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from inside bafta
news and events
Calling All Members From Amy Minyard BAFTA Events And Membership Officer
The programme for the next few months is absolutely full of landmark events and I hope you will have enjoyed recent offerings such as the British Academy Annual Lecture given by Channel 5’s Director of Programmes, Kevin Lygo and screenings such as K:19 The Widowmaker which was followed by a Q & A with Harrison Ford, Liam Neeson and director Kathryn Bigelow.
In addition to these two events, in September, the Academy welcomed Oliver Parker and Barnaby Thompson (writer/director and producer of The Importance of Being Earnest), Ken Loach, Paul Laverty and Martin Compston, director, writer and young star of the award- winning Sweet Sixteen.
Leaving the confines of 195 Piccadilly, BAFTA Members were also invited to the Regional Premiere of Once Upon A Time in the Midlands. At a standing room only screening, director and co- writer Shane Meadows explained his shock at the number of peo- ple who had arrived to see his third feature film: “Only 16 people turned up to my last premiere (A Room For Romeo Brass). They’d all gone by the time I was ready for a question and answer session.”
This was definitely not the case for this premiere, but those not fortunate to see the film were joined by Shane Meadows him- self before he returned to the theatre for a Q & A with the audi- ence. There was huge applause for the cast members who were there as well, including newcom- er Finn Atkins and established favourite Rhys Ifans, in one of his
best roles yet.
Meadows calls this film
the third in his Nottingham trilogy. He explained that he hoped to make his next film outside the Nottingham area, but that he was sure to return in the future. “My first two films have only really been seen in Nottinghamshire. I want to make one that’s eventually seen by a wider audi- ence,” said Meadows.
Café@195
If you are in town at lunchtime, why not try the table d’hôte menu available from 12.30 to 2.30pm at BAFTA. Prices start at £8.95 per person for a two course meal and £11.50 for three courses. Pre-bookings are required. Please call Roux Fine Dining on 020 7292 5814 to place a booking or for further information.
The table d’hôte menu regularly changes on a fortnightly basis.
Sample Table d’hôte Menu
Caramelised Crottin of Goats Cheese, Balsamic Vegetables Chilled Avocado & Smoked Salmon Soup
Seasonal Salad Leaves, Sun- Blushed Tomatoes, Baby Capers, Parmesan & Balsamic Vinegar ❖❖❖
Tempura Salmon Goujons, Soya Pak Choi & Noodles, Coriander Salsa Verde Poached Cannon of Chicken, Char-Grilled Pumpkin, Tomato Compote, Curry Oil Balsamic Red Onion Tarte Tatin, Creamed Celeriac &
Baby Red Chard
❖❖❖ Caramelised Stem Ginger & Lemongrass Brulée
Bitter Chocolate, Almond & Amaretto Tart Selection of Cheeses
Upcoming Events
October 14
In The Frame
Sponsored by The Hollywood
Reporter, this event will give
producers, directors, ad agencies and marketing gurus the chance to talk openly about how to make the growing prac- tice of product placement work for all involved. This billion dollar industry allowed Steven Spielberg to recoup around a quarter of his
$103 million budget for Minority Report through deals with 15 “partners” such as American Express and Gap.
In many of Hollywood’s biggest films large amounts of money are concerned, either through marketing support or through fees for featuring a prod- uct in a film. However, in most cases, products are simply lent to film and programme-makers as props. No money changes hands but the loans allow producers to save large amounts of money on their production costs.
This seminar will explore the issues how to maintain a balance between artistic integrity and giving products the appropriate amount of exposure, how prac- tices differ in the film and television worlds, and how can you use product placements to help get your next film made.
October 28
The Kodak Short Film Showcase
This will be the 9th Showcase
Kodak has hosted in conjunc-
tion with BAFTA to encourage and promote new talent in the British Film Industry.
Film making on a low budget seems to create a special breed of determined and persistent cre- atives, whom so very often have to make personal sacrifices to ensure their project gets complet- ed. There is usually a final, but most important hurdle to over- come that of securing an exhibi- tion for their work.
That is exactly what this event is about, and why you are invited to attend! This Kodak and BAFTA initia- tive is designed to allow an oppor- tunity to screen new work to a selected audience, and we hope that the choice of films will demon- strate the depth of new and emerging talent that is out there.
Similar schemes have been encouraged within other coun- tries and now culminate with the Kodak Showcase for European Talents at Cannes Film Festival. With this in mind, we would like you to choose the filmmakers you believe we should send to Cannes to represent the UK in this short film event!
This event is only open to BAFTA members and their guests.
November 21 & 22
Spike Lee at BAFTA We are very fortunate to
have Spike Lee at the
Academy for two nights in November. On the 21st we will be screening his film Jim Brown: All American, his docu-drama biography of former American football star and actor, tracing his many accomplishments, and also touching on his brushes with the law.
On the 22nd he will be taking the stage for a landmark interview discussing his film career and the influence he has had on the US and international film community.
Lee is one of the most enig- matic and incendiary Americans of this century and for some he is the most important director in contemporary American cinema.
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