The Edinburgh International Film Festival will promote Scottish producers at four International Festivals over the next year through their 2010 'Features Scotland' programme.
Features Scotland, which is supported by the Scottish Government Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund and Scottish Screen, launches at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June 2010.
The ‘Features Scotland’ programme will provide producers with a range of training, market knowledge, promotional and networking opportunities that aims to enhance their understanding of the market and significantly advance their projects.
Participants will work with EIFF and a dedicated Development Advisor to design a development plan personal to them and their project that will cover the duration of the initiative.
"This investment will enable us to aid a dynamic group of individuals in making their way confidently into the international film market, and promoting their projects worldwide. We look forward immensely to seeing the scheme bear creative fruit in the near future,' said EIFF Artistic Director Hannah McGill.
Masterclasses, workshops and meetings with Industry professionals will be led by guests that include writing and directing talent, financiers, executive producers, sales agents, media lawyers and distributors with the aim of developing and market testing their project within a supported environment. In addition to EIFF, producers will travel to the upcoming Toronto, London and Berlin film festivals.
Industry consultant, Mia Bays, who has been appointed as the ‘Features Scotland’ Development Advisor, said "it involves not just sending them and showing them the ropes, but also putting them in front of really key people and tailoring the experience to each individual producer. I wish I'd have had the same such platform when I started out instead of learning the hard way!"
Phil Robertson, a previous recipient of funding in 2009 has consequently been signed by LA talent agency, Montana Artists and commented: "Without the Scottish Government support for EIFF Expo, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet with US agents in the relaxed environment of my home town film festival."
The 2010 ‘Feature Scotland’ participants, who are being formally announced at the Scottish Screen and EIFF event in Cannes today, are: Wendy Griffin, Carolynne Sinclair Kidd, Micky MacPherson, Suzanne Reid, Andy Green, Ciara Barry.
The EIFF runs 16 - 27 June in venues across Edinburgh.