Short Circuit announces Short Film Shortlist and bolsters Development Team

Short Circuit has announced the 16 shortlisted films that will be supported through the short film scheme Sharp Shorts.

Short Circuit is a new film talent initiative for Scotland delivered by Film City Futures in partnership with Glasgow Film, and supported by Screen Scotland and BFI NETWORK (using funds from the National Lottery) running initially until the end of March 2022.

In May 2020, Short Circuit invited writers, writer/directors or filmmaking teams of writer, director and producer to submit a one-page outline of their film idea. After a rigorous selection process, 16 ideas have been selected to work with the Short Circuit Talent Executives to develop their short film.

The following 16 projects have been shortlisted:

The filmmakers and projects - shortlisted from over 400 applications - will receive support to help turn their initial short film idea into a polished script.

Following the development stage, the 16 shortlisted teams will each pitch their completed script to the Short Circuit selection panel. Up to 9 scripts will then be allocated a maximum of £15,000 to enable them to make their film.

Allison Gardner, CEO, Glasgow Film said: “Glasgow Film is delighted with the broad range of talent shortlisted. The work Short Circuit, Film City Futures and Glasgow Film did to reach out to a diverse range of creatives has paid dividends, with over 400 applications received. Choosing this first selection was a difficult task for the team, with the quality proving to be very high. We at Glasgow Film are looking forward to working with the two new Talent Executives, Alice and Mar, going forward into the next stage of Short Circuit.”

Jessica Loveland, Head of BFI NETWORK said: “We were delighted to support our partners in launching this ambitious new programme. The selected filmmakers truly represent modern Scotland and it’s exciting to see such a variety of stories, and filmmaking talent – we can’t wait to see the final projects.”

Isabel Davis, Executive Director at Screen Scotland said: “These projects represent distinct ideas coming from voices across Scotland, from filmmakers at a pivotal point in their career with stories that cannot wait to be told.”

New Talent Executives at Short Circuit

Short Circuit has also announced the appointment of two Talent Executives to deliver the film talent development project and nurture new talent across Scotland.

Alice Whittemore joins the Short Circuit team from Ffilm Cymru Wales, where she was BFI NETWORK Wales Manager. Alice has previously supported emerging filmmakers while in her role in the Production team at Film London, contributing to numerous iterations of their flagship training initiatives including the Microwave feature scheme and London Calling shorts.

Alice Whittemore, Talent Executive at Short Circuit said: “If the Sharp Shorts submissions tell us anything, it’s that Scotland isn’t short of exhilarating stories and unique storytellers. I'm looking forward to working with the shortlisted teams to develop short films that showcase some of the nation's most promising talent, while fostering further opportunities for filmmakers whether they're right at the start of their careers or well on the route to their first feature”

Mar Vila Barcelo is a script and acquisitions consultant and joins the Short Circuit team from talent agency ICM Partners where she was a member of their London team working with writers, directors and producers across the globe. She has over a decade of industry experience working across development, production, distribution and marketing.

Mar Vila Barcelo, Talent Executive at Short Circuit said: “I am very happy to join the Short Circuit team as one of their new Talent Executives. Film City Futures have assembled an incredible team and we will work tirelessly to nurture and promote Scottish filmmaking talent, their stories and their careers so they can make a difference in this current competitive landscape.”

These new roles will encourage the professional and creative growth of Scotland’s emerging filmmakers whilst providing advice and guidance for all filmmaking talent in Scotland.

Short Circuit will soon be announcing a series of virtual events and screenings to inspire and connect filmmakers across Scotland. A development opportunity for feature film projects will also be announced.

To stay informed of events and further opportunities, visit the Short Circuit website: www.shortcircuit.scot.

More about Short Circuit

Short Circuit is an ambitious new film talent initiative for Scotland delivered by Film City Futures in partnership with Glasgow Film, and funded by Screen Scotland and BFI NETWORK, running initially until the end of March 2022. Up to 9 short films will be produced and 5 feature length scripts will be developed through the programme each year.

The partnership between Film City Futures and Glasgow Film brings together two world-class film institutions based in Scotland, combining the filmmaking expertise at Film City with Glasgow Film’s leadership in film exhibition with a strong following from young, diverse audiences. Short Circuit aims to become a key hub for emerging fiction filmmaking talent in Scotland, supporting writers, directors and producers to develop creatively and professionally, and stimulating the creative and commercial success of Scotland’s film sector. http://shortcircuit.scot/