£3m film project is ready to roll (From York Press)

£3m film project is ready to roll

9:24am Tuesday 7th February 2012 in Business news By Kate Liptrot, kate.liptrot@thepress.co.uk

AMBITIOUS plans to make a £3 million feature film based on the acclaimed novel The Knife That Killed Me will take shape in the next few weeks in a refurbished studio in a village near York.

Based on the book by Sherburn-in-Elmet’s Anthony McGowan, the film has been written and will be directed by Marcus Romer, artistic director of York-based Pilot Theatre, and Kit Monkman, creative director of KMA, also based in York, and one of the UK’s leading creative technology companies.

The film, which focuses on the tragic story of one boy’s spiral into knife crime and is backed by Universal Pictures, will be made at the former ARTTS International Film School in Bubwith.

Mr Romer said: “This is an amazing project and the ability to create this here in Yorkshire, with the job opportunities and implications for the cultural sector, are immense.”

The Knife That Killed Me will star up-and-coming young actors including Jack McMullen, Oliver Lee, Charles Mnene and Andrew Ellis, who played Gadget in This Is England. It is expected to take six weeks to film and is due for release in autumn 2012.

Green Screen Productions Ltd (GSPL) has taken over the studios in Bubwith to launch its new Northern film studios and first in-house production.

Following extensive renovation, the new studios include an infinity curve green screen studio, sound stages, a screening room, offices, prop stores, workshops, a 200-seat theatre, catering and accommodation.

The film will be shot entirely in the studio.

The project is employing the help of local people and businesses including seven paid positions for graduates from the University of York and employees from KMA, York -based digital media experts.

GSPL, which is working on the new film in association with the University of York, aims to become a major regional film and television studio with the capacity to finance, produce and distribute multiple films and television programmes for worldwide consumption.

Alan Latham, producer and managing director of GSPL, said: “Green Screen Productions and The Knife That Killed Me are unique and we hope they are the start of a thriving film production and post production business in York.”