Reel Bafta chance for movie

THE finishing touches are still being applied but already a film shot in the Capital is up for a major award.

Electric Man has been nominated for a Bafta New Talent Award, with David Barras from Leith and Scott Mackay, who lives in Armadale, shortlisted in the writer category.

They are two of the filmmakers from the Lothians to have been nominated for this year's awards, which recognise the best in new talent in the moving image industries.

The film, which stars Derek Dick - better known as Fish - is about two comic shop owners who find a rare comic and battle evil villains attempting to steal it.

Mr Barras said: "We were absolutely delighted to be nominated. It's a great boost for the film to have this seal of approval from Bafta."

Electric Man was filmed at Deadhead Comics on Edinburgh's Candlemaker Row during a three-week period over September and October last year. It is expected to be around another three weeks before the film is completely finished.

Mr Barras, 41, added: "It's all the technical stuff like grading and adding the composer's music that we've still to do, but the filming itself is over."

The film has applied to be shown at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York next month, the Edinburgh Film Festival in June and the San Diego Film Festival, with the crew waiting to hear if it has been accepted.

"We should hear back from New York within the next week or so," said Mr Barras, who owns film production company Strange Boat in Leith.

"The film is set in Edinburgh so it would be great for it to be in the Edinburgh Festival, but at the same time it would be nice to go to New York too."

Among the other Edinburgh-based nominees recently announced by Bafta in Scotland is Hanna Stanbridge, who was nominated in the best actor/actress category for her performance in Outcast, a low-budget horror film set in Edinburgh.

Sarah Drummond, who lives in Broughton, was nominated in the producer (fiction/factual) category for the film Mum's Birthday, with writer and director Graham Fitzpatrick from Silverknowes shortlisted in the writer category.

Mrs Drummond, 35, said: "It's an absolute honour to have been nominated and we are both delighted for everybody involved. Although it is Graham and I who are nominated, it was a real team effort."

Edinburgh College of Art postgraduate student Lou McLoughlan has been nominated in the director (short form) category for the film Caring for Calum. "It's really exciting," said Ms McLoughlan.

Other Edinburgh-based nominees include Anna Pearson, Krish Shrikumar, Will Anderson, Toby Mottershead, Victoria Thomas, Richard Nicholls and Grace Chang.

Chairman of Bafta in Scotland Ewan Angus said: "These unique awards acknowledge excellence and highlight the future talent of Scottish film, television and digital media. Each year the standard of work never ceases to impress and this year is no exception, with a fantastic array of work shortlisted."