2016 London Film Festival screening

Bunny and Clive was screened at the BFI SouthBank as part of the London Film Festival on 13th October 2016 and again on 14th October, at the Hackney PictureHouse. The LFF is an incredible festival with an awesome selection of films and events. Definitely worth a few or more days off to attend…Free Fire, Lion, Arrival, Manchester by the Sea, Nocturnal Animals…the first few pages of the 114-page festival guide.

It was great to see it play to a packed NFT1 – their biggest screen (with the volume turned right up) – in front of fellow film makers, members of our cast and crew, contributors to the KickStarter campaign and festival goers.

Just to say it again – the film looked amazing and the audience reaction was brilliant. It’s a great experience to watch the film with so many people.

Bunny and Clive Premiere at the 2016 BFI London Film Festival

Bunny and Clive will have its premiere screening at the London Film Festival on 13th October at BFI SouthBank, more info, tickets etc. at their site here. It will screen as part of the BFI London Calling showcase of 8 short films selected from the 20 funded.

Those involved with those 20 short films were invited to a collective screening at BFI last week. I’ve been to some great festivals before but the all day screening was one of the best and most enjoyable collections I’ve seen. If you’re just into your films or about to apply for next year’s London Calling I seriously recommend you catch either of the two BFI screenings on 13th or 14th of October.

SouthBank is buzzing – it’s a brilliant place for a festival, a short walk from either Waterloo station or Embankment tube/Charing Cross Station/Trafalgar Square. Best of all, if you don’t mind RnB turned up to 11 and the rumble of trains above, there’s possibly the best burger in town.

Bunny and Clive – short film funding

Great news to hear that the short film ‘Bunny and Clive’ has been awarded funding from Film London. To get through the process of pitching to finally being awarded funding is a major achievement in itself. More hard work to follow.

Rob Ford and John Hollingworth at Film London

Tagline: ‘News of a new girlfriend disrupts a mother and son duo’

‘Bunny and Clive‘ is written and to be directed by Rob Ford and produced by John Hollingworth. Pre-production is in full swing.

John Hollingworth @JAHollingworth

Follow at @BunnyCliveShort

 

BAFTA Nominations and 1946

So now the nominations are all over I can say that ‘1946’ was long-listed for a nomination in the short film category. Up early this morning to watch the live broadcast of the nominees for best short film – no mention – then having to dig through the BAFTA press announcement to find the nominations.

The tears and chest beating are over. No sour grapes. Here are the nominations for the 2015 BAFTA short film. Congratulations to them all!

‘Boogaloo and Graham‘ – funding from Northern Ireland Screen through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the BFI

‘Emotional Fusebox‘ – Developed by Creative England and the BFI it was the first commission nationally out of the new BFI NET.WORK talent development programme.

‘The Kármán Line‘ – funded by the BFI and Virgin Media

‘Slap’ –  Vimeo – National Film and Television School (UK) project.

‘Three Brothers’ – Film London/London Calling project

‘1946’ being in the run for a BAFTA short nomination was a sweet surprise when I heard a while back. I had a great time being involved in its production but was never sure how it would do in competition. Too close to the action? Obviously a nomination would have made everyone’s day, so, what have I learnt from this? Is my next short script going to be about a ditzy female refugee living in a Glasgow council estate making films on her iPhone in her underpants and learning life lessons from her pet chicken? Maybe. Should every project or script be submitted to the BFI or regional film initiatives like Film London or Creative England? I don’t think so.

Anyway…(cue stiff-lipped inspirational music) 1946 was a self-funded, non-production company independent short film. I have no idea how we bagged the amazing actors and the insanely beautiful locations and the crew who turned up at uncivilized hours and grafted for a cup of coffee and a bun. To all those out their making films out of the ‘system’, having to explain credit card purchases and weekend absences to their loved ones, battling the weather and public transport to arrive on set in time,  living the dream – I salute you. Next year the BAFTA nomination will be yours!

Happy New Year.