Memorandum submitted by the New Producers'
Alliance (NPA)
TEN YEARS
OF TRAINING
AND SUPPORT
FOR FILM-MAKERS
The NPA gave evidence to the House some eight
years ago during the National Heritage Select Committee inquiry
into the Film Industry. At that time, witness was given by: Mr
Peter Bloore, Mr Jeremy Bolt, Mr Paul Trijbits, Mr Richard Holmes
and Mr Marc Vlessing.
This time Mr Peter Bloore (Chair of Trustees),
Mr Charles Harris (Co-Chair Executive Board) and Mr David Castro
(CEO) will be attending and making an opening statement.
We are aware that the Committee has much reading
to do and so have been as brief as possible. We look forward to
meeting you on 6 May 2003.
ABOUT THE
NEW PRODUCERS
ALLIANCE (NPA)
Set up 10 years ago, the NPA has grown rapidly
from a small network of film-makers into a renowned and respected
charitable organization. It supports, encourages and nurtures
new British film-makers, providing the industry with some of its
brightest new talent. Recent acclaimed work by NPA members includes:
Resident Evil, Last Orders, The Poet, Silent Cry, Hilary and
Jackie, Event Horizon, Waking Ned, The Acid House, Welcome to
Sarajevo, Large and Pandaemonium.
The NPA is a membership, training and support
organisation. It provides a forum, focus and support network for
independent new film-makers. It has over 800 members, ranging
from film students and first timers to highly experienced feature
film-makers and industry affiliates.
The New Producers Alliance is a charity, gaining
income from membership subscriptions and in the last two years
Film Council support. It is also reliant on donations from a variety
of industry sponsors who provide in-kind support. These include
Richards Butler, Kodak and AON. With membership fees kept to a
minimum, the NPA remains an open access organisation. Employing
three core staff, and volunteer interns it operates with the help
of an Executive Committee, Board of Trustees and industry professionals
as Patrons, all of whom are established in their relevant fields
of the film industry and donate their time freely.
The NPA is also active in lobbying on behalf
of independent film-makers to ensure that they have a voice in
the industry. It has recently contributed to both Film Council
and Skillset research and reports. Representatives from the NPA
have met with The Film Council, BECTU, The Cine Guilds and Skillset
to promote the views of first time film-makers and try to safeguard
their future ability to access funding and information, as well
as to promote good working practices amongst new film-makers and
open discussions with other organisations.
WHAT WE
DO
The NPA provides a number of valuable services.
The majority are free to members and are also open to non-members.
Events and Training
Specialised and high quality Producer training
programmes at basic/entrance level and at an advanced level for
those with more experience. Training is usually free or at a nominal
cost.
The NPA is well known for its events and training
seminars, providing a minimum of three free events per month covering
such topics as Development; Pre-Production; Production; Post-Production;
Marketing, Distribution and Exhibition; Financing; Film Taxation;
Co-production; Cannes and Edinburgh Film Festivals; Copyright;
Music Licensing and legal issues. The NPA is leading the way in
providing open access events for members and non-members alike,
along with collaborations with major organizations such as the
Film Council, Skillset, BAFTA, BECTU, British Council, the London
Film Commission, Screenwriters Workshop and the London Film School.
In 2002:
— The NPA presented 52 educational
events and training sessions
— NPA training and events reached 2,750
film-makers
— The average attendance was 73% measured
against available seating totals
Training Highlights in 2002
The NPA provided approximately 120 hours of
open access training.
It reached an audience of over 1,000 new film-makers
in the period January-December 2002 through its targeted training
programme.
Themed Networking Evenings 2002-03
The NPA hosts regular Networking evenings for
its members.
In 2002-03 the evenings attracted 600 film-makers
and financiers.
The networking events have had 71% of capacity
of places available.
CORE ACTIVITIES:
The NPA undertakes a number of activities that
can be classed as core to its remit of education and support to
new filmmakers: briefly these include:
— Monthly newsletter with industry
information, updates, articles and events.
— Coverage of changes in UK film policy
and or practices.
— Regularly updated website with current
industry information.
— Numerous Networking opportunities
to meet other like-minded film-makers and share information.
— Specialised Networking with Financiers
and Sales Development Execs.
— Nine Step Producer Training Programme
over nine months.
— Master-classes with current industry
professionals.
— Business Breakfasts with Heads of
Development departments.
— Monthly preview screenings of new
British films, classic movies and Members features and shorts,
followed by talks with the director/producer.
— Match Development Course developing
Teams of Writer-Producers.
— Actual on the ground support in Cannes
to promote Members and their projects.
— The office also acts as an information
and advice centre for film-makers.
Service
Telephone Hotlines providing free advice in
the following areas:
— Legal (courtesy of law firm Richards
Butler).
— Tax and Accountancy (courtesy of
BDO Stoy Hayward).
— Insurance (courtesy of AON/Albert
G. Ruben Entertainment Risk Services).
— Completion Bonds (courtesy of International
Film Guarantors).
— Banking (courtesy of Barclays Bank).
— Digital post-production (courtesy
of Digital Film at the Moving Picture Company).
— Casting (courtesy of Philip Shaw
Casting).
— Music (courtesy of independent Music
Consultant Clive Farrel).
Very recent industry event participants have
included:
— Phil Parker (Author and Consultant).
— Sally Hibbin (Producer Parallax Pictures).
— Himesh Kar (Film Council).
— Anne Skinner (Producer NFTS).
— Tom Greivson (Metrodome).
— Gareth Jones (Head of Production
Winchester Films).
— Harvey Edgington (London F comm.).
— Martin Spence (Assistant General
Secretary BECTU).
— Mia Bays (Head of M&D The Film
Consortium).
— Naomi Telford (Development Executive
FC).
— Matthew Justice (Head of Production
Invicta Capital).
— Lawrence Brown (Lawyer Davenport
Lyons).
— Satwan Gill (British Council).
— Derek Laviniere (Training & Education
LFVDA).
— Gary Phillips (MovieHouse Ent').
— Kevin Phelan (Head of Post-production
Lipsync).
This tells only half of the story.
Members Projects complete the picture:
NPA members have proven their abilities with
a wide variety of features and short films gaining critical acclaim
and prizes both in the UK and abroad: amongst these are:
Event Horizon 1997
Laurence Fishbourne, Sam Neill, Joely Richardson
Producers: Jeremy Bolt, Lawrence Gordon (I),
Lloyd Levin
Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film
Pegasus Audience Award: Paul WS Anderson
Welcome to Sarajevo, 1997
Stephen Dillane
Woody Harelson
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Producers: Graham Broadbent and Damian Jones
Monk Dawson 1998
Director: Tom Waller
Producer: Tom Waller
Understanding Jane 1998
Director: Caleb Lindsay
Producer: Daniel San
Exec Prod: Nic Powell and Steve Woolley
Audience Award: London Film Festival 1998
Best Feature Award: Mannheim-Heidelberg Festival
1999
Fast Food 1998
Writer/Director: Stewart Sugg
Producer: Phil Hunt
Hilary and Jackie 1998
Emily Watson, Rachel Griffiths, David Morrisey,
Charles Dance
Producers: Nicolas Kent, Andy Patterson
British Independent Film Awards 1999
Best Actress: Emily Watson
Best Director: Anand Tucker
Miss Monday 1998
Nick Moran, James Hickes
Director: Benson Lee
Produced: Steve Smith, Benson Lee. Exec Prod:
Keiko Takahashi
Emerging Filmmaker Award 1998 St Louis International
Film Festival
Waking Ned 1998
Ian Bannen, David Kelly
Producers: Richard Holmes, Glynis Murray, Neil
Peplow
New York Comedy Festival
1999 Best Feature Kirk Jones
The Acid House 1998
Stephen M Cole, Maurice Reeves
Producers: Alec Usborne, David Muir (III)
I Could Read the Sky 1999
Dermot Healy, Stephen Rea
Director/Writer: Nicola Bruce
Producers: Janine Marmot, Nicholas O'Neill
2000 Tiger Awards—nominated
Dead Babies 2000
Paul Betany Katy Carmichael
Director William Marsh
Producers: Richard Holmes, Neil Peplow, Paul
Ritchie
Exec Producer: Ben Hilton
Large 2001
Luke de Woolfson, Melanie Gutteridge
Directed by Justin Edgar
Producer: Alex Usborne
Line Producer: Paul Ritchie
Last Orders 2001
Starring: Michael Caine, Tom Courtney, Bob Hoskins,
David Hemmings (I), Ray Winstone, Helen Mirren.
Producer: Nic Powell
London Critics Circle Film Awards
ALFS Award: Best supporting Actress of the Year
2002
National Board of Review, U.S.A
My Brother Tom 2001
Jenna Harrison, Ben Whishaw, Honeysuckle Weeks
Director: Dom Rotheroe
Writers: Alison Beeton-Hilder
Producers: Cosima Dannoritzer, Peter La Terriere,
Roger Shannon, Paul Trijbits, and Paul Webster
Exec Producers: Robin Gutch, Carl Schonfeld,
Pandemonium 2001
Linus Roache; Emily Woof; John Hannah
Director Julien Temple
Producer Nick O' Hagan
Evening Standard Film Awards:
Best Actor Linus Roache
Thunderpants 2002
Simon Callow, Stephen Fry, Ned Beatty
Producers: Peter Hewitt (I) Graham Broadbent,
Damian Jones
Resident Evil 2002
Milla Jovovich, James Purfory, Michelle Rodriguez
Producers: Jeremy Bolt, Paul W.S. Anderson,
Samuel Hadida, Bernd Eichinger
Lava 2002
Joe Tucker, James Holmes (III)
Producer: Michael Riley, Gregor Truter
Silent Cry 2002
Emily Wolf, Douglas Henshall Kevin Whately Frank
Finlay
Producers: Peter La Terriere, Tim Dennison
Paradise Grove 2002
Ron Moody, Rula Lenska
Director: Charles Harris
Producer: David Castro (II)
Winner of Palm Springs Festival of Festival2
2002 Best Jewish Film and Best New Director.
Butterfly Man 2002
Writer/Director Kaprice Kea
Producer Tom Waller
Exec Prod Michael Pritchett.
The Poet 2003
Dougray Scott, Laura Elena Harring
Director Paul Hills
Producers Jonathan English, Timothy Ney, Arno
Ortmair, Evan Todd.
CONTINUING SUCCESS:
The achievements of older members are reflected
and enhanced by more recent members and their successes over the
past few years, their short films and features going on to great
Festival recognition, theatrical releases and TV sales:
2003
BAFTAs
Benjamin Johns' nominated: Best Short Film producer,
Candy Bar Kid, written by Shan Khan;
Lucie Wenigerova, Nominated Best Short Animation:
Sap, Short Animation
2002
OSCAR MOORE 2002
"Cuckoo" Wayne Henry, Producer
Evening Standard Awards, Best Actor
"Pandaemonium" Nick O'Hagan.
Producer, Giant Films
BERLIN for Golden Bear/Best Short Film 2002
"At Dawning" Martin Jones,
Writer/Director
CANNES 2002
Selected
"A Fairy Story" Charlotte Wontner,
Producer, Hopscotch Films
Directors Fortnight
"The Girl in the Red Dress" Julia
Valentine, Producer, Cacti Films
BERMUDA FILM FESTIVAL 2002, Best Short Film Award
"My Other Wheelchair is a Porsche"
Ravi Kumar, Producer
FEST'IMAGE France, Best Cinematography Award
"My Other Wheelchair is a Porsche"
Ravi Kumar, Producer
MANHATTAN Short Film Festival 2002, Selected
"Toll" Matt Harlock, Writer/Director/
Producer
BAFTA for Best Short Film 2002
"About a Girl" Janey de Nordwall,
Producer, Silver Films
also Raindance and Kino Awards
KODAK Short Film Showcase 2002
"Candy Bar Kid" Ben Johns,
Producer
"Deep Down" Dr Christin Cockerton
"What Larry Says" Donall McCusker
and Chris Golding, Producers.
PALM SPRINGS FESTIVAL OF FESTIVALS 2002
Best New Director
"Paradise Grove" Charles Harris,
Director (NPA Co-Chair)
Best Jewish Film
"Paradise Grove" David Castro,
Producer (NPA CEO)
Black Film-maker International Film Festival 2002,
Best Actress Award
"Vivienne Gibson-Fforbes—Portrait
of a Film Extra" Beverley Willie. Producer
TV/Film Distribution 2002
"Wondrous Oblivion" Jonny Persey,
Producer. Distributors—Momentum
"Lava" Michael Riley, Producer.
Distributors—Winchester Films
"Silent Cry" Peter la Terriere,
Producer. Distributors—Optimum Releasing
"Noise Control" Terence Doyle,
Writer/Director. Sky TV
"Riders" Mark Ezra, Producer.
Distributors—Miramax
"Baby Blues" Owen Carey Jones,
Producer.
The NPA is structured as follows:
BOARD OF
TRUSTEES
Chair—Peter Bloore
Paul Hills
Tracey Adam
EXECUTIVE BOARD
MEMBERS (ELECTED
BY THE
MEMBERSHIP)
Charles Harris (Co-Chair), Louis Melville (Co-Chair),
Peter Chipping (Vice Chair), Clifford Thurlow, JF Burford, Joe
Grossi, Maythem Ridha, Michelle Witton, Nicloai Amter, R Sacha
Van Spall, Stuart Fenegan. Alexis Varouxakis, Anita Lewton, Anna
Mackenzie, Ben Johns.
FULL TIME
STAFF
David Castro—CEO
Kevin Dolan—Office and Events Manager
Yalda Armian—Information Manager.
PATRONS
Debra Hayward
Richard Holmes
Nic Powell
Derek Malcolm
Gareth Jones
Jeremy Bolt
March 2003
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