Third Digital Departure About to Take Off

Northwest Vision and Media’s prestigious Digital Departures initiative, which was launched in Liverpool early last year, is about to see its third, and final, micro-budget feature film go into production.

The shoot marks a significant milestone for Vision and Media, which works on behalf of the region’s film, TV and digital content industries. Starstruck, which tells the story of two teenage girls from Liverpool, obsessed by celebrity and fame, is due to begin filming on April 13.

The three-week shoot is due to end on May 6, almost a year to the day since the deadline for Digital Departures submissions took place.

“Within twelve months we have processed over 500 initial inquiries, read more than 150 applications, interviewed 25 teams and developed six projects to script stage before selecting our final three projects.

"It’s been an incredibly quick turn-around, in feature film terms, and it’s full credit to the Digital Departures team, and all the filmmakers involved, that we’ve achieved so much in such a short space of time,” explains Lisa Marie Russo, Executive Producer of all three Digital Departures films.

Written by Leigh Campbell, produced by Andy Stebbing, co-produced by Steve Cheers and directed by Lindy Heymann, final preparations are now being made for the start of Starstruck production.

“The team have done an excellent job of identifying locations that represent both old and new Liverpool, and have created a special world that the lead characters, Nicole and Jasmine, define for themselves. Starstruck promises to be a unique piece of filmmaking and a real testament to Lindy’s modern vision as a director.”

Together with its partners, the Liverpool Culture Company and the UK Film Council, Vision and Media hopes to radically transform the feature film landscape of Liverpool, and the broader Northwest, by harnessing cutting-edge digital technology and micro-budget production methods in each of the three Digital Departures films.

The first of the films to go in to production, documentary Of Time And The City, is now approaching the end of its edit, and should be completed by May.

Of Time And The City is an abstract, visual poem concentrating on the first 28 years of British film director’s Terence Davies’ life. Terence was born and raised in Liverpool, leaving for London in 1973. Combining aural and archive clips, music and poetry, the documentary charts the re-birth of Liverpool, right up to present day.

Terence has been in the Northwest for several months, working on the documentary with producers, Sol Papadopoulos and Roy Boulter. “I’ve been having a wonderful time, absolutely wonderful!” he says. “The team we’ve got work together so well, Sol and Roy are terrific and we’ve captured some incredible work.”

Filming recently ended on the second Digital Departures film, Salvage, which has now begun its edit stage.

The horror film follows the physical and psychological journey of its central female character, a mother who is desperate to rescue her daughter and save her from the grip of an out-of-control savage.

It’s a raw and robust film project, written by Colin O’Donnell, directed by Lawrence Gough and produced by Julie Lau. The four-week shoot recently took place on the set of former soap, Brookside, in Liverpool, with post-production and editing also taking place in the city.

Each of the three Digital Departures were awarded funding of £250,000 to make their features, and are due to premiere in Liverpool during the 2008 Capital of Culture celebrations.