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Cornwall Media Focus

Target Talent Projects Selected

Three Cornish production companies receive funding for low budget feature films.



Cornwall Film is proud to announce the successful beneficiaries of Target Talent. The production companies selected for the scheme will receive awards of up to £50,000 to make a low budget drama or documentary.

Pippa Best, Project Director at Cornwall Film says “We had a huge number of high quality applications to the scheme and the selection panel found it very difficult to choose. The wide variety of films eventually selected demonstrates the range of skills that currently exist in Cornwall’s media sector. There are both great Cornish stories and international films with a clear outward-looking focus.”

Dressing Granite written by Pauline Sheppard of St.Just and based on her play of the same name, is “a story of hope and the indomitability of the human spirit”. The feature length film will be directed by Bill Scott of Wild West Films, Falmouth and produced by Laura Hardman of Redruth.

Laura says “Target Talent will benefit so many via creating freelance work opportunities for the media sector, as well as networking, training and excitement! I hope this goes towards creating a home grown audience to match”. The team’s mentor will be experienced Producer Sally Hibbin (RIFF-RAFF, I.D., LADYBIRD LADYBIRD, YASMIN, BLIND FLIGHT).

iKandi Media will build o­n the success of their short documentary ‘Beyond Iraq’, recently screened to great acclaim at Sundance. Operation Grand Canyon is a longer documentary focusing o­n veterans of the Iraq war attempting to rebuild their lives. All crew are Cornwall resident and the project will shoot for 10 days in America. All other activity will take place in Ikandi’s Padstow production offices.

Tom Eldridge of iKandi says: " As a new production company in the South West it is often hard to find funding for our projects, Target Talent has given us that necessary support just in time to make the project happen." The team are working with mentor Tod Grimwade (WEST COUNTRY TALES, HOMEWORK, CUTTING IT CLOSE).

The Midnight Drives will be produced by O-Region, known for their theatre work and regular Rough Cut film screenings in Truro. Writer/director Mark Jenkin of St Columb will work with producer Simon Harvey of Truro.

This moving and heart-warming feature film follows a divorcee, Andy, who has custody of his two children for the winter half term holidays, taking them on a serious of spontaneous, exciting, dreamlike excursions. The team will be working with Producer Pippa Cross (SHOOTING DOGS, VANITY FAIR, THE HOLE).

Pippa Best says, “All three projects will develop key local talents and production companies, create excellent work opportunities for local cast and crew, offer teams a unique chance to benefit from specialist advice from expert mentors, and help to raise the profile of the Cornish media sector. Look out for these films at the cinema or o­n TV – I can’t wait!”