SMG and Scottish Screen announce New Found Films 2005

Scottish Television, Grampian Televsion and Scottish Screen are seeking applications for two new features to be shot under the internationally acclaimed and award-winning digital New Found Films scheme, to premiere during the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2005.
This low budget digital scheme has already produced two excellent films. ‘Afterlife’, starring Kevin McKidd, Lindsay Duncan, Paula Sage and Shirley Henderson, which won the Audience Award at the 2003 Edinburgh International Film Festival (and subsequently went on to appear in festivals at Los Angeles, London and Calgary), and ‘Blinded’, starring Peter Mullan, Jodhi May and Anders Berthelson, which premiered in London late last year to favourable reviews.
New Found Films offers production companies a budget of £300,000 to make their films, which must have a relevance to Scotland and be capable of international release. The commissioners stress that great emphasis will be placed on how the projects can be realised within this budget. Carole Sheridan, Development Executive at Scottish Screen is confident that this second round of New Found Films will attract a big entry.
"The first two films under this scheme have been extremely successful and I am sure we will have a good response this time round. I am confident we will find another two projects which can be developed into top quality, commercial films with a wide appeal. The New Found Film scheme provides filmmakers with an ideal opportunity to take their first step up into features. That is why it is such an important initiative."
New Found Films 2005 will run its development programme alongside New Found Land 2004, which produces six short-form digital dramas for theatrical release and television broadcast. The two schemes are designed to discover and encourage new filmmakers and mentor them through the entire process from script development to production and eventual screening. Guidelines and application forms are available from Scottish Screen or can be downloaded from www.scottishscreen.com.
The closing date for applications is 16 February 2004.
(GB)