In an interesting day for the Scottish film production industry, two new schemes were launched to provide an explosive boost to the talented filmmakers based in Scotland. 8 1/2, launched by Glasgow based Antonine Films, aims to develop short 8 1/2 minute films without a particular "agenda".
As Peter Mullan (pictured right), the patron of the scheme said: "This scheme is non-prescriptive. Any films you have in your head, any ideas, if you reckon it can be done in eight-and-a-half minutes, then - if it's an idea we can relate to - we'll take you through the whole process and get it made".
The launch party, held at the fashionable Favorit eatery, also gained support from filmmaker Mike Figgis and actress Saffron Burrows - in town with Mullan to promote Miss Julie. John Archer, Chief Executive of Scottish Screen (one of 8 1/2's backers) was there as well and said he saw the scheme as being complimentary to the existing short film programmes run by the Scottish film body.
A little earlier, Rhona Brankin, the deputy Culture Minister, revealed a new arts strategy which includes - wait for it - a proposal to build a film studio along the lines of Pinewood in Scotland. At this early stage only a feasibility study has been suggested, so we may have to wait some time for anything material to come out of this announcement. How this relates to Film Festival Patron Sean Connery's plans to build a studio near Edinburgh is not yet clear.
There's Only One... Robert Carlyle
Festival favourite, Robert Carlyle wowed the crowds which had come to see the World Premiere of fantasy football tale, There's Only One Jimmy Grimble. But despite the appearances of actress Gina McKee and director John Gray, it was left to young Lewis McKenzie, who plays Jimmy Grimble in the film, to steal the show from Carlyle and proving to be a real star in the making. Jimmy Grimble... a hot contender for the festival awards?
Edinburgh Pub Tales In an interview with our own Nicola Osbourne, director Baltasar Kormakur braved the Edinburgh rain to reveal the secret of how he got Blur's Damon Albarn on board for 101 Reykjavik: they own a bar together!
Kormakur and his producer decided that they had been spending so much time in the bar in Reykjavik that it would be cheaper to buy it. Later, on one of his frequent Icelandic jaunts, Albarn fell in love with the drinking hole and now owns a small share in it himself.
In a return to the Internet theme, Kormakur also revealed that he knew he had a homegrown hit on his hands when 50,000 people downloaded the trailer he posted on the web - out of a population of just 230,000 in Iceland. Proof positive that you don't need to be big to be popular.
Hopefully both Kormakur and Albarn will be satisified with Edinburgh's range of drinking establishments whilst away from their own.
