Cardiff Film Festival announces 10 seminars

The Film Industry in focus and £5000 up for grabs

From the producer of Fahrenheit 9/11 to the Director of the hit film The Queen, the Cardiff Film Festival has announced a series of ten industry specific seminars, Inside The Industry (Monday 13th- Friday 17th November, Cineworld 14, Cardiff), which will see leading industry specialists and creative talent from the world of film descending on Cardiff as an integral part of the Film Festival to share their experiences and best practice.

Pitch to Win! (2.30pm Tuesday 14th November): the Film Agency for Wales is hosting an open pitching session with two cash prizes of £2,500 there for the taking. Welsh born and/or resident writers, whatever their previous experience, are invited to pitch their best original film idea to the audience; fellow pitchers; and a panel of industry representatives, including Britt Harrison, Head of Talent for the Film Agency for Wales and Will Machin of Carnaby Films. This will be an inspirational forum for sharing ideas, appreciating talent, and learning what sells; as well as an opportunity for producers and/or directors to talent spot writers and potentially find new projects to pick up.

The New UK Tax Relief and Cultural Test seminar (11am Monday 13th) is led by John Graydon and Nigel Burke from Tenon Media with Laura Brook from Productive Film Solutions and Rebecca Greenfield from the Department of Culture Media and Sport. They will outline the new tax relief system for films in the UK. Legal Eagles and Completion Guarantors: Friend or Foe? (2.30pm Monday 13th) will look to untangle the legal minefield often associated with film making in the company of Leon Morgan from lawyers Davenport Lyons, Graham Easton of Film Finances UK, producer Selwyn Roberts and Huw Penallt Jones CEO De Lane Lea.

Funding and Finance (11am Tuesday 14th), which is Chaired by Linda James from the Wales Creative IP Fund, with Pauline Burt, Chief Executive, Film Agency for Wales, Sally Caplan, Head of Premiere Fund at the UK Film Council and Producer Julie Baines, will discuss production and development funds available for Welsh filmmakers.

The Future is Here – Is the Future Digital? (11am – 5pm Wednesday 15th) is a day of interlinked seminars, discussing the digital film making process from planning and camerawork through to digital exhibition and how the whole process is impacted by the new technology available. The day will be led by experts in digital technology, including Justin Lanchbury from Motion FX and Steve Perrin from the Digital Screen Network.

The Many Faces of Animation (11am Thursday 16th) will bring the world of animation alive with Jayne Pilling, Director, British Animation Awards, Tim Allen, model animator and Joan Ashworth Professor of Animation at RCA while What’s Up Docs?, (2.30pm Thursday 16th), with Ian Jones from the National Geographic Channel introducing co-producer Kurt Engfehr, responsible alongside Michael Moore for the recent highly acclaimed Fahrenheit 9/11, who, along with Jan Euden will share expertise and offer advice on future trends in documentary making.

The final day (11am Friday 17th) will see director Stephen Frears, fresh from his success directing The Queen to deliver a directing Masterclass for budding Sheen’s and Mirren’s while Trying to be a scriptwriter (2.30pm Friday 17th) is a masterclass with screenwriter and award-winning novelist Rhidian Brook.

Sarah Howells, Director Cardiff Film Festival, said, “We have put together a world class programme of seminars this year, offering a fascinating insight into the world of filmmaking. It takes a great deal of effort to get a film off the ground but with the right advice and financial support great things can happen.

“My hope is that one day soon we will be able to see a film idea born and developed out of these seminars turning up as part of future Cardiff Film Festival screenings. I would encourage anybody with an interest in making a film, be they seasoned professionals, first timers, students of film or members of the general public to register their interest and book a place via the film festival website before it is too late as I am confident these seminars will sell out very quickly.”

ENDS

More information on the seminar events is available from the Cardiff Film Festival website www.cardifffilmfestival.co.uk.

Each seminar is individually priced at £30, with £50 for a day pass while a week-long pass to all industry seminars is available for £200. Concessions for students apply.