KENDAL BUDDING FILM MAKER SIMON SYLVESTER is one step nearer to Hollywood as he’s through to the finals of international film competition ‘The Pitch’.
Simon pitched his short Western film idea “A Sure and Godly Beauty” and has successfully made it through the final stages. Along with nine other entrants he will be pitching his ideas live to industry professionals at the National Film and Television School next weekend.
The overall winner will receive a unique opportunity to have their film made with production support and a budget of £30K. The winner will go to Hollywood, meet Ralph Winter, producer of X-men and Fantastic Four, and host of other industry professionals who will give feedback on the completed film.
Speaking about his experience in the competition so far Simon says, “The process has given me courage and inspiration and has really pushed me. The last few days has also taught me the value of feedback and collaboration. Even though I’m in competition with the other filmmakers – it doesn’t feel like that all. It has been a really exciting and supportive environment.
Luke Walton, the project’s director says: “As we celebrate 10 years of The Pitch we are able to do so with an extraordinary range of film genres, ideas and characters. From Cowboy Western to Celtic fantasy, Animation to Period Drama and Comedy to Political Thriller our finalists have found creative ways to adapt Biblical material for contemporary audiences.
“We travel from Liverpool to Denmark, a Bristol Council Estate to Mexico, while all the time finding new angles and characters in books throughout the Bible. I know it sounds like a cliché, but I genuinely wouldn’t want the job of choosing a winner when we go the National Film and Television School later this month. Luckily I didn’t give myself that job.”
