalogue devoted to short films with two pay TV channels on cable and satellite in Europe. More than half of the catalogue’s individual films have been nominated for or received international film awards, including the Cannes, Edinburgh, Clermont Ferrand and Sundance film festivals. Shorts International operates ShortsTV™, ShortsTV France™ and ShortsTV Corto™ short film channels created for distribution to mobile television, cable television and satellite networks (Sky Channel 342 in the UK and on Numericable in France,
Belgium and Luxembourg), as well as Shorts™, the short films on demand service available on the iTunes movie stores in the US, UK and CANADA. Further information can be found at www.shortsinternational.com and www.shortstv.com. The company is headquartered in London, England with additional offices in Paris, Munich, New York and San Diego led by Carter Pilcher, Chief Executive. Shorts International is owned by Shorts Entertainment Holding and Liberty Global Ventures.

Cineformation: Poetry in Film

7pm Thursday 26th March 2009, Waterside 3 Watershed Media Centre

Cineformation takes a look at Poetry in film, special guests include award winning filmmakers and Poets Peter Syme, Colin Thomas and Bob Walton.
Cineformation is a forum for independent film & video makers offering an opportunity for writers, producers, directors, actors, crew & enthusiasts to meet, share ideas, screen films and foster an active vibrant creative frenzy of filmmaking in the South West.

If you are interested in being a guest speaker at a future event please send in a viewing copy of your film on DVD along to:

Menekse Meech

Managing Director
Cineformation
c/o
Encounters Short Film Festival
St Bartholomews Court

Lewins Mead

Bristol
BS1 5BT

Cineformation: Romance

7pm Thursday 26 February 2009
Waterside 3, Watershed Media Centre, Bristol

February being the month of Love, Cineformation would like to warm you up, with a selection of films looking at various forms of Romance. As usual the filmmakers will be on hand to answer your burning questions and there will be plenty of time to find your perfect filmmaking partner. Guests will include the team from the Bristol based feature film Shank, Producer and Writer Christian Martin, Director Simon Pearce and Writer Darren Flaxstone.

Cineformation is a forum for independent film & video makers offering an opportunity for writers, producers, directors, actors, crew & enthusiasts to meet, share ideas, screen films and foster an active vibrant creative frenzy of filmmaking in the South West.

If you are interested in being a guest speaker at a future event please send in a viewing copy of your film on along to:

Menekse Meech
Cineformation
c/o
Encounters Short Film Festival
St Bartholomews Court

Lewins Mead

Bristol
BS1 5BT