UNIT Studios Supports That Film Festival 2019
UNIT Studios EP of TV & film Dan Pagan, who joined to head up the growing long-form team earlier this year has immediately ensured the studios team up and support That Film Festival 2019. Dan joined so as to drive creative projects and key industry awareness as part of a number of recent named creative hires since UNIT moved to its bespoke new home on Berners Mews.
The festival, which is in its second edition and founded by Terry Loveday, director of That Film Festival, alongside festival co-director Trudy Sargent, is responsible for finding and giving a platform to up and coming directors, who are encouraged to enter their work to be in with a chance of winning the prize of a lifetime - the funding and support to make a short film into a feature including production, post production, marketing, sales and distribution support of up to £1 million. The prize also includes a nine-part docu-series following the winner as they make their feature.
The festival also holds a number of showcases throughout the year including Cannes, London, Marbella and Berlin, playing the best short films which are submitted, plus hosting networking opportunities at each event. The winner of these showcases, as voted by active film investors and film professionals are entitled to go on to win the big prize.
Dan jumped at the chance of once again supporting the festival bringing UNIT on board as he comments: “That Film Festival supports exciting new and emerging talent in the film industry by providing exposure to investors, experts and at the end a chance to win a life-changing prize with funding to make a short into a feature plus a years marketing, sales and distribution. There is great talent continually coming through in the film industry. Getting the right support, exposure, and even funding for their ideas can, for some, seem like an impossibility. Some of the best filmmakers have given up their dreams to take up uninspiring jobs just to make ends meet. It was key to get UNIT on board as a partner of That Film Festival as we don’t want to let such talent go to waste anymore and champion next gen filmmakers.”
Dan worked closely with the festival team to get key creative speakers on board at the London Showcase which was held recently on 1st and 2nd August as part of a series of talks, showcases and screenings. Due to recent projects worked on by UNIT Dan was able to secure the post production supervisor Katie Bullock-Webster to speak (who recently worked on Blinded by the Light, directed by Gurinda Chada, and has such past credits as Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, Goodbye Christopher Robin and Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie). And most notably he was also able to bring on board the formidable, multi-award winning British Writer and Director of film and theatre, Mike Leigh. Leigh brought the two day showcase to a close speaking on the Friday evening about some of his recent works including Vera Drake (2004), Palme d’Or nominated biopic Mr Turner (2014) and the (2018) British historical drama Peterloo.
The winner of 2018 That Film Festival, David Cohen beat some great competition to walk away with the incredible prize in Berlin on February 9th 2019. The four finalists were given a unique script and all asked to shoot a short film with their take on the script. David's unique interpretation of a 'script with in a script' was different, fun, exceptionally cast and well edited. That Film Festival invited a mix of our film investors & film industry professionals to attend the Gala gala dinner where they were shown all four shorts and were asked to anonymously vote for their favourite which saw Cohen as the out and out winner.
Following the festival key sponsor Twickenham studios met with David and gave him the all important studio tour where he got to meet with their Oscar & Emmy winning team. Twickenham will also be offering post production for his feature film. David will also star in a nine-part TV docu-series following his journey to make his feature.
UNIT is supporting this year’s edition alongside other sponsors Carnaby International, The Agency, Lomography and Haymarket Films.
Do you think you have what it takes to be the winner of 2019 That Film Festival? Entries are now open for the Marbella fourth leg edition which includes a premier of the latest release Rise Of The Foot Soldier.
Terry Loveday, festival director comments: “I am so proud of what we have created in That Film Festival. It is a genuine showcase that enables us to unearth undiscovered and diverse filmmakers and film directors who we can help get the break they deserve, linking them with the right investors, production and post makers. Season two has grown massively from season one and we look forward to future successful editions. Having such partners as UNIT and Dan Pagan on board working closely can only help ensure we make that happen.”
