40th Screening for 2D University Pop-Up

 4,098 miles, 3000 students, 23 universities, 10 scaffolding poles, three years, two filmmakers and one campervan have gone into taking 2D cinema to the UK’s youth.

In the backlash against the growth of 3D cinema and multiplexes, two independent filmmakers decided in 2010 to take film in its purest, most basic form to the people, requiring nothing more than a projector, some speakers and blankets to sit on.

 Vivien Müller-Rommel and Paul Allen will celebrate the 40^th national screening of their student comedy, ‘Big Font. Large Spacing’, on Monday, 8^th October at Bristol University. The film had its International premiere at the Atlanta Film Festival in April 2010.

They have given many undergraduates their first encounter of an independent, low budget film made by (former) students for students, with no need for distracting glasses.

Writer and director Paul Allen, said: “We’ve screened everywhere from outdoor fields, to sports halls, lecture theatres and bars.’

“No-one’s ever tried touring their own film, with their own homemade cinema, around British universities before so it’s been exciting to explore the possibilities’

“We’ve encountered everything from break-downs to floods and screened in conditions most people would consider madness. When 200 people sit out in the rain to watch your film, however, it means a lot’

Peter Buckingham, Distribution specialist and former Head of Distribution and Exhibition at the BFI, recognises the value of their approach:

 ‘Many people talk about 'self distribution', a few of 'new business models'. No one I know has had the imagination, creativity and energy that 2D cinema are showing in getting audiences to see their film 'Big Font Large Spacing'. They are a true inspiration to all of us in the film industry.’

For more information visit www.2Dcinema.com.

NINTENDO 3DS XL AND THE BFI PRESENT A VISION IN 3D

WINNER OF THE NINTENDO AND BFI COMPETITION A VISION IN 3D ANNOUNCED 

SHORT 3D FILM TO SCREEN BEFORE THE NINTENDO GALA PREMIERE AT THE 56^th BFI LONDON FILM FESTIVAL!

Nintendo and the BFI, both committed to finding and nurturing the best new British film talent, are thrilled to announce Nicholas Pratt as the winner of A Vision in 3D, a nation-wide competition, inviting emerging filmmakers to submit a short 3D film, using the wide range of filming modes on the Nintendo 3DS or Nintendo 3DS XL.

Supported by Ridley Scott and focused around the theme of ‘British Summer 2012’, the winning short film will be premiered before the Nintendo Gala UK Premiere of The Sapphireson Monday 15 October, 6pm, at Odeon West End at the BFI London Film Festival (10 – 21 October 2012) in partnership with American Express®. Feel-good comedy The Sapphirescharts the fortunes of a larger than life female soul band, and stars Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids).

20 year-old Nicholas Pratt, a student of Japanese at London’s SOAS says, “I’m really excited to have this opportunity to get involved in the film industry! It will be incredible to watch the film on the big screen with an audience and walk the red carpet – I’m pinching myself here!“

Pratt has been mentored by AV innovator Stuart Warren-Hill and director Asif Kapadia and following his winning submission, has been shooting his new short film for screening at the Nintendo Gala on location in London, in collaboration with Warren-Hill and a professional crew. Director of Photography Malcolm Hadley who has worked on Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride and upcoming 3D opus Frankenweenie, (the BFI London Film Festival’s Opening Night Gala supported by American Express), has also been on hand to wave his magic wand over the stop-motion process.

The 3 runners-up in the competition are Tom Rule, Jamie Mitchell and Charlie Doran. Each receives a pair of tickets to the BFI London Film Festival and a BFI Membership for one year.

All four films can be viewed on the Nintendo 3DS XL pods at the BFI Southbank from early October and will be available to watch on Nintendo 3DS XL consoles from 31st October - 21st November.

Nintendo 3DS XL and the BFI present A Vision in 3D offers an incredible introduction to the film industry for the next generation of UK film talent.

Award-winning director, Ridley Scott said: “Digital and 3D filmmaking is within the grasp of everyone these days. I’m excited by all the skill and talent that’s emerging in the UK, telling stories in different ways and it’s vital that it gets our support. This competition launched by the BFI and Nintendo opens up a big opportunity for emerging filmmakers to make their mark and they should grab it with both hands. I can’t wait to see the results.”

Clare Stewart, BFI London Film Festival Director and Head of Exhibition added, “The BFI London Film Festival is thrilled to be working with Nintendo on this innovative new partnership that provides an opportunity for emerging filmmaking talent to be mentored in 3D filmmaking and we look forward to showcasing the winning film at the festival this October.”

A Vision in 3D is supported by competition figurehead Ridley Scott (Prometheus, Blade Runner, Gladiator) and entries were judged by an expert panel that included competitionmentors Stuart Warren-Hill – an AV artist and innovator in the field of electronic music and visual media, founder of Hexstatic, Holotronica and co-founder of the Big Chill - and Asif Kapadia, director of hit documentary Senna.

In addition to this competition and as part of their wider cultural partnership, Nintendo and the BFI are working together on a number of new 3D content projects, details of which will continue to be announced.

Participant Biographies:

Figurehead, Ridley Scott

Renowned, Academy Award®-nominated director Ridley Scott has been honoured with Academy Award® nominations for Best Director for his work on Black Hawk Down,Gladiator, and Thelma & Louise.  All three films also earned him DGA Award nominations.  Scott most recently released the acclaimed smash hit Prometheus starring Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace and Charlize Theron.  Currently he is in production on The Counselor, written by Cormac McCarthy and starring Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, and Javier Bardem. In 2003, Scott was awarded a knighthood from the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his contributions to the arts.

Mentor, Asif Kapadia

BAFTA award winning Asif Kapadia is a British filmmaker and has directed numerous award-winning films, including The Sheep Thief (1997), The Warrior (2001), which won the BAFTA Award for Best British Film 2003 and Senna (2010), which is the highest grossing British documentary of all time, and won BAFTA Awards for Best Documentary and Best Editing and the World Cinema Audience Award Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival 2011. 

Mentor, Stuart Warren-Hill

UK based Stuart Warren-Hill is an audiovisual artist and Innovator in the field of electronic music and visual media. Founder of Hexstatic, Holotronica and co founder of the Big Chill, Stuart has been pushing AV boundaries since the early 1990’s. He has collaborated Coldcut, David Byrne, Faithless and George Michael. You can find out more about Holotronica and Hexstatic at www.holotronica.com and www.hexstatic.tv

CELTIC MEDIA FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES CALL FOR ENTRIES

The Celtic Media Festival has announced its annual Call for Entries, with film and programme makers and digital media producers able to submit entries for the prestigiousBronze Torc Awards for Excellence from today, Friday 5th October. The Celtic Media Festival celebrates the unique languages and cultures of the Celtic nations and regions on screen and in broadcasting, and the awards honour the very best of film, television, radio and digital media. The winners will be selected by an international jury and unveiled at the 34th Celtic Media Festival, which takes place in Swansea from 24th – 26th April.   A total of twenty-one Torc Awards will be presented at next year’s event, including three awards which are brand new for 2013. The festival will honour the important role of digital technology in the promotion of Celtic languages and cultures with the introduction of a Best App award, and for the first time ever podcasts will be accepted as entries in the Radio category. Two new awards have also been added to the Radio/Podcast category - Music Programme and Radio Sports, and other award categories include Documentary/Factual and Drama. The festival will also present a Gold Torc to the winner of the Spirit of the Festival Award - a film or television programme wholly or substantially in a Celtic language that encapsulates the spirit of Celtic Media Festival. The full list of awards is available at www.celticmediafestival.co.uk   Dhomhnall Caimbeul, Chairman of the Celtic Media Festival said:   "We are very pleased to be able to announce two new radio categories as part of the Festival's increased commitment to radio. I would like to thank the sector for feedback received during our consultation process - it was invaluable and will ensure that the Festival in Swansea will be a much richer place for radio as a result. “The new category for Apps is an exciting development. We have focused it on apps in, or for learning, one of the Celtic languages. I am sure it will stimulate a lot of interest and foster co-operation across the Celtic nations and regions beyond broadcast media. “Overall we feel incredibly proud to be bringing such a strong Celtic Media Festival to Swansea next year. There is a lot of talent to celebrate and we expect strong interest in these prestigious awards."   The Celtic Media Festival 2013 takes place in The Swansea Marriott Hotel as well as various arts venues around the city from 24th – 26th April, and will showcase the best work from Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, The Republic of Ireland, Cornwall and Brittany.  The festival is expected to attract some of the biggest names in the broadcasting and film world to the city.  Previous high profile guests include actors Tilda Swinton, Rhys Ifans, Peter Mullan, Ken Loach and Doctor Who and Torchwood producer Russell T Davies. Although the festival is primarily for industry delegates, there will be a wider programme of local screenings, exhibitions, evening entertainment and celebrity interviews open to the public, including a series of master-classes and seminars for local students – full details of the festival programme, delegate registration and how to purchase tickets will be announced early next year.   Entries must be submitted by 5pm on Tuesday 30th October. Full information on the Call for Entries and award categories are available online atwww.celticmediafestival.co.uk

BFI FOCUSES ON THE FUTURE

 WITH FILM FOREVER: £500 MILLION INVESTED IN UK FILM OVER FIVE YEARS

First new initiatives announced to support new plan

Sheffield – Embargoed until 00.01am Wednesday 3^rd October 2012 The BFI is investing almost £500 million[1]in UK film over the next five years to help drive industry growth, build audiences and a vibrant film culture and sow the seeds of the future in a bold new plan announced today. Film Forever: Supporting UK Film 2012-2017 outlines the BFI’s three key strategic priorities, funded by a combination of Grant in Aid, the BFI’s earned income and National Lottery funding, as:

·         Education and audiences - with an annual investment of £44.2m

·         British film and filmmaking with an investment of £32.3m per year

·         Film heritage with an investment of £9.9m per year

BFI Chair, Greg Dyke said: ‘With film industry growth currently outstripping the economy as a whole, we want to invest to ensure continued success. A central part of Film Forever is to nurture business growth and cultural vibrancy across the whole of the UK, with a particular emphasis outside London. This is a real moment for film and a bold long term vision for the sector and I look forward to us from today turning all the discussion into action.’

BFI CEO, Amanda Nevill said ‘Film Forever is founded on a renewed commitment to the future – the future generation of audiences, the future generation of filmmakers and the opportunities presented by digital technologies. We are investing where we think we can most make a difference, where we see potential for creative excellence and where we can be the supportive catalyst for change, innovation, business growth and jobs.’

Film Forever is a comprehensive five year plan from the BFI and headline announcements made today, including a range of new partnerships with Accenture, Aardman, Samsung Smart TV, The Pinewood Group, with its flagship studios in Buckinghamshire, and BAFTA, for:

Audiences:

·        A real commitment to audiences outside of London with a new UK Audience Network including 8-10 regional hubs

·         Equipping 1000 community venues across the UK

·         Proactively working with BIG Lottery Fund on a joint proposal to build, educate and inspire audiences at community level across the UK.

·         A new partnership with Samsung for a Smart TV app giving exclusive BFI content, including behind the scenes at the BFI London Film Festival. This will be the first of a series of initiatives towards aBFIPlayer.

Education:

·         A new film education offer for every 5-19 year old in the UK, with the potential to reach 8.5 million young people, alongside the new youth film Academy network for 16-19 year olds with initial support from new partnersPinewood Studios and BAFTA

Supporting British Film:

·         More money for the production and development of UK films, rising annually to £24 million by 2017, with new opportunities for filmmakers working in documentary and animation and a greater focus on development

·         A New Talent Network to discover, grow and nurture new voices and stories all over the UK

·         A remodelled P&A (Prints and Advertising) Fund – now the new Distribution Fund -responding to widespread changes within the sector

·         A new International Fund including increased money for the British Film Commission

·         The new BFI Business Development Fund, in partnership with Creative England, strengthens the commitment to industry growth in England by providing seed funding to new businesses

·         A significant commitment to growing  skills with a new BFI Film Skills Fund, working in partnership with Creative Skillset and BIS[2] alongside ensuring the UK’s world leading film schools are supported with a one-off £5 millionin capital funding by 2017

Film Heritage:

·         Ambitious plans to digitise 10 000 films – the BFI 10K - over the next five years to bring our film heritage to new audiences, and a public vote on which those film should be

The plan is the result of 18 months of consultation with the UK and international film industry, cultural organisations, the public and Government, which started with Lord Smith’s independent Film Policy Review.  The BFI’s consultation, garnering almost 1000 official responses, has helped sharpen the BFI’s thinking in the areas of skills and infrastructure, international strategy and diversity. The BFI is launching a UK wide road-show to start implementing the plan across the country, throughout November. The road shows are open to everyone to attend and will visit Glasgow, Derry/Londonderry, Salford, Birmingham, Gateshead, Nottingham, Bristol and Cardiff.

Film Forever is available to download via bfi.org.uk/filmforever

BIG SCREEN ZOMBIES IN WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT

Zombie stars from the latest comedy horror movie release ‘Cockneys vs. Zombies’ will rise from the dead and take to the streets once again, this time in a bid to set a new Guinness world record for the most zombies together in one place.

The world record attempt is being organised on 6^th October by Stuart Beare, a Sussex farmer, who hosts the UK’s biggest Halloween event, the Shocktober Fest Scream Park, on his farm near Crawley.

Says Stuart Beare, “We are thrilled to have some of the actors from Cockneys vs. Zombies reprise their roles and join the world record attempt. The American’s love Halloween and the zombie world record has passed from one American city to another in recent years. The current record of 4093 zombies was set in New Jersey on 30 Oct 2010. But the Brits are embracing Halloween too. We have seen visitor numbers to our Shocktober Fest Scream Park Halloween event grow each year with up to 5000 visitors a night. We are hoping to beat the American’s at their own game to set a new zombie world record here in the UK.”

Nothing it seems can put a good zombie down and after being blasted with a shotgun by Alan Ford, mowed down with an Ouzi by Richard Briers, and decapitated by Honour Blackman, the big screen zombies have arisen from the dead once again to join the world record attempt.

Nina Romain, Zombie from Cockney vs. Zombies commented:

‘We had so much fun playing zombies on the set of Cockneys vs. Zombies, it will be great to get back in character to help try and break the world record. When the cast and crew heard about the record attempt we knew we all had to make plans to be at Tully Farm, helping London set the record is what both the cockneys AND zombies would want! ‘

Alan Ford, who plays patriarch Ray McGurie in the movie, will be on hand to assist in the adjudication and hopefully present Stuart Beare with a new World record certificate.

Says Stuart Beare, “This is an opportunity to be part of something amazing and help set a new world record. After the record attempt we’ll be opening the Shocktober Fest Scream Park free to all participating zombies.”

To be part of the zombie world record at the Tulleys Farm Shocktober Fest Scream Park on Saturday 6^th October register online at

www.zombieworldrecord.co.uk.

TED

BACK OFF…A BEAR IS BORN!

ON DVD,  BLU-RAY™ AND DIGITAL DOWNLOAD FROM 26^TH NOVEMBER 2012

All disc versions feature UltraVioletÔ Digital Copy

“Will keep you laughing until your ribs crack – 10/10”, Daily Star

“Easily the funniest film of the year – 4 stars”, Daily Mirror

“Ted is fabulously filthy and very, very funny – 4 stars”, The Sun

“Painfully funny and, surprisingly, emotionally heartfelt – 4 stars”, The Times

“A must-see – 4 stars”, Closer

Meet, Ted! The obnoxious and foul-mouthed, you-can’t-help-but-love, teddy bear that pushes all boundaries of adult humour in the year’s most crude, rude and outrageous black comedy, released on DVD, Blu-ray™ and Digital Download on 26^th November from Universal Pictures (UK).

Written, directed, produced and lead voiced by Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy, American Dad!), Ted is the latest offering from the master of politically incorrect adult comedy. With his very distinctive adult brand of humour, you’re in for a hilarious ride-of-your-life that features hookers, sexual innuendo and bodily functions by the bucket load!

Follow the story of John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg Entourage, Boogie Nights and The Fighter), a grown man whose lonely childhood wish brought his cherished teddy bear, Ted, to life. Instant mega-stardom and fame ensues for Ted (Seth MacFarlane Family Guy, American Dad) but now, almost 30 years later, the fairy-tale is very much over and the reality of living life with a now cynical, crude and hooker-loving, Ted, is starting to take its toll.

With the love of his life, Lori Collins (Mila Kunis – Family Guy, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and That 70s Show), becoming increasingly fed up with the constant presence of Ted, John is faced with a difficult choice. What follows is a dirty-as-hell, laugh-out-loud, adventure that will pit childhood friends against each other as John juggles romance over bromance and struggles to figure out a way to navigate this thing called adulthood.

Miss the funniest and rudest comedy of the year at your peril!

Ted is available to buy on DVD, Blu-ray™ and digital download from 26^h November 2012. All discs include UltraViolet™ Digital Copy

RANDOM HOUSE TO PUBLISH THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF SIR DAVID JASON

THE RANDOM HOUSE GROUP has acquired world rights in the autobiography of Sir David Jason. The deal was struck between Ben Dunn, Publishing Director of Century and Nick Canham and Meg Poole at The Richard Stone Partnership.

After nearly 50 years in television, Jason will now tell the inside story of how the youngest son of a Billingsgate market porter went on to become one of the most beloved actors of modern times.

Sir David Jason says: “I’m delighted to have found a publisher who shares my ambition for my autobiography. Random House have shown true enthusiasm for this project from day one and I can’t wait to work with Ben and his team.  Over the past 50 years I have had the fortunate experience of working with some of the finest actors and writers in the world. This book will be an opportunity for me to share the journey through my life and career with the people who have been most generous with their support and kindness – the great British public.”

Ben Dunn says: “Like so many millions of Brits, I grew up watching and listening, laughing and crying to David’s on-screen genius; from Del Boy to Dangermouse to Detective Inspector Jack Frost his cannon of work is unsurpassed and I am truly honoured to be publishing a memoir that I have no doubt will be as golden as everything else he’s touched.”

Born in 1940, and after a short stint as a trainee electrician, Jason started his television career in 1964 playing the part of Bert Bradshaw in Crossroads. In 1967 he performed alongside Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin in the television sketch comedy series Do Not Adjust Your Set.  Jason also appeared in a variety of shows in support of stars such as Dick Emery, before his performances caught the attention of Ronnie Barker, who soon became a mentor to Jason.  In 1973 he starred opposite Barker in the classic comedy, Open All Hours. Jason also featured in the legendary BBC sit-com Porridge, again alongside Ronnie Barker.  In 1981 he found his most enduring and popular role, Derek 'Del-Boy' Trotter in Only Fools and Horses, created by the late, great John Sullivan, a series that ran between 1981 and 2003.  In 1992, Jason moved to ITV to star as Detective Inspector Jack Frost, in a role that would continue for 16 years.

David Jason was awarded an OBE in 1993 and a knighthood in 2005, both for services to drama.

Century will publish in hardback in Autumn 2014 with an Arrow paperback the following year.

Century is an imprint of The Random House Group in the UK. Random House is owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA.