Are you a writer concocting fiendishly fantastic ideas in the witching hours? Have you hidden away your script in the deepest darkest catacombs but are now ready to unleash it onto the unsuspecting world?
Then Horror Channel FrightFest’s New Blood initiative should have you salivating.
This year the festival has teamed up with international production company MPI Media and their sister company Dark Sky Films to search for new genre writers, nurturing their projects from script to screen.
The brief is simple: New Blood wants exciting fresh ideas to develop into feature films budgeted below $1m for an international market.
Successful shortlisted applicants will have the opportunity to explore their ideas and scripts in a group setting under the mentorship of top industry professionals and genre experts.
These include:
- Travis Stevens, acclaimed producer of Starry Eyes and We Are Still Here
- Actor/producer/horror icon Barbara Crampton, star of Re-Animator and You’re Next
- Actor/director Dominic Brunt
- Giles Edwards, MPI Media’s Head of Acquisitions & Development.
Dark Sky Films know their horror. Excellent titles they have brought to the screen include Ti West’s The House of the Devil and The Innkeepers, plus Starry Eyes and the outrageous Catfight.
Do you have the next killer idea for them to unleash upon an unsuspecting world?
The New Blood event will be held on Thursday 23rd August, the opening day of FrightFest 2017, at the Radisson Hampshire Hotel, Leicester Sq., London.
Deadline for submission is Friday 4th August. Successful applicants will be notified by Monday 14th August. Participants are expected to pay their own travel and accommodation.
For full application requirements and terms and conditions, head over to frightfest.co.uk
And to end on a note of inspiration, here are some words from MPI Media’s Giles Edwards:
“We are looking for original scripts or treatments for feature films which would appeal both critically and commercially to a global audience hungry for bold, diverse new voices in the realm of daring, thrilling, fiercely entertaining genre cinema. We want to unearth the UK’s Julie Ducournau or Ti West, Jennifer Kent or Simon Barrett, Jordan Peele, Ana Lily Amirpour or David Robert Mitchell. We know you’re out there, so don’t hold back. If you think your idea is original the chances are we will too. Sucker punch us with your brilliance.”
Knock ‘em dead…
Horror Channel FrightFest 2017 runs Thursday 24th August to Monday 28th August in London’s Leicester Square at the Cineworld and the Prince Charles Cinema theatres. The UK’s premiere horror and fantasy film festival, this year it boasts almost 50 premiering titles, including 15 world premieres. For a full list of movies playing, how to book tickets and all other information, visit frightfest.co.uk
Rob Daniel
Twitter: rob_a_Daniel
Podcast: The Electric Shadows Podcast
