BRIEF ENCOUNTERS

Mini Masterpieces, the national competition which offers filmmakers the chance to screen their film at Brief Encounters International Film Festival, is still open for entries.

For the third year, Calling the Shots is offering Mini Masterpieces in partnership with South West Screen, Northern Film and Media, EM Media and North West Vision. Forty filmmakers from across the partners regions will be selected to pitch their ideas to industry professionals on Wednesday 19th October 2005. From this, two filmmakers from each region will be selected to develop scripts and finally one winner from each region will get an all-expenses paid trip to the city to create their movie with a team of professionals. Their productions will be screened at the Brief Encounters Short Film Festival.

The competition is still open for filmmakers and South West Screen, the public agency that promotes film, television and digital media in the region, welcomes pitch proposals from filmmakers.

For more information please contact Emma Blackburn at South West Screen on Emma.Blackburn@swscreen.co.uk or 0117 9529977. The deadline for receiving the pitch proposal is 12 noon on 7th October 2005. Details of the pitch criteria can be found at www.minimasterpieces.org.uk.

Jeremy Howe, Head of Short Drama at BBC said, “Mini Masterpieces is a great opportunity to escape from development hell and make a film in one hit - from pre-production to a screening in front of an audience in less than a week is a sure fire way of concentrating your mind as a film maker.”

Caroline Norbury, Chief Executive of South West Screen said, “South West Screen supports Mini Masterpieces and importantly Calling the Shots, the company behind it, because it provides a unique opportunity for local, talented filmmakers to get their work made and seen by a large audience.”