Look to Bristol for film’s next big names
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Hot Shots: writer/director Rob Brown makes short films while Thomas Kelpie works at Bristol-based Icon Films
Two Bristol-based film directors have been tipped as new talents to watch by UK media industry experts. Rob Brown and Thomas Kelpie feature in Broadcast magazine’s latest Hot Shots 2010, which profiles the sharpest new talent under 30 in the areas of writing, directing, production, business, post-production and craft.
Writer/director Rob Brown cut his teeth in short films while Thomas Kelpie is an editor and director at Bristol-based indie Icon Films.
Rob, who graduated from the Bournemouth Film School and now lives in Bristol, was selected in 2007 for the prestigious Berlinale Talent Campus and the following year for the Edinburgh Film Festival ‘Trailblazers’ programme. He is twice winner of the BBC Big Screen Awards (2006 and 2007) for best drama.
Rob’s most recent digital short film Silent Things was backed by South West Screen with Lottery funding last year. It follows an autistic man and woman’s friendship which becomes tested when an impulsive 15-year old girl comes between them. Rob’s current projects include the development of two features – 3 Miles To Nottingham and Sixteen – and a short film, Paper Heart.
Rob said: “Filmmaking is a notoriously competitive industry to break into so it’s a fantastic boost to be picked out as a talent to watch for the future. Being able to work with South West Screen was a massive help, which enabled me to secure representation at United Agents who also represent leading names such as Keira Knightley, Kate Winslet and Mike Leigh.”
Thomas joined Icon four years ago as an intern and he has since become the indie’s in-house editor with a list of credits including films for The One Show, BBC2′s Natural World and Icon’s record-breaking series River Monsters for Animal Planet. He was also the winner of the Wildscreen short-film competition for spoof doc Who Stuffed Alfred Gorilla? He used the £10,000 prize money to make a comedy drama Who Revived A Mockingbird?
He said: “Having started out at Icon on work experience I feel that I have truly planted my roots there. They have supported me every step of the way and I have been grateful to have worked on so many exciting productions.
“I have seen the team and the company grow over the years and I am delighted to be part of the exciting Bristol TV production scene.”
Broadcast’s annual Hot Shots feature has a reputation for spotting names who have gone on to further success. Previous winners include Bristol comedy writer Stephen Merchant and The Office producer Ash Atalla.
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