Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Global Sales

Global Sales company 111 Pictures to launch at Cannes


111 pictures will launch its fantastic library collection of classic independent films as well as its slate on new Hollywood and British Movies at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.

111 Pictures Ltd. Is a partnership between Alki David and Elliott Kastner. They have head hunted Tony Lytle from In Motion, formerly of New Line and J&M for
heading up sales. VP of sales is Eroulla Constantine former head of sales for Sullivan Entertainment.


The company will be unveiling a new software and platform for testing of the
FULL ON DVD DOWNLOAD NETWORK to select distributors. The FULL ON DVD DOWNLOAD NETWORK is the future of DVD / Television distribution. It is a business to business system that is a complex rights management system for DVD downloads and Broadband broadcasting.


The company has opened up impressive offices in Wardour Street, in the heart of Soho, London. They will also be at Cannes to launch an independent film called ‘OPA’, a romantic comedy. The film tells the story of an American archaeologist (Matthew Modine) who arrives on the Greek Island of Patmos in search of a lost Biblical artefact that his late father had searched for in vain. He falls in love with a woman (Agni Scott) who owns the village taverna, under which the artefact may be buried.

The film won Best Film at Toronto Film Festival.

OPA is a UK-USA production directed by Udayan Prassad and starring Matthew Modine (Bye Bye Love, Any Given Sunday), Richard Griffiths (Harry Potter, Withnail and I), Alki David (The Freediver) and newcomer Agni Scott.
BBC Training & Development launches
new online HD resource centre

BBC Training & Development today launched a new HD online resource centre; http://www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/production/hd.shtml which also includes WAP access to top tips for HD.

The resource is aimed at the Broadcast production community and covers all aspects of producing television in High Definition.

On the site you can find:

o Introduction to HD – a 10 minute online training module
o Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) related to HD
o A downloadable HD guide aimed at producers
o Top tips for HD covering areas such as pre-production, set design, makeup, production management, shooting, lighting, sound, post-production etc.

A new unique feature is the possibility to have top tips or FAQs sent directly to any UK mobile phone anywhere in the world. This option is especially useful for crews working in remote places who need instant information and don’t have access to the internet. Simply text “HD” to 81010 and receive the link to the top tips on your mobile.

BBC has announced its commitment to producing virtually all content in HD by 2010 and the first BBC HD technical trial starts in June. 2006 is definitely the year when HD will become a reality, and there is great need for information and development to quickly get everyone up to speed with HD across the entire Broadcast Industry.

“The recently published White paper emphasizes the BBC’s responsibility to drive development of skills in the wider broadcast industry especially in relation to technology development. We have gathered a lot of expertise in HD production at the BBC and it’s great that we now can share best practice among, not only our own staff, but also with the UK broadcast sector”, said Caroline Prendergast, BBC Head of Training & Development Delivery.

The HD site will continue to grow when new information and other resources are added and hopefully it can be used as a first port of call for anyone with HD queries.
BBC Film Network begins showcasing short films as high-resolution downloads

BBC Film Network (bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork) - the interactive showcase for new British filmmakers – continues its mission to promote new filmmakers with the addition of high-resolution downloads to the site. BBC Film Network will make selected short films available as downloads for a trial period of 12 months.

The download application, which will be available to the first 10,000 visitors to sign up, will allow users to watch a selection of the very best shorts in full screen, at a quality similar to a DVD. Users may also subscribe, for free, to automatically receive three great new shorts every fortnight and be alerted when new films are ready to watch.

The application will use similar technology to that used during the iMP trail, which concluded earlier this year. The Film Network trial uses a legal peer-to-peer network to deliver films as high quality video files. Users are granted a licence through the digital rights management software to view the film for 28-days and, when this expires, the files will automatically remove themselves from their hard drive.

There will be a choice of six shorts available at any one time. By offering the best films with a picture quality comparable to DVDs, the BBC aims to test the audience’s appetite for British made short films and also test broadband as a viable platform for showcasing new film content from the most promising new talent.

The service will launch with ‘How To Tell If A Relationship Is Over’, a 90-second race through the tell-tale signs of a relationship meltdown, featuring The Mighty Boosh’s Julian Barratt; ‘Fishy’ the appropriately named aquatic romance starring Shirley Henderson, a joint runner up in the BBC's Talent awards. Also included is the award-winning Chris Shepherd animation, ‘Dad’s Dead’.

Gerard O’Malley, Interactive Executive for film said,

“In the free-for-all that is the internet, how the audience experiences film content on the web is key, as are their expectations in terms of the quality of video content. We are here to back British filmmaking talent and bring there work to an as wider audience as possible. That’s why BBC Film Network is running this trial, to test the reaction and appetite of our audience to high quality short films on demand.”

bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork
Local filmmakers to see their big ideas on the small screen

Three local filmmakers have been selected to make films about the North East, in a new commission launched by Northern Film & Media in partnership with digital TV station Community Channel.

In January a call was made to local filmmakers to submit their proposals to receive a substantial grant from Northern Film & Media. Three documentaries have been chosen for production, all showing that it's not so grim up North and that there are people across the region who are setting out to make a difference, changing their lives and their communities.

Community Channel proposes to air the three North East documentaries in their Autumn 2006 schedule alongside their range of other programmes dedicated to highlighting issues from both local and international communities as well as the voluntary and charitable sectors.

The three films that have been chosen are: Sing Your Hearts Out: Produced by Emily Barber. A documentary about Heaton Voices, a community choir with a difference as they prepare to host this years National Street Choir Festival.
The Chevy Chase: Produced by Louise Rea. The film will take a close look at community life in rural Northumberland. Specifically the small town of Wooler and it's annual, gruelling, 20 mile run the 'Chevy Chase'.
The Grass Never Goes: Produced by Reuben Jacob Abraham. The Lawnmowers is a group of people with learning difficulties based in Gateshead who use comedy theatre to educate and entertain the public about disability.

Tom Harvey, Chief Executive of Northern Film & Media, says: “It is important to us that this series of programmes will be broadcast to a national audience and that viewers all over the UK are entertained, informed and inspired by real stories from the North East.”

Nick Ware, Community Channel Controller, says: “We're delighted to team up with Northern Film & Media and look forward to seeing the films from the people of the North-East. We're keen to show the positive side of communities around the UK and hope this is the first of many partnerships with regional film agencies from across the UK.“
FORMER BOND AND EX-PYTHON HELP TCM TO FIND THE BEST BRITISH SHORT FILM OF 2006

London, 2nd May, 2006: Pierce Brosnan and Terry Gilliam are just two of the high profile judges Who are going to be deciding TCM Classic Shorts competition’s winner of 2006. The seventh annual short film competition run by TCM (Turner Classic Movies) launches today (2nd May) and the award ceremony, to honour the finalists, is held during the 50th The Times bfi London Film Festival in November. The competition has grown in stature and exposure since it’s inception in 2000 and this is reflected by the distinguished names from the UK and US film industry that have agreed to participate as judges.

TCM Classic Shorts is one of the most prestigious and valuable short film competitions in Europe awarding £10,000 of prize money. In addition it gives the entrants exposure to a celebrated panel of judges who bring their expertise from all angles of the film industry. This year’s panel is:

Pierce Brosnan Die Another Day, The Thomas Crown Affair- Actor

Terry Gillliam Brazil, Time Bandits- Actor, writer, director, animator and composer

Imelda Staunton Vera Drake, Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix- Actress

Matthew Modine Full Metal Jacket, Short Cuts- Actor, director, screenwriter and author

Sally Potter Orlando, Yes- Director, screenwriter, composer, producer and editor

Stephen Poliakoff Close My Eyes, The Lost Prince- Screenwriter and director

Richard E Grant Withnail and I, Gosford Park- Actor, screenwriter and director

Stephen Woolley The Crying Game, Stoned - Producer and director

Wendy Ide The Times Film critic and film festival programmer

Jason Solomons BBC film critic

Paul Trijbits Head of the Film Council’s New Cinema Fund

Matt Mueller Editor Editor-At-Large Total Film

Dan Jolin Empire magazine Reviews Editor

Tina McCann General Manager of Turner Entertainment Networks Europe

The competition prides itself on having discovered some of the best new film making talent in the UK in recent years; last year’s winner Jane Lloyd has been snapped up by David Gray who is using an edited down version as the video for his new single, Alibi. Many of the short-listed films from previous years have also gone on to receive further acclaim; 2004 winner Nits directed by Harry Wootliff received a BAFTA nomination, whilst 2002 entry Brown Paper Bag directed by Michael Baig Clifford and 2001 winner About A Girl directed by Brian Percival, both went on to win BAFTAs for Best Short Film.

Once again TCM is sponsoring the Short Cuts and Animation strand of the Times bfi London Film Festival. The strand premieres the very best international short and animated films and as such is an important launch pad for new film-makers, student films and independent productions, as well as launching the careers of many high profile actors.

TCM Classic Shorts is open to all UK made short films. The opening date is 2nd May 2006 and all films must be received by 1st September 2006 at the very latest. The short-listed nominations are aired during a special weekend of programming on TCM and also screened at The Times bfi London Film Festival during the awards ceremony.

Further information and entry forms are available at: www.tcmonline.co.uk/classicshorts

For further information about The Times bfi London Film Festival, please log on to: www.lff.org.uk