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talent spotting
Focusing on tomorrow’s generation of movers and shakers compiled by Jane Crowther.
Nathan Crouch
athan Crouch, 25, has been writing and directing films for over seven years, is a paid-up BAFTA member and has received numerous acco- lades and awards for his films. Yep, writer/directors are definitely getting younger.
The driven and dedicated Crouch is currently shooting his latest short, Teeth, in Canterbury with ace cinematographer Brian Tufano and funding the project using his own savings, a grant from Screen South and cash from his parents – “they see it as an investment,” he stresses.
He describes his five minute film as a “supernatural romance” about an elderly widower who discovers his wife has been re- incarnated as the tooth fairy, so steals children’s teeth in order to be reunited with her.
“It’s all really exciting,” he enthuses, “the fact that I’ve got the opportunity to work with peo- ple like Brian just gives it a buzz. Obviously I feel a little frazzled sometimes but I’m lucky to have a great team helping me out. It’s just a great opportunity and I’m throwing my all into it.”
Ever-enterprising, Crouch is planning to edit the film on his computer at home but would welcome any assistance in distri-
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bution or post-production from any philanthropic Academy members and has high hopes for a career in film.
“In the future I’d just love to be directing - but I’d be happy just as long as I’m doing some- thing creative and something that makes me want to get up in the morning.”
JPaney De Nordwall
roducer Janey De Nordwall won a BAFTA last year with her short film, About A Girl, which also netted a gong for writer Julie Rutterford and direc- tor Brian Percival.
De Nordwall describes the night as “the best of my life” and was thrilled to have her second foray into film producing so acclaimed. But that doesn’t mean the resolutely Northern lass (she’s from Salford) is going to sit on her laurels.
She’s currently working on her third short film, Talking With Angels, with BAFTA-nominated director Yousaf Ali Khan and she’s determined to bag more awards with it. “The pressure is now on. But I’m making this to get it into the BAFTAs in 2004. We’ve got to make this the best film ever!”
A dyslexia sufferer at school, De Nordwall worked her way up through TV production and set up
her own company Silver Films in 1996 producing commercials and promos before deciding she want- ed to concentrate purely on film.
She gave up all her commer- cial clients, sold equity in her company to raise some cash and focused on getting into the indus- try. As soon as she read About A Girl, De Nordwall was determined to make it and sank £100,000 into producing it and another short film, Jump.
Now she’s keen on producing features, “making a difference” with her work and developing tal- ent in the North of England.
“I want to work in the industry making films for a global audi- ence and not being contained by our coastline. I love going to the movies and coming out feel- ing different - I want to make films that touch people and that go down in history.”
CIolin Spector
’m very critical of shorts that I see,” says writer/director Colin Spector. “I think they’re some- times a bit glib and I wanted to make a short that was really enjoy- able and not just a clever idea.”
His comedy short, New Year’s Eve (currently showing as part of the Sky Shorts season on Sky) is just that. It follows a couple of friends on their way to a house
party where one of them meets a teenage seductress played by Keira Knightley (Bend It Like Beckham, Dr Zhivago).
“I got lucky when I found Keira –Iputaspecouttotheagents asking for a sixteen year old Natalie Portman. When I met Keira I thought she was phenomenal.”
Although Spector has been making documentaries and shorts for the BBC and Channel 4 for years, he now views New Year’s Eve as a calling card for making features. He’s been working on two diverse projects – one a romantic comedy and one he describes as a “serious one”.
“For a while I’ve agonised about whether I’m more of a seri- ous director or a comedy one and I’ve realised that I’m both! So I’m writing a feature that’s a very sad and dark story and also one that’s a wry romantic come- dy about male desire.
“I think there’s a real shortage of intelligent romantic comedy that’s not formulaic in this coun- try. So that’s what I’m writing!” And having worked with the fast- rising Knightley once, Spector knows just who to call when he makes his big feature.