Scottish Shorts 2018 – Shortlisted Projects 

Following a great response and tough selection process, we’re pleased to confirm the 13 projects shortlisted to participate in the 2018 Scottish Shorts programme.

The teams, selected from a strong field of submissions, will attend a series of workshops throughout May and June to develop their short film ideas from outline to polished script.

In July all teams will pitch to an industry panel made up of representatives from the Centre for the Moving Image, DigiCult, Hopscotch Films and Creative Scotland. Six projects will then be selected to go into production, each receiving a budget of £15,000.

The filmmakers and projects selected for Scottish Shorts 2018 are:

  • BROTHERS (drama)
    Co-Writer(s)/Co-Director(s): Alasdair Bayne & Marina Notaraki
  • CHINA PANDA (comedy/drama)
    Writer/Director: Yvonne Zhang
  • CHUB ISLAND (animation)
    Writer/Director: Ben Cresswell; Producer: Jamie Fraser
  • DARK ROAD (drama)
    Writer/Director: Rory Gibson
  • DO NO HARM (comedy/drama)
  • Writer: Rosy Barnes; Director: Douglas King
  • DUCK DAZE (comedy)
    Writer: Julia Taudevin
  • EDUCATED (drama)
    Writer/Director: Tom Nicoll
  • EXPENSIVE SHIT (drama)
    Writer/Director: Adura Onashile; Producer(s): Ciara Barry & Rosie Crerar
  • HEN HOUSE (comedy)
    Writer/Director: Niamh Mckeown; Producer: Alexandra Porter-Smith
  • I WANTY GO HAME (black comedy)
    Writer/Director: James Price; Producer: Dave Gillies
  • LUCKY STAR (drama)
    Writer/Director: Russell Davidson; Producer: David Neilson
  • SCUM (drama)
  • Writer/Director: Sean Dunn; Producer: Alex Polunin
  • THE SONGSTRESS OF THE MOUSE FOLK (animation)
    Writer/Director: Josephine Self

Scottish Film Talent Network (SFTN)

Important information for filmmakers

Between 2015-20, the Scottish Film Talent Network (SFTN) offered new and emerging Scottish based filmmakers support for individual film projects and professional development.

From new talent through to first-time features, SFTN providing tailored individual support alongside development programmes and production finance.

SFTN was a consortium initiative managed by DigiCult, the Centre for the Moving Image and Hopscotch Films, part of the UK-wide NETWORK, funded by Creative Scotland and BFI. The initiative was the first to bring together Scottish industry practitioners in development, production, finance, distribution, exhibition and festivals who passed on their expertise through comprehensive hands-on opportunities.

DigiCult’s Partners

 

 

Funded by

       

Scottish Film Talent Network events

Launching in Glasgow, Inverness and Dundee

Thanks to everyone who came to the Edinburgh and Aberdeen launch events for The Scottish Film Talent Network. We still have three more launch dates in Scotland over the next couple of weeks.

SFTN is a new initiative that offers support to upcoming writers, directors and producers that are either based in or from Scotland. It is funded by Creative Scotland and BFI, and delivered by DigiCult, Hopscotch and The Centre for the Moving Image (CMI). It represents the Scottish part of the BFI NET.WORK, a talent development programme running across the UK.

The SFTN will work with emerging filmmakers as they prepare for their first feature, and will also help new talent break into the market by developing and producing shorts.

Events still to come:

GLASGOW
Wednesday 2nd July
GFT, Cinema 3
16.00 – 17.30 (followed by networking drinks in Balcony Bar)
 
INVERNESS
Thursday 3rd July
Eden Court Maclean Room
17.00 – 18.30 (followed by drinks in Douglas Baxter Hall)
 
DUNDEE
Wednesday 9th July
DCA, Cinema 2
16.00 – 17.30 (followed by drinks in the concourse area)
 

These are free, walk-in events. Please join us to meet the team and hear news on all upcoming development and production opportunities.

Tracks 2006 (Martin Smith) Producer Karen M Smyth

Twelve teams of emerging writers, directors, animators and producers have been shortlisted for the Scottish Shorts programme 2012/13. The twelve live action and animation films will be developed over the next 3-4 months before being pitched to an industry panel. Four high-quality projects will then be selected for production in spring 2013.

The programme is a collaboration between Hopscotch Films and DigiCult with investment from Creative Scotland, and draws on the experience of acclaimed producers John Archer, Carolynne Sinclair Kidd and Paul Welsh. They bring an extensive mix of talent and experience to the programme offering invaluable support and expertise to the chosen film-makers, helping to create high quality projects and equipping film-makers with the skills to break into features and promote their work on a national and international platform.

Several of those shortlisted have already achieved acclaim for their previous work. Ian Robertson’s highlights to date include Best European Animation at the Young Director Awards in Cannes, a BAFTA New Talent Award in 2011 for The Chameleon, Best Drama at Exposures Film Festival and Best Film at the British Student Film festival in 2012 for his short film ‘The Phone Box’. Ainslie Henderson’s Edinburgh College of Art graduation film ‘I Am Tom Moody’ won awards for Best British Short at Encounters 2012, Best Student Film at Krok 2012, and both the Grand Walt Disney student short award and Ottawa media prize at Ottawa International Film Festival 2012. Martin Smith won the 2006 BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Short Film with his short film Tracks.

The shortlist:

‘As He lay Uncertain’ Writer/Director: Ian Waugh
‘Exchange and Mart’ Writer/Director: Cara Connolly & Martin Clark
‘Frankie and Adam’ (Animation/Live Action) Director: Michael Hughes; Writer/Director: Jessica Connell
‘Hedgehog’ (Animation) Writer/Director: Ania Leszczynska; Co-writer & Producer: Jessica Connell
‘Monkey Love Experiments’ (Animation) Writer/Director: Ian Robertson: Producer/Co-writer: Sam Ferguson
‘Take Your Partners’ Writer/Director: Siri Rodnes
“The House That Makes Children Old’ Director: Matt Cameron: Writer: Tom K McCarthy
‘The Whale’s Song’ (Animation) Writer/Director: Andy Kaiser; Joseph Atkinson
Untitled Project Writer/Director: Martin Smith
‘Wild’ Writer/Director: Alasdair Bayne
‘Wiyuld’ Writer/Director: Rory Alexander Stewart

Paul Welsh of DigiCult said:

“Judging by the quality of entries for the programme, Scotland has a strong passion for narrative film-making. We’re excited about working on these wonderful projects with the talent.”

John Archer of Hopscotch Films commented:

“We were overwhelmed by terrific submissions and have a very strong shortlist to develop further. We look forward to some brilliant productions.”

Caroline Parkinson, Director of Creative Development at Creative Scotland commented:

“Congratulations to the film-makers shortlisted for the first Scottish Shorts programme. This programme brings talent to the forefront and their skills and knowledge will thrive under the guidance of Paul, John and Carolynne, taking them to the next level in their careers and strengthening film-making in Scotland.”

Over the coming moths Digicult will release more information regarding the talent and progression of the Scottish Shorts Programme 2012/13.

 

Time To Hatch?

Incubator Scripts To Be Pitched At Toronto's IFF

 

After a year of intensive development through DigiCult’s Incubator Programme, producer Paul Welsh will be pitching  Gregor Johnston’s ‘Night Of The Wolf’ and Norrie Bissell’s ‘Last Man In Europe’ in Toronto, including two days at the prestigious International Financing Forum (IFF), 9th/10th September 2012.

These projects represent DigiCult’s first move into the feature market after many years producing world class shorts with emerging UK talent.

 

 

 

Scottish Shorts

Call for entries 2012

Application

Guidelines

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Little Red Hoodie (Joern Utkilen 2009)
Producer Carolynne Sinclair Kidd

Scottish Shorts 2012/13 is a new short film development and production initiative for Scottish based producers, writers and directors with the imagination to create thrilling, engaging stories to share with international audiences.

Applications are now open for SS 2012/13, over the next five months Scottish Shorts will develop up to 10 talent teams with short film proposals before commissioning four high quality live action and animated films in early 2013.

Drawing on the experience of producers John Archer, Carolynne Sinclair Kidd and Paul Welsh, the initiative will empower Scottish producers tasked with nurturing unique stories and fresh voices for the screen.

Scottish Shorts is financed by Creative Scotland and is jointly managed by DigiCult and Hopscotch, two Scottish companies with a solid track record in talent development and delivering world class short and long form productions for cinema and television.

SCOTTISH SHORTS call for applications closes 5pm, Friday 12th October, 2012.

For more information on this project please download the Scottish Shorts guidelines and electronic application form on the left hand side of this page. We look forward to reading your submissions.

If you require more information please email

scottishshorts@digicult.co.uk

Or call Carolynne Sinclair Kidd at Hopscotch on 0141 440 6740.

“I’m delighted to be working with Creative Scotland and Hopscotch Films on Scottish Shorts 2012. The mix of talent and experience heading-up this programme should be great for emerging filmmakers in Scotland. This should be a stimulating, challenging experience, one aimed squarely at lifting the work to the highest standard and helping position the talent nationally and internationally for future opportunities and success.”

Paul Welsh, Edge City Films / DigiCult

“The Scottish Shorts initiative offers an intense period of development for producers, directors and writers ready to take the next step in their career. We are delighted that three acclaimed producers have committed to developing the stories and voices that will strengthen Scottish film making.”

Caroline Parkinson, Director of Creative Development at Creative Scotland


 

Working in partnership with Hopscotch Films, Digicult is about to launch a new short film development and production initiative for Scottish based producers, writers and directors for 2012/13.

Over the next five months, Scottish Shorts will develop up to 10 teams with short film proposals before commissioning four high quality live action and animated films early in 2013.

Keep up to date with this new project on the Digicult and Hopscotch websites. Scottish Shorts 2012/13 is due to launch Monday 10th September.


The Making Of Us

DigiCult Alumni Stages Show At GI

As part of GI – Glasgow’s biennial festival of visual art – this weekend at Tramway you can take part in a unique film-theater-visual art collaboration featuring one of DigiCult’s most experienced alumni, Graham Eatough (Lament 2003, Missing 2007).

Funded by Creative Scotland, The Making of Us is a cross-media, cross-platform  collaboration between film/theatre writer-director Graham, visual artist Graham Fagen and director of photography Michael McDonough (Winter’s Bone), managed and staged at Tramway by another DigiCult alumni, veteran Scottish producer Angela Murray (Room for The Night, 2002).

For an insight into the thinking behind the project, watch this video. And for tickets, contact Tramway direct. There’s a limited number of performances over the weekend – Friday 20th (8pm), Saturday 21st (3pm, 8pm) and Sunday 22nd (8pm). Tickets are free but need to be booked in advance (with returnable deposit of £5).

As part of the audience for Making of Us, you will become part of the film resulting from the weekend’s live performance.

Incubator Shorts Commissioned

Two new shorts complete DigiCult's 2011 slate

Following two months of hard graft on their story, script and project ideas, Eva Riley and Tom Chick have been commissioned  by DigiCult and Creative Scotland to produce their first funded shorts with the company.

Eva’s naturalistic piece ‘Sweetheart’ tells the story of two sisters struggling with their inter-dependency and competing sexuality. And Tom’s lyrical re-telling of the traditional tale ‘Death In A Nut’ draws inspiration from the films of Bill Douglas, deftly exploring a son’s struggle with a stranger who comes to visit his ailing mother.

Congratulations to both these film-makers and commiserations to the remainder of the short film talent pool. Everyone worked hard throughout the development process: Ryan Adams, Antonia Bain, Hugh Farrell, Sam Firth, Neil Hepburn and Mark Rossi. DigiCult wishes you every success with your future film projects.

Alongside Zack Copping’s ‘Foxy and Marina‘ (in post production), ‘Sweetheart’ and ‘Death in A Nut’ complete DigiCult’s short film slate for 2011.

Rite Wins At Rushes

Long Form Award Goes to DigiCult Production

Congratulations to Michael Pearce and the team behind DigiCult’s Rite for winning the Best Long Form Drama award at Rushes Soho Shorts (July 2011). Since completing the production in October 2010, Michael has continued to develop his writing and directing career, participating in the Torino Film Lab with the Jersey set thriller ‘Beast’.

MIKE 01 - RITE - DIGICULT

 

Mike (Martin Herdman above) takes his estranged son out for his birthday; desperate to prove he’s a reformed man. But drink and the simmering violence of match day threaten to bring out the worst in him.

Rite premiered at the 54th London Film Festival. For more information on the film, please visit its catalogue page on the site. And click below for information on all the winning films from Rushes Soho Shorts website.