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

Full guidelines and application forms are now available for First Feature Development, Emerging Talent Shorts and Professional Development  Talent Programme Bursary awards.

First Feature Development

SFTN are offering opportunities for emerging talent to develop their first feature project and want to talk to you to help identify the best routes, activities or funding that are available for you.

Emerging Talent Shorts 2015

Short film production funding is being awarded to Emerging Talent on a rolling basis. This programme is designed to run in conjunction with the First Feature Development programme and aimed at emerging Scottish Talent who would benefit from making another short before embarking on their first feature.

Professional Development

Talent Programme Bursary

The Talent Programme Bursary is designed to support writers, directors and producers to attend development programmes and talent labs. Recognised talent labs and development programmes include, but are not limited to:

Berlinale Talents | Rotterdam Lab | Reykjavik Talent Lab | Sundance Lab | TIFF Talent Lab | Torino Film Lab

Further information can be found on each individual page along with the downloadable forms and guidelines. Please head to the SFTN Contact page to get in touch if you wish to discuss your project, or for help to identify the best way we can support you.

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DigiCult is proud to announce the launch of the Scottish Film Talent Network website, and its call for entries to the Scottish Shorts 2015 Programme.

SFTN Talent Development Executive Claudia Yusef is hosting information sessions across Scotland to discuss Scottish Shorts 2015 and the range of other development and funding opportunities available in the new year.

Claudia will be able to give an overview of all SFTN activity available to new and emerging filmmaking talent in Scotland, as well as answer questions from prospective applicants.

Dates for each session below –

Belmont Filmhouse, Aberdeen – Wednesday 03 December

Eden Court, Inverness – Thursday 04 December

Filmhouse, Edinburgh – Saturday 06 December

DCA, Dundee – Monday 08 December

GMAC, Glasgow – Tuesday 09 December

Sessions are free to attend but we do request that you book your place beforehand via Eventbrite. If you have any questions, please email info@scottishfilmtalent.com.

The Scottish Film Talent Network consortium has been awarded the contract by Creative Scotland to deliver the Scottish element of the BFI Net.Work.

The SFTN consortium comprises the Centre for the Moving Image (CMI), DigiCult and Hopscotch Films.

Proud to be a partner of 

Cate Shortland’s Lore will screen at the Wigtown Book Festival under its South West Picture Show Programme. The film will play tonight at 7.30pm in County Buildings and be introduced by its Glasgow-based producer, DigiCult’s Paul Welsh.

As the Second World War ends, five German siblings embark on an epic journey to their grandmother’s after their high-level Nazi parents disappear. Adapted from Rachel Seiffert’s Booker Prize-shortlisted novel The Dark Room, Cate Shortland’s film is a moving human drama and a compelling portrait of a nation in denial.

Tomorrow, Rachel Seiffert and Paul Welsh will discuss the long road from novel to the big screen in From Page To Screen: Lore.

The 70 minute event offers a unique insight into the journey from initial idea to shooting script that will appeal equally to aspiring screenwriters, readers and film-lovers. Introduced by Professor Nick Higgins, director of the UWS Creative Media Academy, it is supported by the UWS Creative Media Academy and Honeycomb Creative Works.

On Sunday 5th October, Rachel Seiffert will talk about her new book The Walk Home, which looks at a man returning home to Glasgow and a family torn apart by the sectarian divide.

Calling all aspiring screenwriters!

Wigtown Book Festival are hosting a special panel session on Developing Scripts for the Screen on Friday 3 October (2-4pm).  Ten aspiring screenwriters will be given professional feedback on their ideas for a screenplay or a screen adaptation of their writing.

This is an event for selected participants only, who will meet as a group to hear feedback from a panel of three industry experts including DigiCult’s Paul Welsh, a BBC drama commissioner and a screenwriting agent.

Interested writers should submit a two-page outline of their idea to Belle.Doyle@uws.ac.uk. The deadline has been extended to 11 September and writers will hear if they have been selected by 18 September.  Please note, only writers in Northern Ireland, the six border countries of the Republic of Ireland and the western seaboard of Scotland can apply.

Scottish Film Talent Network is looking for a well-organised and proactive Coordinator to play a key role in the delivery of funding and support for new and emerging filmmakers across Scotland

Purpose of the role

The Scottish Film Talent Network (SFTN) consortium has been awarded the contract by Creative Scotland to deliver the Scottish element of the BFI Net.Work. The BFI Net.Work will connect the UK’s film talent development agencies for the first time, bringing together experienced development teams and talent centres to offer hands-on and holistic development opportunities for promising UK writers, directors and producers who are yet to make their first feature film.

The SFTN consortium comprises the Centre for the Moving Image, DigiCult and Hopscotch Films.

The SFTN Coordinator will support the delivery of funding and development activities working closely with the Talent Development Executive and SFTN Management Group. They will act as a first point of contact for all enquiries as well as overseeing the organisational, administrative and communication needs of SFTN including setting up and maintaining appropriate systems and processes.

Please apply by CV and cover letter, ensuring that you meet the criteria set out in the person specification. You should also include your contact details and details for two employment references (preferably emails). These referees may be contacted prior to interview unless you specify otherwise.

Please download the full job description and person specification here

It is company policy to only contact shortlisted candidates. If you have not heard within two weeks of the deadline, please consider you have been unsuccessful in securing an interview.

Please email your application to holly.daniel@cmi-scotland.co.uk

It is company policy to only contact shortlisted candidates. If you have not heard within two weeks of the deadline, please consider you have been unsuccessful in securing an interview.

Job Title: Scottish Film Talent Network Coordinator

Proud to be a partner of 

Scottish Film Talent Network is looking for a passionate and proactive Talent Development Executive to discover, nurture and progress the next generation of feature filmmaking talent from across Scotland as part of the UK wide BFI Net.Work.

Please apply by CV and cover letter, ensuring that you meet the criteria set out in the person specification. You should also include your contact details and details for two employment references (preferably emails). These referees may be contacted prior to interview unless you specify otherwise.

Full job description and person specification available here:

Please email your application to holly.daniel@cmi-scotland.co.uk

It is company policy to only contact shortlisted candidates. If you have not heard within two weeks of the deadline, please consider you have been unsuccessful in securing an interview.

Job Title: Talent Development Executive

Proud to be a partner of 

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

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:

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