DREAMFINDER NEWS JANUARY 2010

A happy new year to all who are reading this. 2010 sounds like the dawning of the age of something very exciting - may it be a year filled with adventures and creating for us all.

December was insane and so the space to update Dreamfinder news didn't happen. I was tied up with delivering an Emerging Producers' Training Programme to Skillset on behalf of the Forum, putting together a bid to deliver training for Film Nation Shorts on behalf of the Forum, applying to Skillset's Guiding Lights Mentoring Scheme and doing the Forum Business Plan. This together with running a Forum Finance event and delivering two Presentation Skills workshops meant that there was not a huge amount of time for anything else!

I continue to be really excited about the slate of projects that I have in development. I have just finished reading the 2nd polish of the 2nd draft of AFTER THE DEATH OF ALICE BENNETT and I was moved to tears and laughter. It's such a beautiful script and I feel confident that we should shooting for it by the end of this year. Meanwhile DEADLOCK is garnering some some serious interest and I am hopeful that this will also go into production this year. I await a new treatment for Vito Rocco's THE SHOW MUST GO ON with eager anticipation.

SOUL BOY has completed and we are in the process of finalising the distributor. Watch this space for release and screening details.

In other news I was extremely honoured to be notified that I am to be bestowed with an Honorary Doctorate from Staffordshire University. This is in recognition of the opportunities that were created for undergraduates and graduates through the training scheme that was attached to SOUL BOY and also for the continuing mentoring and inspiration that I provided to the students

During the last few months I come across some really useful and exciting sites. There are so many filmmakers out there who are creating some really entrepreneurial models and quietly going about making some great films. Check out some of these sites for real inspiration:

http://www.cinemareloaded.com

http://www.tribecafilm.com/news-features/tribeca-takes/Ted_Hope_20_New_Rules.html

http://trulyfreefilm.blogspot.com/2009/11/why-indie-film-industry-needs-producers.html

That's it for now-go make great films.

Natasha

PS Top viewing recommendations - AN EDUCATION, DISTRICT 9, THE LOVELY BONES, THE DAMNED UNITED