Launching at Edinburgh International Film Festival in June 2010, ‘Features Scotland’ will provide producers with a range of training, market knowledge, promotional and networking opportunities that will enhance their understanding of the market and significantly advance their projects. Participants will work with EIFF and a dedicated Development Advisor to design a development plan personal to them and their project that will cover the duration of the initiative.
Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop said: “The Edinburgh International Film Festival champions creativity and provides vital opportunities for emerging talent. The Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund has helped Scottish filmmakers to develop their skills and ambitions. The 2010 Expo project, ‘Features Scotland’, will continue this work and will showcase Scottish filmmaking on a local, national and international stage. I wish every success to the participants of this exciting project.”
EIFF Artistic Director Hannah McGill said: ‘We are immensely grateful to the Scottish Government for their continued support of EIFF and Scottish filmmakers through the Expo fund. This investment will enable us to aid a dynamic group of individuals in making their way confidently into the international film market, and promoting their projects worldwide. We look forward immensely to seeing the scheme bear creative fruit in the near future.’
Industry consultant, Mia Bays, has been appointed as the ‘Features Scotland’ Development Advisor and said: “EIFF and Scottish Screen’s support for their up and coming producers and the commitment to take them to four of the world’s major film festivals is invaluable as it involves not just sending them and showing them the ropes, but also putting them in front of really key people and tailoring the experience to each individual producer. I wish I’d have had the same such platform when I started out instead of learning the hard way!”
Masterclasses, workshops and meetings with Industry professionals will be led by guests that include writing and directing talent, financiers, executive producers, sales agents, media lawyers and distributors with the aim of developing and market testing their project within a supported environment. In addition to EIFF, producers will travel to the upcoming Toronto, London and Berlin film festivals.
The Expo Fund provides a global platform to showcase emerging Scottish filmmakers. Phil Robertson, a previous recipient of funding in 2009 has consequently been signed by LA talent agency, Montana Artists and commented: “Without the Scottish Government support for EIFF Expo, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to meet with US agents in the relaxed environment of my home town film festival.”
The 2010 ‘Feature Scotland’ participants, who will be formally announced at the Scottish Screen and EIFF event in Cannes tomorrow, are: Wendy Griffin, Carolynne Sinclair Kidd, Micky MacPherson, Suzanne Reid, Andy Green, Ciara Barry.
