Hollywood agents to play starring role in hunt for Scots talent

Published on Tuesday 19 May 2009 22:07

TEN Hollywood agents are to be enticed to "network" at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in a bid to find US backers for Scottish film-makers.

The Scottish Government announced 110,000 from its festivals Expo Fund to pay for screenings, events and one-to-one meetings for the visitors.

The cash will also pay for a Scottish "film diaspora" event promising to celebrate the Scots in world cinema with a "high-profile PR campaign".

The announcement came as "Scotland Day" was staged at the Cannes Film Festival. A forum and reception was hosted by Scottish film-makers and the film agency Scottish Screen. There are no Scottish films in competition at Cannes this year. One Scottish-made short film, and another with a Scottish editor, are being shown in screening booths with nearly 2,000 others from round the world.

Hollywood talent agencies are powerful players in the US film industry. When two of the biggest, William Morris Agency and Endeavor, agreed to merge last month they created a group with more than 300 agents representing actors, personalities writers and directors.

The new firm's stable of stars includes Britney Spears, Russell Crowe, Robert De Niro and Adam Sandler. Major rivals include International Creative Management (ICM) and the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) which represents director Steven Spielberg.

The festival aims to invite talent agents and "packaging agents" – who bring together all the key players in a film package – to Edinburgh.

EIFF managing director Ginnie Atkinson said: "The EIFF is an excellent forum for this type of bespoke meeting between agents and Scottish film-makers and also offers the opportunity for the talent agents to experience the EIFF as a whole, to see films and meet other UK film-making talent."

The "bespoke" meetings would include working breakfasts, lunches and networking events. The festival cited one Scottish film director, Hannah Robinson, who met a US agent in Edinburgh last year. Her film is now in the hands of a top US casting agent.

Culture minister Michael Russell said the move would allow the agents to experience Scottish talent first hand.

"This money is particularly focused on making sure that there are people who are going to take a film and show it elsewhere, who also may be instrumental to make the money train start rolling," he said.

Writer and director Martin Smith is developing a first feature film called Fires, about a child who starts fires. His producer is currently looking for financiers in Cannes. His film Tracks won the Bafta Scotland award for best short film in 2006.

He said that the US connection to Edinburgh would open doors.

"I can't see how it can be negative," he said. "Any exposure for international film-makers on the international stage is a positive thing. It's all about getting Scottish work out there. If one person strikes up a contact that becomes meaningful, then it's worthwhile."

Canny Scots urged to show Cannes-do spirit

IT WAS "Scotland Day" in Cannes yesterday, with a seminar hosted by the Scottish production company Sigma and a reception from the screen agency Scottish Screen.

But the only Scottish films screening at Cannes this year are two short ones, By the Grace of God, edited by Scottish film-maker Hazel Baillie, and The Shooter. They are among 1,800 short films showing from more than 80 countries.

In 2006, the Scottish film Red Road won the jury prize at Cannes. But the follow-up, Rounding Up Donkeys, produced by Sigma and backed by 350,000 in Scottish Screen money, failed to win a place this year.

Film-maker Mark Cousins insisted Scotland must keep its Cannes presence.

"Every nation, even canny, canny nations have shopfronts, just to remind the whole of the international world they exist," he said.