The National Film and Television School and Disney have unveiled the six up and coming writer/director teams selected for Disney Imagine UK, its new short film incubator programme.
The search for the six teams from under-represented backgrounds began in September 2022, with the NFTS receiving almost 400 applications from around the UK.
The six teams chosen to develop their uniquely personal stories centred on the theme of ‘Evolve’ and working with a production budget of £25,000 are Adam Pearson and Tom Levinge, Alvin Yu and Charley Packham, Tom Dunn and Kevin Morosky, Milly Garnier and Charlotte Paradise, Laura Jayne Tunbridge and Danielle Goff and Marcus Anthony Thomas and Jordi Morera.
Disney Imagine UK is a new opportunity to springboard ‘on-the-rise’ filmmakers into the industry and amplify the scale and ambition of their work both culturally and creatively. The final collection of six original shorts will be considered to premiere across Disney platforms, feature within a high-profile showcase event and be submitted to international film festivals. All films have been considered and assessed against the BFI’s Diversity Standards.
Jon Wardle, Director of the National Film and Television School commented: “We are so excited to bring the diverse perspectives of these talented teams to the wider world. Their thought-provoking stories all have something original to say and we are proud to be able to share their work on a larger scale via the once in a lifetime platform provided by Disney Imagine UK.”
Lee Jury, Senior Vice President, Studios Marketing at Disney EMEA, added: “Telling stories is at the heart of what we do at Disney and it’s fantastic to be able to support these incredible UK filmmakers and to help them bring to life such a variety of dynamic films. We’re very proud of the Disney Imagine UK programme which builds on our efforts in supporting and growing under-represented talent in our industry. We can’t wait to see the final films.”
Pre-production of the six shorts will begin in April 2023 with principal photography starting in May 2023. A debut Showcase event is slated for October 2023. Throughout the production process, Disney executives will provide the filmmakers with on-going creative support,with all equipment and facilities provided by the NFTS. Additionally, participants will bolster their talent further, benefitting from a professional training programme delivered by the NFTS, comprising of workshops, seminars and mentoring.
Jon Creamer
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