Application deadline: March 3, 2017
June 21–26, 2017
HOME
2 Tony Wilson Place
First Street
Manchester
M15 4FN
November 15–19, 2017
Lo Schermo dell’Arte Film Festival
Via Giotto 28b
50121 Florence
Italy
www.featureexpanded.com
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Pioneering, specifically designed course aimed at those with a background in visual arts, with their first feature film in early stage of development. Directed by HOME’s Artistic Director: Visual Art, Professor Sarah Perks and Leonardo Bigazzi, Curator at Lo Schermo dell’Arte. Feature Expanded continues to present a strong team of industry experts including Marietta Von Hausswolff von Baumgarten, Lisa Marie Russo, Sam Rumbelow and Fiona Tan.
HOME and Lo Schermo dell’Arte Film Festival, this year celebrating its 10th anniversary, are delighted to announce the third run of Feature Expanded, the first ever, ground-breaking training programme examining the methodologies, tools and skills needed for filmmakers with a background in visual arts to develop and produce feature films for the international market. The two-part course will take place from June 21 through 26 in Manchester, and in Florence, November 15 through 19. The deadline for applications is Friday, March 3.
Feature Expanded combines masterclasses, case studies, workshops, screenings, one-to-one meetings and pitching sessions for visual artists who are developing their first feature film. With peer-led training from industry experts, participants will gain essential new skills and the expertise needed to advance their early stage feature film projects for theatrical distribution and exhibition, before being introduced to potential collaborations with relevant festivals, markets and other partners.
The course culminates with the presentation of the Feature Expanded Distribution Award, first awarded to artist and filmmaker Gabrielle Brady in 2015 for her film Christmas Island, currently in post-production and co-produced by Feature Expanded’s Samm Haillay (Third Films). In its second year, Feature Expanded also introduced two further awards: the Development Award, supporting co-production building and script, and the ottod’Ame Film Award, a research cash prize supported by the Italian fashion label.
This year, Feature Expanded had a prestigious position at the International Film Festival Rotterdam with FE artist Stefanos Tsivopoulous’ project Kindness being selected for the prestigious annual ART:FILM selection at IFFR Cinemart 2017.
HOME Artist Film is continuing to develop its production and distribution strategies following recent short and long form projects with Rachel Maclean, Rosa Barba and Phil Collins; and distribution is confirmed for Andrew Kötting‘s Edith Walks, an unofficial sequel to Swandown, also distributed by HOME Artist Film, a collaboration with pscyo-geographer Iain Sinclair and other Kötting regulars.
Sarah Perks said: “Feature Expanded is a new and innovative development training programme and the type that takes years to make a recognisable contribution to the film industry, especially in light of how complex and long term these projects are. The continued support of Creative Media EU Programme and the University of Salford into the third year is a big vote of confidence and we are looking forward to the first Feature Expanded babies being born later this year! And of course there will be a new cohort of amazing visual artist filmmakers to join this journey.”
Leonardo Bigazzi added: “We are really excited to partner again with HOME for the third edition of Feature Expanded. The programme has already developed far beyond our expectations and is generating strong collaborations between the participating professionals. As a result of these partnerships, we have been invited at the Cinemart in Rotterdam as co-producers of the new film by FE alumni Stefanos Tsivopoulos, and we are already expecting two films from the first edition to premiere this year.”
Artist film promises to continue to demonstrate innovation productions and increased visibility for audiences, following the success across Europe in 2016 from Omer Fast (Remainder) and Ben Rivers (The Two Eyes are Not Brothers), and future features due from Cleo Barnard and Yael Bartana.
Feature Expanded accommodates a total of 12 places, with bursaries available. Cost includes food and accommodation both in Florence and Manchester. For further information please visit www.featureexpanded.com.
For Feature Expanded’s third run, bursaries are again supported by the University of Salford and Netherlands Film Fonds.
