Two short films by Edinburgh screenwriter Ronnie Mackintosh and London based director Brady Hood have been selected as finalists in a prestige international competition organised by FILMSshort.com.
‘Small Gifts,’ the story of a young boy, isolated by grief following the death of his mother, who finds comfort from a strange woman he meets by chance in the park, and ‘Plagium’, where Little Katie’s perfect world is about to come falling down as she discovers all too soon that not everyone can live happily ever after, which features acclaimed actor Jason Flemyng of ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ and ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ fame, have both reached the last ten of the bi-annual competition.
A spokesman for FILMSshort said:”FILMSshort.com is one the more popular short films websites, showcasing only the best shorts from across the world. To have two shorts selected is certainly an achievement.”
Yesterday Ronnie kindly took time out from his busy schedule to speak to the Edinburgh Reporter and was quick to pay tribute to the others involved in the production of the films.
He said: “I was really delighted to hear that the films had been selected as competition finalists. The fact that they were the two films that I’ve worked on with Brady was the icing on the cake. Other crew members who were involved with both films, and who absolutely deserve recognition are, the Editor, James Page; the Composers who created two pieces of original music, Maryann and Michael Tedstone, and Producer, Jameal Ali.”
It’s a busy time for the 54 year old former detective, who only took up screenwriting after he retired, at the rank of Detective Chief Inspector, from Lothian and Borders Police in 2006. Four years later, Ronnie graduated from Screen Academy Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University, with a Master of Fine Arts (Advanced Film Practice), and since then his short films have screened at film festivals throughout the world.
“I now focus on feature length projects.” continued Ronnie, “At the moment I have two scripts optioned by production companies in the US and London, and I’m currently working with an Edinburgh Producer/Director team, Andy Maas and David Lumsden on a project, Prion, that’s beginning to gaining some interest. I can’t say too much at the moment, but it’s a thriller that could only be set in Edinburgh and will portray the city as it’s never been seen before. Then I have another thriller to pen for London based producers and interestingly, it was Brady who recommended me for that job.”
Keep up with Ronnie’s work at http://www.ronniemackintosh.co.uk/default.html
Photographs: Ronnie Mackintosh and Brady Hood & Jason Flemyng in Plagium
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
