Projects in genres: Dance

Synopsis

Manchester, 1976: Cambridge educated Tony Wilson, a Granada TV Presenter, is at a Sex Pistols gig. Totally inspired by this pivotal moment in music history, he and his friends set up a record label, Factory Records, and proceed to sign a number of bands destined to be some of the most influential artists of their time. First, Joy Division, who go on to become New Order; then come the Happy Mondays.

What ensues is a tale of music, sex, drugs, larger-than-life characters, and the birth of one of the most famous dance clubs in the world, The Hacienda. Graphically depicting the music and dance heritage of Manchester from the late 70s to the early 90s, 24 Hour Party People documents the vibrancy that made Mad-chester the place to be.

Synopsis

Geena and Jay are star-crossed young lovers from opposite sides of the East London racial divide. Geena is second generation British Asian, born of a Gujurati family. Jay is small town, white and working class.

Fresh from leaving school in the West Country, 18 year old Jay joins his elder brother Darren in London, working alongside him in the East End clothing business. In between humping garments from sweat shop to market place, Jay sets his dreams to music on his guitar.

Geena is also through with school, and starts her business studies course in the autumn. Meanwhile she must earn her keep in the family firm, which imports material and sarees from India. Chafing against an over-protective home life and its strict ideas about a woman's place, Geena escapes as she always has; into Bollywood-tinged fantasies.

When Geena has her fortune told by a jyotish astrologer, she is shocked to be told she's in love. Surely not with the ambitious computer wizz, Dillip, whose BMW she sometimes shares? Or one of the clammy-handed conformists paraded by her parents at innumerable family functions as possible suitors? Then she bumps into Jay, and Cupid's dart pierces both their hearts. Once they have shared the first secretive 'karma-kiss', their worlds become inextricably tangled.

But true love never runs smoothly. Geena's brothers have ambitions for the family business, and are moving into the lucrative but illegal world of 'moodies' - fake designer garments. What's more, their skill and competitive pricing are putting their rivals out of business, most especially the firm of East End wide boys for whom Darren and Jay are working.

Synopsis

Developed from a collaboration between dancer Pete Shenton and film maker Laura Smith, Shaker is a tongue-in-cheek mix of dance and comedy, in which a man tries to capture the heart of a female choreographer, who's only wish is to disappear.

Synopsis

Will takes its subject from superstitions and the idea of 'reversal' or making the unknown safe. It uses stark images drawn from superstitions and performance by artist Caroline Locke.

Synopsis

Created by Jamie Hewlett (Tank Girl) and Damon Albarn (Blur). Gorillaz is a new animated band made up of Murdoc, 2D, Noodle and Russel.

Synopsis

Stephanie is a talented young singer frustrated by the lack of success she is experiencing with her Lo-Fi band and the mundane nature of everyday life. However, after a chance meeting with a publicist, Stephanie is given the opportunity to reinvent herself as a conventional solo pop star.

Initially Stephanie resists,however, when two members of her own band leave in order to join another, more successful group, Stephanie agrees to undergo the gruelling physical and musical transformation that her new record company believe will result in pop success.

Having allowed herself to be recreated in the image her record company believes will make her both physically and commercially attractive, Stephanie finds she is rapidly rewarded with a level of success she had once thought impossible. However, in doing so Stephanie is also forced to give up her free will, having effectively handed control of her life over to the record company who dictate every aspect of her world, from where she lives to whom she is seen out with. Confronted by her complete lack of control over the life she thought she wanted, Stephanie is forced to try and reconcile her new found success with her true persona.

Synopsis

A contemporary music-driven drama, tinged with magic and special effects, that takes you on a journey from innocence to adolescence. When Bebette's artistic and unconventional behaviour is interpreted as disruptive and anti-social, she is projected from the beauty and security of her dream world into a bleak and sometimes frightening reality. In an effort to escape the torment in her mind, she runs!

This is the first film written and directed by Janis Sharp and is full of optimism and charm, with an original soundtrack filled with mood and melody.

Synopsis

Maestro tells the story of a famous international concert violinist who no longer plays. Embittered and haunted by a guilty secret, he retires to a remote mountain village in Spain. He lives alone and is regarded by the villagers with a mixture of suspicion and disdain. The arrival on holiday of his housekeeper's beautiful daughter, Inma, upsets his quiet existence and re-awakens long buried emotions and old wounds.

In an electrifying final act, the theme of atonement and redemption is played out against the background of Easter Feria.

Beautifully photographed by Tom Ingle, the film was shot on location in Britain and Competa, Spain. The blazing Spanish sun, the towering beauty of the mountains, the apparent tranquillity of the little white villages of Spain, provide the backdrop and atmosphere for the cauldron of the characters' emotions.

Synopsis

Nobody Someday is a feature film about Robbie Williams. It was shot during his five week tour of Europe. Robbie had just given up alcohol and drugs and was trying to decide whether he wanted to continue being a popstar. Although he is the main attraction, the film also examines the circus that surrounds a modern celebrity.

Synopsis

'Let Love Be Your Energy' is Robbie Williams' new single release from his latest album Sing When You're Winning and is his first animated promo.

Synopsis

Veteran BBC Radio DJ John Peel takes his first visit to Derry and discovers for himself the band that forged his favourite pop song 'Teenage Kicks'.

The film, through the use of archive footage, including previously unseen material of Derry and The Undertones, takes us back to 1975. To a time when it would have been normal, even expected, for five Derry teenagers to get together and have a riot. The Undertones got together, formed a band and created their own form of riot, bursting into a vigorous and joyous celebration of their own existence. The band was made up of former choirboy and distinctively voiced lead singer Feargal Sharkey, the O'Neil brothers, John and Damian, played guitars. Michael Bradley joined in with bass and Billy Doherty beat the drums.

Peel takes us on a journey of discovery in which he expresses his amazement at the band's innocence, the completely artless way in which they resisted all hype and packaging. The Undertones would play to packed houses of adoring fans and then go home to Derry, to parents who waited up for them. Reared in a town where the most abhorred social disgrace was to get above yourself, they refused to take it seriously.

Synopsis

Kaleidoscopics brings together pornographic stills from the internet and bubbles at the edge of running water, putting both through the same digital processes. Eyes, faces and limbs surface and sink again in sequences of coloured tessellations, lead by a music soundtrack that overlays breathy sound with formal patterning.