North East Film Makers Given Chance To Shine

North East writers, directors and producers are being given the opportunity to show their flare and creativity through an annual short film scheme, Stingers.
£80,000 will be invested in six short films through this year's Stingers Digital Short Film Scheme.
Open to writers, directors and producers, Stingers has been run by Northern Film & Media in partnership with UK Film Council's New Cinema Fund for eight years.
In the last eight years, Northern Film & Media has invested over £500,000 in 74 short films through the Stingers Scheme.
Past participants have gone on to win international awards at Venice and Berlin whilst work has premiered at the Edinburgh and London International Film Festivals. Previous films have also attracted and secured the acting skills of top level talent, including Ruth Jones (Gavin & Stacey, Little Dorrit, Little Britain), Donald Sumpter (Constant Gardender, Our Friends in the North, K-19 Widowmaker) and Michael Hodgson (Wonderland, Spooks, 2,000 Acres of Sky).
Victoria Johnson, Training and Development Manager at Northern Film & Media, said: "Stingers can be a real launch pad for North East writing, directing and producing talent. It has a great track record of producing wonderful short films; films that have gone on to be a success in their own right. Stingers provides Northern Film & Media with the opportunity to discover and develop new film talent, building skills and experience. We encourage innovation and support the production of creative work of real quality. The North East has a lot to offer and Northern Film & Media wants to give people the best chance of success in this competitive industry."
Bahrat Nalluri, Director of Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day and Producer of shows such as Spooks and Hustle, is patron of Stingers. Bahrat said: "A scheme such as Stingers allows new talent to breathe, to have a go. Short films are a challenge, a very different kind of challenge from feature films or TV, but a challenge that is worth embracing."
Those interested in applying to the Stingers Digital Short Film Scheme should visit: www.northernmedia.org from September 28, 2009.
Stingers Digital Short Film Scheme is broken into two strands this year - Mini-Stingers and Maxi-Stingers. Mini Stingers is open to new writing and directing talent. Three short films will be made through the mini-stingers strand of a budget of £7,500 per film. Maxi Stingers is open to writers and directors with more experience. Three short films will be made through the Maxi-Stingers strand with a budget of £12,500 per film.
Twelve films made through Stinger 7 during 2008/2009 will be screened at a special event in November 2009.
(KMcA/BMcC)