Flipping back and forth between the 18th century and the hapless efforts of the 21st century filmakers, Tristram Shandy is the making of a movie adapted from the notoriously unfilmable English literature masterpiece, The Life and Opinons of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, written by Laurence Sterne.
The story begins with Tristram Shandy (Steve Coogan) narrating his life story as he sees it. Crammed with literary jokes and dark humour, Shandy's warped childhood tales are constantly interrupted by his family and household, inadvertently revealing far more about himself than any conventional autobiography.
At the dramatic moment of Tristram's birth, the 1st Assistant Director calls cut, marking the end of a filming day on the set of Tristram Shandy. We then see Steve Coogan, the other actors and crew through the course of a chaotic evening on set. Steve Coogan's wife arrives with their six month old baby, a journalist is chasing him about a scandalous story, his agent has arrived with a load of Hollywood scripts and the film financiers are threatening to pull the plug.
A clever, post-modern take on the construction of a film, from an intricate, hilariously complex autobiographical novel.
Shipwrecked on the coast of Illyria, Viola finds herself in the midst of a fairytale. Shot entirely on location in the Greek islands, this jazz-age take on Shakespeare is a laugh-out-loud portrayal of romance at its most chaotic. It follows Viola’s strange and often hilarious encounters with the inhabitants of Illyria, and her struggle to survive in an unknown and bewildering country. An unrepentant dreamer, she finds happiness by retreating into her imagination – only to discover that, in Illyria, fantasy can turn into reality overnight. But if everyone’s dreams can change the world, then you’d better hope that no-one starts dreaming about you – especially not Illyria’s love-struck Countess, who’s hell-bent on getting her happy ending - A tribute to imagination, friendship, and imaginary friends, Twelfth Night’s laughter is tempered with a touch of melancholy, and another of wonder. ‘Just for once, you should believe the hype’ (BBC Radio). Dream on.
Christmas morning. The Tompkinson family’s peace is shattered by the arrival of narrow-minded Uncle Douglas. Michael and Sarah Tompkinson’s only solace is that Douglas’s wife Pat has proved to be an invaluable shoulder to cry on for their father Barry, and they appear to be growing closer by the day.
Future Legend has made several fictional films covering a range of genres. Always setting themselves high standards, their emphasis has been to produce high quality short films with a clear narrative, strong characters and wry humour.
In their latest production, ‘Up The Hill Backwards’, Future Legend has emulated what you might categorise as the classic European film style. The Director Richard Mann has followed his cinematic influences, such as Jacques Tati, Laurel & Hardy and the Ealing Comedies, to produce a highly stylised and distinctive film.
Set in a lively and energetic café ‘Up the Hill Backwards’ follows the mishaps of our hero, Charlie (played by Richard Mann). Charlie has just moved to town and is enjoying the active café culture when he catches the eye of Nadine (Beccy Killgariff). Stopping him in his tracks she hands Charlie her number with the intention of meeting for a date.
However, Nadine realises that Charlie isn’t all he is cracked up to be.
There’s nothing special about Pamela Plagely: her husband doesn’t understand her, her son is doing time for dealing skunk and her doctor wants to fill her up with chemicals.
But she’s not having any of it.
With a little cross-cultural communication Pamela discovers the remarkable medicinal properties of yam and begins to take an interest in promoting her own well-being.
But Pamlela’s alternative health choices attract unexpected attention. Events sweep her out of her predictable daily routine and into public view, where the media machine is waiting.
When Dan gets home from the Gym, there's no sign of his wife. The phone rings. An ominous voice tells him that if he wants to see his wife again, he will have to deliver £10,000 to the kidnapper within the hour. But for Dan, collecting the cash and making the ransom drop turn out not to be as straight forward as he might hope, in what turns out to be a slightly surreal black comedy.
Commissioned as part of the 2003 S4C Short Shorts strand, Griffilms' short, A Frog's Life, takes a humourous look at the life of a frog from birth to adulthood.
Based on the Oscar Wilde play entitled Lady Windermere's Fan, A Good Woman is a scandalous but comic drama set in New York and the Amalfi coast during the 1930s. Mrs Erlynne is an audacious and well known woman of a certain age with a reputation for entertaining wealthy, married men. Leaving her problems and unpaid bills in New York, she sets sail for the Amalfi Coast to pursue Meg and Robert Windermere, one of the most high profile couples in 1930s New York society. Once in Europe, she becomes embroiled in a family scandal which becomes an intriguing story of betrayal, and, ultimately, surprising loyalty.
My Mum's a Morris dancing vicar. Her Morris dancing friends are a diverse bunch, an opera singer, a long distance lorry driver and an engineer, united by this odd English tradition. By day they hold down responsible jobs, by night they dress in eccentric disguise and dance a strange jig.
