Hollywood Film-Makers Support Ambitious Student Project In Wales

Film director Ken Russell has joined a host of top Hollywood film-makers in giving his support to an ambitious project by a student at the International Film School Wales (IFSW) to make a feature film using talent gathered worldwide via the internet.
The controversial film-maker who directed such classics as ‘Tommy’ and ‘The Music Lovers’ is now an executive producer of the feature-length Indywood film, ‘Attack of the Not Quite Dead’ which third year film and video student Tony Lane hopes to make as part of his online Indywood project.
Russell, who is a visiting professor at IFSW, said: “I’m very pleased to give my support to Indywood which is a very ambitious project. Tony deserves all the support he can get for using the internet as a method of bringing together independent film-making talent from all over the world.”
“It’s a great honour to have such an amazing film-maker as Ken Russell on board,” said Lane. “Ken, who will also have a part in the film, is a great believer in independent film-making and will be using the Indywood project as a way of distributing all his recent films on the world wide web.
“I want to prove that you don’t have to rely on studios or private investors to raise a movie’s budget. With ambition and enthusiasm the sky’s the limit – we can bring Hollywood to the UK.”
The Indywood film, a black comedy horror to be filmed on location in Wales, hopes to repeat the success of ‘The Blair Witch Project’ a low-budget feature film which became a cult classic.
In addition to Ken Russell, the film already has the backing of some of Hollywood’s top film-making talent including leading American independent film director JR Bookwalter and top Hollywood special effects and makeup artist, Rich Knight, whose credits include hit TV series ‘The X-Files’ and the blockbuster movies, ‘X-Men 3’ and ‘Poseidon’.
Rich Knight commented: "Indywood is the future of Independent film, a great resource for indy filmmakers all over the world to showcase their work directly to the people that matter the most - the fans.”
He is so committed to the Indywood project that he is willing to waive his Hollywood fee and do the special effects for nothing, and, as he is also an actor, will play one of the leading roles.
“Now a number of well-known actors are emailing me, eager to be part of the project,” said Lane. “I’ve been communicating via email with Danny Devito, and we’re also hoping to get Johnny Depp, a big supporter of independent films, to play a small role in the film.
“Over 3000 people have contacted me from all over the world – 80% of them film-makers and actors. People are also signing up to be producers of the film and so far, through the website, we’ve raised nearly £2000 towards the £20,000 budget I need to make the film.”
As well as top Hollywood names, Lane is scouting for talent among the film makers and performing arts students at IFSW, which is based at the University of Wales, Newport.
For more information about the Indywood project and the film, visit: www.indywood.co.uk (DS)