Skills and Professional Development

Atlantic is committed to supporting the skills development of emerging and experienced filmmakers. We produce our own initiatives and are also commissioned by other organisations to design and/or manage their programmes.

Atlantic’s Nicole Dade manages several prestigious talent and skills development initiatives on behalf of organisations including The Times BFI London Film Festival, the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, Warp X, UK Film Council New Cinema Fund, Film4, Lifesize Pictures and Skillset.

Think-Shoot-Distribute

Think-Shoot-Distribute is a talent development initiative for emerging filmmakers, which runs during The Times BFI London Film Festival. 

The programme, supported by the LFF, Skillset and Film London, brings together 25 selected filmmakers who take part in a series of workshops exploring the creative, technical and business aspects of the film industry - from financing to exhibition.

Past speakers include Atom Egoyan, Stephen Frears, Tessa Ross, Paul Webster, plus executives from BBC Films, Film4, Lionsgate, Working Title and DNA Films. Previous participants have gone on to be BAFTA nominated and have been selected as Screen International 'Stars of Tomorrow.

"Think-Shoot-Distribute has evolved into one of the most highly regarded training schemes for emerging filmmaking talent in the UK" Janine Marmot, director of film, Skillset

"Intensely insightful, at times painfully disheartening but, more than anything, incredibly inspiring"

"A snapshot of life at the coalface of the film business"

Previous participants

Last Laugh

Last Laugh is the new comedy feature film development and production initiative from Warp X and Birds Eye View, supported by Skillset, designed to champion exceptional female comedy talent in the UK and to bring female led comedy feature films to the big screen.

The comedy talents selected to take part are: Sally Phillips, Fay Rusling, Orianne Messina, Kay Stonham, Jane Bussman, Joanna Neary, Francesca Martinez, Pippa Evans, Lucy Porter, Jill Parker, Kate Hardie, Catherine Shepherd, Olivia Poulet, Julia Davis and Alice Lowe.

We brought our funny women together for a three-day residential retreat in October 2008, with industry experts including Gurinder Chadha (Bend it Like Beckham; Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging), Paul Fraser (Somerstown), Debbie Isitt (Confetti), Sam Lavender (Film4) and Chris Dickens (editor Slumdog Millionaire and Hot Fuzz) in a relaxed, creative environment with the focus on creating new comedy alliances and the birth of exciting comedy film ideas.

The participants are preparing to pitch new film ideas in February 2009 for inclusion on the Warp X slate. A number of projects will be selected and supported through a development process, with the intention that the films will go into production with Warp X from 2010.

Director’s Lab

Supported by the UK Film Council, Film4, 4Talent and Skillset and taking place during the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June, the Lab is a five-day residential personal and professional development programme that equips six distinctive new directors with the skills, contacts and knowledge they need to develop their careers. Each Lab participant is also matched with a director mentor who provides 121 support.

The selected Lab directors for 2008 were Scott Marshall, Jane Linfoot, Hope Dickson-Leach, Rene Mohandas, Amy Neill and Charle-Henri Belleville.

Long and Short of It

In 2008, for the first time, the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, with support from Skillset, offered a programme of three professional development workshops for 20 selected LGBT filmmakers seeking to move from short to feature filmmaking.

The programme was held during the LLGFF in April with topics covered including: understanding the funding climate; developing stories; the role of the sales agent and distributor; how to reach audiences: niche and general. Guest speakers included Cheryl Dunye, Richard Kwietniowski, Iain Poitier, Neil Hunter and Ian Rashid.

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