57th EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

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57th EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ATTRACTS PARTICIPANTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD AS THEY GEAR UP FOR VENICE, TELLURIDE & TORONTO

By Vinca Liane Jarrett

August 15 to August 24, Edinburgh, Scotland – Already in its 57th year, this mid-level industry favorite, set amongst the highlands of Scotland in one of the hippest cities in Great Britain, took off in style attracting such notables as Jim Sheridan whose writing credits include Academy Award winners IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER and MY LEFT FOOT, filmmaker Peter Greenaway (THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE & HER LOVER, 8 ½ WOMAN), writer Richard LaGravenese (THE FISHER KING, BELOVED, THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTRY) and writer Terence Davies (THE HOUSE OF MIRTH). While countless workshops for filmmakers and writers alike went on, the festival equally attracted such famed notables as Aidan Quinn (DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN, SONG CATCHER) and Sir Sean Connery (DR. NO etc. as James Bond, THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING). Every night parties were held and attracted industry players who were not just filmmakers as so many smaller and mid-sized festivals, but included distributors from Warner Brothers to Film Four, and investors from South Africa and France.

This is a festival to be reckoned with, easy to access, an array of films to choose from, and most importantly a staff that is both helpful and savvy at connecting people. Most impressive was the Industry Delegate Guide, which listed attendees and their reasons for attendance, and more importantly, their local contact information, so that festival attendees could set up meetings during the day in the lounge, while sipping coffee or tea and a biscuit. As producer Maxine Flitman, who drove 8 hours from London to schmooze and further her project THE LEGACY to star Charlotte Rampling and Minnie Driver amongst others, and to be directed by New England’s notable Jay Craven (WHERE THE RIVERS FLOW NORTH, STRANGER IN THE KINGDOM), American Jeremy Boxer of Res Media Group, which specializes in distribution of film shorts and digital films, let locals know that his company now has a London office. Meanwhile, Edward Hughes, a manager of Linda Seifer Management, in London hunted for new writer, director and producer talent, as Emma Brown, a past recipient of the Carlton Television Award for best screenplay touted her next work: HYSTERICAL BLUE, about the disappearance of a silent film actress in 1927 and her reappearance nearly 50 years later on a remote tropical island. Yes, the schmooze was sizzling.

Of most interest to emerging filmmakers were series talks that included “Producing: The Real Deal”, an in-depth two hour talk with Sally Hibbin who has produced more than a dozen films and MOWs including LIAM by Steven Frears and upcoming, THE INTENDED, starring Massachusetts’ favorite Olympia Dukakis (MOONSTRUCK, THE EVENT) and Janet McTeer (SONG CATCHER, VELVET GOLDMINE). Ms. Hibbin instructed the master class going through a play by play of the various scenarios of funding the film THE INTENDED, and how understanding and flexibility of finance structuring and perseverance are necessary components for good producing. She also pointed out that transactional costs (i.e., what was paid to the lawyers) must be taken into serious consideration while the deal moves forward, and producers must have some cash to pay for these costs. “Working without counsel in putting together sophisticated deals can be the kiss of death to any good project,” says Hibbin. Aidan Quinn, meanwhile, gave a candid talk, hosted by festival artistic director Shane Danielsen, revolving around casting and how an actor makes decisions regarding taking on a low budget indie film. Not unexpectedly Quinn talked about looking for interesting parts and working with caliber directors, and that only a fantastic script with a decent budget would attract talent to work with a fresh, untried director. Moreover, that once a part is undertaken, that remaining professional no matter what is the only tact to take. Quinn has worked on films with budgets less than a million, as well as huge studio pictures such as MICHAEL COLLINS and PRACTICAL MAGIC (written by Massachusetts native Alice Hoffman).

While many of the attendees struggled with whether to attend the upcoming Venice International Film Festival or Toronto International Film Festival, and a few more thought about Montreal and Telluride, which all fall within ten days of each other, let alone New Englanders who might want to stay close to home and watch a few movies at the Boston Film Festival (which coincides with Toronto), a deep inhale should be taken, soaking up the magic of the Scottish air, a sip of tea and a scone in the afternoon, cobble stoned streets and a formidable castle in the background, wondering how many more contacts must one make in order to get a film made. The answer? As many as it takes.

Vinca Liane Jarrett is the managing attorney of the Law Offices of Vinca Jarrett & Associates, a full-service law firm with foremost experience in the field of entertainment, including film, television, music and media. She is also the owner and principal of SKRIPTEASE Script Consulting, She is currently on the Board of Advisors to the Golden Trailer Awards. You can contact Vinca at JarrettBiz@aol.com. Her web site is www.vincajarrett.com.

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