Projects in categories: Fiction

Synopsis

This wonderfully enchanting Royal Shakespeare Company version of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed on stage and screen by Adrian Noble, leaves no one in any doubt as to the foolishness exhibited by human beings in their falling in and out of love. Using minimalist, fantastic sets and wild, vivid colours, the creative and effective use of simple technical effects and extraordinary performances from all the cast, Noble has ensured a highly imaginative and wholly delightful cinematic rendering of Shakespeare's endearing commentary on the trials of love.

Synopsis

From 'hot summer sex' in Majorca, to 'moral economics' in Scotland. To celebrate his 70th birthday, the acclaimed Scots-born writer and poet Alastair Reid reflects on life at the prestigious New Yorker Magazine and his unique friendship with Robert Graves, Jorge Luis Borges and Pablo Neruda.

Synopsis

The life cycle of a car. A one shot film from its factory inception to its crushing demise. Dumped, sold, abused, stolen, raced, drowned, bought, crashed, burned, crushed.

Synopsis

A Twist In The Tale tells the bizarre story of an 8 year old girl plotting revenge on the family mutt, which constantly upstages her by winning top prizes in dog shows, while she consistently loses the dance festivals she is forced to enter by her stagestruck mother.

Synopsis

Amy Harding's past is eating away at her as she returns to the house of her parents. Two miles away Marshall Clarke, a field researcher, is making an alarming discovery in the marshes. Soon Amy and Marshall are locked in a deadly battle, not with their pasts, but their futures, as they fight to stay alive and outwit the seemingly indestructible, ever-mutating predators.

Synopsis

This quirky take on the story of Adam and Eve attempts to give an answer to the meaning of life. Under the ever present watch of God we see Adam and Eve tempted by the devil and eventually cast out of the Garden of Eden which is protected by a flaming sword. The use of modelmaking mixed with live action helps to heighten the sense of worlds turning within worlds.

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A humorous tale involving a fisherman on a Hebridean Island who ropes his friend into searching for romance using the Internet.

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Somewhere in the affluent suburbs of London, young Bobby is a prisoner in his own home - a silent mansion ruled with a rod of iron by his sinister stepfather, Bernard DeWinter. Still suffering from the effects of a car accident when he was young, Bobby will, it seems always be a child in a man's body. But when Bobby's mother dies his life changes forever. Immediately after the funeral, DeWinter reveals his plans to take over the family business, home and the helpless boy's life. But when Bobby is pushed to sign the papers that would make it possible, he refuses forcing DeWinter to deliver a damning ultimatum. Faced with being institutionalised, Bobby escapes from the darkened house and begins a journey of enlightenment through the English countryside. A chance lift with a lorry driver who deliberately runs down a fox brings Bobby in contact with a country nomad, Mr Summers. Summers sees himself as a guardian of wildlife, caring for animals in danger and burying animals killed by humans. Bobby happily joins in The Work, finding warmth and quiet words; light and hope, with his strange new friend and tutor. Bobby's past soon begins to catch up with him and he tells all to Mr Summers who in turn confesses his own dark secrets. The man and boy return to London to confront DeWinter but their plan goes disastrously wrong. After an ugly and violent climax Bobby is once again left to fend for himself. However strengthened by his experiences and finally free of DeWinter, Bobby confidently embraces his new life.

Synopsis

London's Soho on a typically noisy and frenetic night. A young man from Belfast arrives, evidently fearful of something he is leaving behind but also uncertain of where he's going. A chance connection with Grace, a prostitute from his home town, pulls him back from the edge of desperation and offers him a lifeline - for the moment, at least.

Synopsis

Among Giants is a triangular love story played out against a spectacular North of England landscape. Two men's lives are changed forever when a young Australian woman joins their team of painters on a risky and not quite kosher job. Ray has been offered cash-in-hand in exchange for painting the majestic electricity pylons which span the Yorkshire Moors; painting while the power supply is shut down for the summer. He puts together a gang of old mates, whose humour feeds off their deep-seated rivalries and grudges. Ray and Steve are heading back to Sheffield from the moors when they pick up Gerry, an Australian backpacker and, as they discover in the unlikely environment of a pub, also a climber. Despite being behind schedule, the gang are against the idea of a woman on the job and think Ray has lost his head when Gerry is hired. But he has fallen in love with her and although they seem an unlikely match, Gerry falls for him, too. Ray proposes marriage to Gerry. Steve and the gang paint a pylon pink (by moonlight) as an engagement present. They all celebrate at a line-dancing club, where Ray's ex-wife Lyn is outraged that Ray would spend money on an expensive ring rather than on clothes for his kids. Feeling trapped, Gerry gets drunk with Steve and bungee jumps off a pylon, to Ray's fury. They argue and break up. Gerry moves in on Steve. Realising it was a mistake, she waits on Ray's doorstep, but he rejects her utterly. She tries to work off her feelings on a free climb, and falls, ending up in hospital. The summer is drawing to an end, and the job is still not finished. The gang is tired, disgruntled and looking less and less likely to get it done. Steve arrives on site, furious with Ray for Gerry's accident. The power lines start to 'sing', and there is still one person on the pylon.....

Synopsis

After an ecstasy induced joy riding accident, 12 year old Lizzie lies dead on the operating table - slowly she is taken into the light - but is pulled back to earth when she is revived by the doctors. Lizzie feels sure that during the 184 seconds that she lay dead on the ER table something latched on to her and came back into her world. The nightmares and visions that follow only crystallise her belief that she should have died in the crash... Then the disturbances start, at first merely tappings and bad smells - but soon the activity escalates. Lizzie seems to be the focus, but according to others, she's just playing games for attention. Only when Kate, her mother, is confronted with inexplicable events does she face the possibility that they may be the victims of a poltergeist infestation. The family have no option but to ask for help, but everywhere Kate turns she is met with ridicule or a brick wall of civil servant red tape. Finally, Kate's only help is a newspaper journalist from the local press with his own hidden agenda - he brings in all manner of 'experts' - parapsychologists, spiritualists, Christians - all of whom offer their services whilst championing their own individual theories for the unexplained phenomena. As the Fisher household is invaded by battling investigators, Lizzie continues to experience terrible nightmares, recurring apparitions of the crash and visions of a hell in which she is sure she is damned to spend eternity. Ultimately, Lizzie has to accept that she should have died in the crash, or face up to the demons of her past...

Synopsis

At the Station Hotel, Jay doesn't like his guests to mix - and with good reason. They are all damaged in some way, always emotionally and sometimes physically. Jay tries not to be judgemental, but sometimes judgement is called for. Tonight he looks on paralysed as they all sit playing a game of cards. Worse than that, they're playing to see who will sleep in Room 207, a room that's not been slept in for 20 years. A room that should stay locked forever. Soon the strangers will learn a little too much about each other's secrets. Nelson, the vicious womaniser. Jonathan, the defrocked priest struggling with the anguish of his past sins. Susie, the beautiful Chinese girl desperate for a reason to live. Arthur, eaten away by thirst for vengeance, each night handcuffing himself to his bed for fear of what he might do. Finally Greta, who came here to write a suicide note which she couldn't finish and with whom Jay is secretly in love. There is hunger in all of them. Talk of hidden money whets a whole new and desperate menu of appetites. Soon everyone is eyeing one another with deep suspicion, only the darkest of which is founded in truth. Deception, paranoia, back stabbing and manipulation of circum-stances become the order of the day. The fractured lives of all the main characters become entangled in a hilarious and terrifying series of events, that escalate throughout the hotel towards an ultimate and brutally violent climax.