THE BRIT 50 New directions


These producers are bringing vital energy to the UK production landscape — either with new companies or with a fresh approach to fi lm-making


FINOLA DWYER AND AMANDA POSEY


Christian Colson CLOUD EIGHT


Need to know Former head of devel- opment UK for Miramax and pro- ducer at Celador, Christian Colson set up Cloud Eight in March 2009 in the wake of global smash Slum- dog Millionaire. Cloud Eight has a fi ve-year fi rst-look deal with Pathé through to March 2014 which fi - nances the company’s overheads, development and productions and ensures distribution and in- ternational sales. Its 2011 release 127 Hours is the fi rst in a slate of Fox Searchlight and Pathé-backed fi lms being developed with Danny Boyle’s Decibel Films. Key personnel Chairman Christian Colson, MD Diarmuid McKeown, head of creative Ivana MacKinnon. Incoming Lee Daniels is attached to direct drama Selma, about the Selma to Montgomery civil-rights marches. Ben Schiffer’s script for dance feature Cheerleaders re- cently came second on the Brit List, which rates the country’s best unproduced screenplays, and has Tom Harper attached to di- rect. Also in development is John Hodge’s historical actioner Wil- liam And Harold. Christian Colson says “Creatively, it’s a continuation of what I was doing at Celador and Miramax — producing commercially viable, high-quality features from the best UK fi lm-makers.” Cloud Eight, (44) 20 7845


6988 ■ 44 Screen International December 15, 2010


Need to know Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey had known each other for 18 years — fi rst at Palace, then Scala where Posey worked as head of development and where Dwyer had a deal — and shared an offi ce before pro- ducing their fi rst feature togeth- er. An Education was adapted from the Lynne Barber memoir by Posey’s partner Nick Hornby. Now they plan to do everything together and will form a joint company. Key personnel Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey. Incoming Projects with Nick Horn- by, including his adaptation of Colm Toibin’s Brooklyn and a family animation co-written with Giles Smith. With Headline Pic- tures, Dwyer is producing Dus- tin Hoffman’s directorial debut Quartet, written by Ronald Har- wood and set to shoot next year, as is an adaptation of Hornby’s A Long Way Down, scripted by Jack Thorne. Other projects include Gaby Chiappe adapting Lissa Evans’ Their Finest Hour And A Half with Number 9 Films. Finola Dwyer says “Emerging from the excitement of the Oscar whirl- wind at the start of the year, we feel we’ve put together a very at- tractive and high-quality slate, and are looking forward to 2011.” bennett@wildgaze.co.uk


HAMMER FILMS Tracy Brimm and Kate Myers FORWARD FILMS Amanda Posey and Finola Dwyer


Need to know The London-based development and production outfi t is headed by former agents Kate Myers and Tracy Brimm. Forward’s fi rst fi lm, Tormented, directed by Jon Wright and backed by BBC Films, Screen West Midlands and Slingshot was released in 2009 through Warner Bros. The company’s sec- ond and most recent feature, Nick Whitfi eld’s Skeletons, was award- ed the Michael Powell award for best new feature in Edin- burgh in June. Key personnel Tracy Brimm, Kate Myers. Incoming Africa-set thriller Three Mile Horizon by screenwriter Rich- ard Warlow has Saul Dibb direct- ing for Paramount International. Grabbers by Kevin Lehane is the company’s second collaboration with director Jon Wright, and re- ceived $710,000 (£450,000) from the UK Film Council. The com- edy horror is sold by Salt and dis- tributed by Sony in the UK. For- ward is also working on Andrew Bovell’s adaptation of novel The Bride Stripped Bare. Tracy Brimm says “It’s about fi lm- maker driven projects, fi nding groundbreaking British fi lms, pushing the ambition of British fi lms despite budgetary restric- tion and breaking new bounda- ries without breaking our backs.” offi ce@forwardfi lms.co.uk


Need to know A group of European investors acquired the legendary Hammer business in 2007 and merged it with Guy East and Ni- gel Sinclair’s Spitfi re Pictures. The rebooted Hammer won over crit- ics with Matt Reeves’ Let Me In, an English-language version of the Swedish vampire story Let The Right One In. Other productions include US-set thriller The Resi- dent starring Hilary Swank, and Ireland-shot, pagan-themed The Wake Wood. Hammer is now a key strand of Exclusive Media Group — run by East and Sinclair — with access to US distributor Newmar- ket Films and sister sales compa- ny Exclusive Films International. Incoming Hammer is shooting James Watkins’ The Woman In Black starring Daniel Radcliffe, with a script by Jane Goldman. The company is also develop- ing Jesse Dylan’s The Quiet Ones, about Cambridge scientists in the 1970s who use their scientifi c prowess to develop a poltergeist. Key personnel Simon Oakes. Simon Oakes says “I liked the old Hammer’s sense of family. Like a repertory company, you had writ- ers, directors and cast. It’s diffi cult to do nowadays — we don’t have those studio-type contracts. But I’m trying to build a family of creative people who we’re happy to work with again.” info@exclusivemedia.com


Simon Oakes


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