Pan-Northern talent mentoring programme Triangle has produced a slate of commercially viable features, new industry development partnerships and impressive creative collaborations, according to a panel of industry decision makers at a London pitch marking the end of the programme yesterday.
The Triangle finalists pitched a panel featuring Salt MD Sam Horley, Revolver boss Justin Marciano, Film4 Development Editor Lila Rawlings, BFI Film Fund Senior Production Executive Chris Collins and Film Consultant Sally Caplan. All four film projects will now be developed further by a range of industry partners. The 6 month talent development partnership from Screen Yorkshire, Vision+Media and Northern Film & Media encouraged the development of pan-Northern writer/producers/director ‘triangles’.
A pilot initiative funded by Skillset’s Film Skills Fund as part of the UK film skills strategy A Bigger Future 2, Triangle provided a structured initiative designed to both encourage creative collaboration and to widen regional talent pools.
A competitive, intensive programme of creative and commercial mentoring delivered by contributors including Vertigo Films, Raindance, Salt, Britdoc and Guerilla Films, Triangle saw 4 teams selected from 75 initial participants to develop their feature ideas. The mentoring received enabled successful participants to develop and prime feature film propositions for investment.
The pitch was attended by an invited industry audience of financiers, distributors, producers, talent agents, sales agents, trade associations and press.
The Triangle finalists were:
Group 1: Steve Bowden, Chris Green, Tom Marshall, Maria Forsstrom
Group 2: Simeon Halligan, Kirsty Peart, Andrew Walker
Group 3: Laura Degnan, Deanne Cunningham
Group 4: Carolyn Moat, Ed Connole, Sami Khan
Hugo Heppell, Head of Production, Screen Yorkshire and Triangle lead: “We are thrilled at the response to Triangle from both industry and participants. Triangle was a pilot pan-Northern initiative which could only have happened with the support of Skillset, and we hope it can be seen as a model for future training and development in the regions.”
Agnes Wilkie, Creative Director, Northern Film & Media: “All four Triangle projects were loudly praised by the high powered industry panel for the quality of the pitch as well as the content of their taster tapes. Panellists from Film 4, sales agents Salt and distributors Revolver were particularly enthused about the psychological thriller Unconditional from newly formed NW-NE partnership Deanne Cunningham and Laura Degnan and Law and Disorder, an In Bruges style buddy movie from the exciting new partnership formed by the NE director Tom Marshall, producers Vita Nova Films and Salford writer Chris Green. Northern Film & Media have confirmed they are in talks with Film 4 on how to further develop the North East talent emerging from Triangle.”
Will Massa, New Talent Development & Film Executive, Vision+Media: “From gathering over 80 filmmakers for the initial launch, through to the various stages of mentorship and development before the selection of the final four teams, Triangle has been a huge success and will leave an extremely useful legacy of improved connectivity and industry understanding for film talent across the North.”
Dan Simmons, Head of Film (Acting), Skillset: “Developing creative talent is a major priority for A Bigger Future 2 – investing in talent that will ensure the future success of the UK film industry and maintain our profile within the global industry. Triangle is an innovative example of three agencies working together to provide cross-regional opportunities that will nurture emerging talent and help strengthen the film industry’s creative voice in the North.”
Laura Degnan, Writer/Director/Triangle participant: “The workshops have given me the confidence and vision to take a radical, brave approach to filmmaking. Not only has the initiative inspired collaboration, it has also provided practical guidance on creative and commercial development.”
Sam Horley, MD, Salt: “It’s always great to be pitched projects by filmmakers who have given serious thought to the commercial as much as the creative. Triangle was a highly professional event and unusually one which could also be lucrative. There is definitely one project in there I’ve got my beady eye on.”
love to know what you think of some of my work and music videos 
I wanted to spend a mniute to thank you for this.