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Established director leads new film course’s inaugural year
Established director leads new film course’s inaugural year
Hive Films Rhys Davies will direct a feature film as part of a unique award that aims to equip aspiring film-makers with the skills and experience to forge a career in the film industry.
The MSc in Digital Feature Film Production is being launched by Staffordshire University in September, with students tasked to create a full-length feature film working in partnership with film production and distribution company Grand Independent. Profits from the distribution of the film will be shared between Grand Independent and the students themselves, making this course unique among universities and film schools.
Rhys Davies’ first feature Zombie Undead is distributed in the UK by Metrodome, and sold to Germany, France, North America, and Thailand amongst other territories. It was shown on the opening night of Fantasporto International Film Festival 2011 – described by variety magazine as one of the top 60 festivals in the world and the best in the fantasy genre. Rhys’ ability to deliver a marketable horror movie on a tight budget meant he was an obvious choice when looking for a director to steer the students on the right track.
Senior lecturer and Grand Independent Director Peter Rudge said: “What we are creating here is an innovative ‘micro studio’. Alongside Rhys we will work with the MSc students to develop scripts, package the projects, attach funding, produce the films and finally help distribute the completed features.
“Grand Independent will also support graduates once they leave to smooth the transition from education to established filmmaker.”
Course leader, James Fair said: “The course will also focus on collaboration not competition, and preparing people for the hard-work, stamina and communication needed to take a full-feature from concept through to completion.
“We’re looking for students with a passion for filmmaking, who are looking to develop their career upon a feature-length project. Applicants will need to have completed a previous undergraduate degree in a related field or have a portfolio of previous work to demonstrate their commitment to filmmaking.”
Rhys Davies, whose second feature film is in post-production, commented that, “To work in conjunction with Staffordshire University to develop grass roots film making within my region is an exciting prospect. For students to graduate with a completed feature film in their portfolio is a unique selling point of the course and a great way to develop the next generation of filmmakers.”
Anna Seifert-Speck, the Senior Talent Executive at Creative England who introduced Grand Independent to Rhys, said, “The course is a great initiative and the I am impressed by the entrepreneurial spirit at its core.”
The launch of the course in Stoke follows a successful two-year partnership with FilmBase in Dublin, who were the first to offer the course in association with Staffordshire University to professionals looking to retrain in digital production.
For more information about the course visit: http://www.staffs.ac.uk/course/digital-feature-film-production-tcm4212428.jsp
Or email Course Leader James Fair at [email protected]
