>> WHATS THE BUZZ?
BATMAN BECKONS
The follow up to the really rather good Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, is shaping up to be a blinding bat bonanza. Christian Bale reprises his caped crusader role alongside a cast that boasts the good, the great and the legendary, including Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Maggie Gyllenhaal. None other than Heath Ledger will be attempting to fill the shoes of Jack Nicholson with his take on The Joker – and if the rather freaky images circulating on the Internet are anything to go by, the role should rid the actor of his pretty boy image once and for all. It’s going to be dark, gritty and probably rather good. But here’s the downside – you’re going to have to wait until 2008.
SO YOU WANT TO BE A SCREENWRITER?
Well listen in. South West Screen is on a mission to find a feature- length screenplay with mainstream appeal from a screenwriter based in the good old South West of England. The lucky winner will not only bag £3,000 they will receive mentoring from the Oscar-
nominated screenwriter behind Gladiator and Shadowlands, William Nicholson – and quite possibly the chance to take the script to the next stage. The competition will be launched officially at the International Screenwriters’ Festival in Cheltenham on Thursday 5th July and the deadline is 12 noon on Thursday 16th August 2007. If you fancy your chances check out www.swscreen.co.uk
MIKE PULLS A MOONER
Things might have been fairly quiet on the Mike Myers’ front of late – apart from a star turn in box-office bonanza Shrek of course – but the comedy genius behind Wayne’s World and Austin Powers has more than one very exciting project in the pipeline. Myers is due to start filming comedy The Love Guru in August and it’s just been announced the actor is attached to forthcoming movie The Secret Life of Water Mitty. It also looks like long–gestating project See Me Feel Me: Keith Moon Naked for Your Pleasure will be going ahead, with Myers playing the legendary drummer and party animal of The Who. It could take a couple of years to hit your screens, so don’t hold your breath. As if that wasn’t enough, rumour has it that marvellous Myers is developing a fourth Austin Powers movie, which, according to the actor, will be told entirely from Dr Evil’s point of view. Brilliant. All I need to hear now is he’s planning Wayne’s World 3 and I’ll be one happy bunny.
CALL FOR ENTRIES
If you want your film to be screened at this year’s Cornwall Film Festival, take heed - the deadlines for entries is a-looming. The first deadline is 6pm on Tuesday 10th July, the second is 6pm on Tuesday 24th July – but bear in mind submissions on this date are subject to a £25 administration fee. As always, a member of the creative team (ie writer, director or producer) must be resident in Cornwall. The frenzy of film, networking, workshops and master classes takes place from 8th to 11th November at The Princess Pavilion in Falmouth. Check out www.
cornwallfilmfestival.com for details. Cornish film fans might also want to check out www.
midnightdrives.co.uk for news on the recently completed feature-length drama.
Beccy Matthews