Blank Slate hits the road in November
Innovative digital short film programme Blank Slate is hitting the road in November to showcase the next generation of black and minority ethnic filmmaking talent and encourage other up-and-coming filmmakers to apply for the 2009 scheme.
Innovative digital short film programme Blank Slate is hitting the road in November to showcase the next generation of black and minority ethnic filmmaking talent and encourage other up-and-coming filmmakers to apply for the 2009 scheme.
Now in its sixth year, Blank Slate supports up to five aspiring filmmakers to make their vision a digital reality by learning from experienced industry professionals as they develop their script for the big screen.
The national Blank Slate tour exhibits last year's films and it is hoped that the screenings and accompanying workshops and panel events will catalyse filmmakers, writers and those interested in getting into the film industry to submit to Blank Slate 09.
FREE tickets can be booked by e-mailing tickets@b3media.net
The tour will visit:
- 06 Nov Cardiff University of Glamorgan, Adam Street, CF24 2FN
- 08 Nov Leicester Phoenix Art Centre, Upper Brown Street, LE1 5TE
- 10 Nov Edinburgh Cameo, 38 Home Street, EH3 9LZ
- 12 Nov Birmingham Electric Cinema, 47 Station Street, B5 4DY
- 17 Nov London BAFTA, 195 Piccadilly, London
- 19 Nov Manchester Contact Theatre, Oxford Road, M15 6JA
- 22 Nov Bristol Encounters Film Festival, Watershed, BS1 5TX
B3 Media, who are coordinating the project, invites submissions from writers, directors and writer/directors from across the UK for Blank Slate 09. The criteria include:
- Blank Slate will fund successful applicants up to 15K per film
- Filmmakers may apply without a producer
- Films must be between 5 and 15 minutes in duration
Blank Slate is part of the UK Film Council's UK-wide Digital Shorts initiative and is funded through the New Cinema Fund, B3 Media and the Arts Council England.
Marc Boothe, Director of B3 Media, says: "B3 are always on the lookout for fresh original talent. We are excited by the prospect of unearthing the next batch of stories that raise the bar and push the creative boundaries for emerging filmmakers."
Lenny Crooks, Head of the UK Film Council New Cinema Fund, comments: "These films represent an exciting and inspiring group of new filmmaking voices. We are very proud to support the Blank Slate scheme and the energizing and diverse range of films that have come out of it."
Over the past six years, Blank Slate films have been showcased at major international film festivals in Chicago, Edinburgh, Los Angeles, London, Venice, Durban, Cape Town, Cairo and Rio de Janeiro and more.
For more information and to download an application form and guidelines
visit: www.b3media.net
/Ends
For further information and interviews with Marc Booth and/or any of the filmmakers, please contact Libby Appelbee at Colman Getty on 0207 631 2666 or libby@colmangetty.co.uk
Note to editors:
About B3 Media
B3 Media helps artists and film-makers develop, produce and distribute their work, taking them from the spark of an idea through to the first showing and beyond.
Creating Connections
At B3 we make connections between Britain's multi-cultural communities and the UK's creative industries - uniting the power of digital media with the creative potential of emerging artists and film-makers. All of our activities are focused on finding and nurturing new talent and connecting this talent with industry.
The B3 Model
B3 acts as catalyst; physical and virtual hub; laboratory; incubator; producer; showcase and distributor in the UK and abroad. We do this for some of our most gifted Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) film-makers and artists, creating new opportunities and professional pathways for them.
Bridging the Gap:
Creating Opportunity
Only 7% of the UK's media workforce comes from Minority Ethnic backgrounds (and this in an industry concentrated in London where more than a third of the total workforce comes from BAME communities). B3 is working to bridge this gap to identify and develop the vast cadre of creative talent amongst the BAME population and create a more representative workforce.
We do this through:
Networking: Giving access to people, networks, opportunities, ideas, technologies and skills.
Training: Hot-housing new ideas and talent.
Support: Offering bespoke mentoring and one to one advice
Production: Providing support and facilities for the production of new work and show reels.
Showcasing: Creating showcases for new work to be seen in; raising profiles and connecting artists with audiences.
Last year, more than:
5000 people attended B3 showcases, screenings, panel discussions and networking events in London, throughout the UK and internationally.
2800 people participated in 'hands on' training sessions and workshops about how the industry works; entrepreneurial skills; new digital technologies and how to get work exhibited.
1200 young artists and film-makers received one-to-one advice and information sessions
And:
Thirty seven new films and artworks were produced
