salt. the filmmaker's essential ingredient - films library

Salt champions filmmakers who are intent on making commercial films in the UK. We started The Vipers Nest creative collective for commercially orientated first time filmmakers in October 2010 because we felt there wasn’t as much support for them as those who want to make the artier stuff. It was such a success, and fun to boot, we’ve decided to do it again.

The Vipers Nest 2

Of the original Vipers Nest line-up, two have made feature films screening at Sundance, Toronto, Sitges and London; one wrote a TV feature which had a European TV audience of over 12 million. Another was selected for 2011 Screen Stars of Tomorrow and is currently financing their first film with Altitude and US-based Occupant. One is developing a project with iFeatures. Two are attached to films set up at Metrodome and Salt, another has been directing a hit TV series airing on BBC One. One is developing TV projects with Salt and also has an app game in production. Additionally, three have created global ads for brands such as Yeo Valley, Timberland and the Home Office. There have been many shorts, music videos, virals and a handful of successful collaborations between them all, with more to be announced soon.

The Vipers Nest 2 opened for submissions in January and Salt were deluged with over 180 applications. Samantha has selected 22 directors, writer directors, writers and producers from backgrounds in TV, shorts, music videos, commercials and documentaries.

Meet The Vipers

It is an independent scheme. Salt takes no rights over anything which is created within the group. Salt just want to encourage serious commercial ambition, help make successful films with clear target audiences out of the UK, and support a swathe of exciting new talent find their feet and their voice.

Said Horley, “I was thrilled to bits to see the number and level of applicants we had this time around, meaning The Vipers Nest is seen as a real opportunity to advance a film career in the UK. I’m so excited to put 22 talented and diverse Vipers together, not just for mutual support and inspiration, but to see some magic happen”.

What The Vipers Have to Say About The Vipers Nest

“I came to Vipers when I knew no-one in the industry, having just arrived on the scene with Grabbers [script]. So aside from learning a shit ton about a ton of shit, I’m really grateful for the friends Vipers has given me. I’ll always consider myself part of the group and am proud to have been a part of it for the last two years.” Kevin Lehane

“Because of Vipers I have had a really productive week (well month or 2 really) of helping other Vipers and their helping me. I even made an impromptu visit to Bob’s office yesterday when I needed to send an urgent lawyery email that my iPhone couldn’t format properly. I feel supported and loved.” Susie Watson

“Crucially, I have come to understand the importance of knowing your audience before pouring energy into a project. It’s been nothing short of a privilege to be part of The Nest.” Jonathan Hopkins

“Vipers has become a place of refuge, with like minded people. It’s an exciting place to develop both as an individual and as a Producer, and to develop projects and collaborate. On the other side of things it’s a great friendship group, a place where you can call on your peers for a drink and a chin wag.” Rachel Dargavel

“I can genuinely say that sharing experience, set-backs and achievements with fellow Vipers has been invaluable to me. A source of much needed solidarity, motivation and inspiration. I am currently developing a project with a fellow first generation Viper and I haven’t felt this excited about writing in years.”

“First rule of Vipers Nest… You don’t talk about Vipers Nest.” Corin Hardy

Universal City Studios Productions LLP have acquired Welcome to the Jungle for all remaining territories including the US, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Scandinavia, Benelux and South Africa. The deal has been negotiated by Robert Aaronson and Samantha Horley and the film is due for a summer release. Shot in Puerto Rico, directed by Rob Meltzer and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Adam Brody, it premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival where it won the award for outstanding achievement in filmmaking (ensemble cast).

Producers are Justin Kanew and Luillo Ruiz for Pimienta, Puerto Rico based sister production company of The Salt Company who secured financing and are handling international sales, where the film has already enjoyed significant success. Written by Jeff Kauffmann and also starring Rob Huebel, Kristen Schaal, Megan Boone and Dennis Haysbert.

Adam Brody plays Chris, an ex-boy scout who is a weakling in his workplace and regularly bullied by Phil (Huebel). When the whole office is sent on a wilderness retreat in an excruciating team building exercise headed up by unhinged ex Marine “Storm” (Van Damme), Storm is promptly attacked by a tiger, Phil assumes leadership, and chaos quickly follows. It’s up to Chris to man up and release his inner beast… or they may be stuck there forever.

Director Rob Meltzer is a comedy commercial director who has collaborated with actors such as Larry David and Neil Patrick Harris and brands such as Virgin America, Expedia.com and Yamaha Motors.

Producer Justin Kanew is an independent producer who has recently been running Production and Development at National Lampoon. Film credits include National Lampoon’s The Legend of Awesomest Maximus starring Will Sasso and National Lampoon’s Adam and Eve starring Emmanuelle Chriqui.

Producer Luillo Ruiz is a former commercial producer having made over 200 commercials with brands including Pepsi, Budweiser, and Verizon. Film credits include The Caller starring Stephen Moyer and Rachelle Lefevre and Maldeamores (Lovesickness) which became the most successful local film in history in Puerto Rico.

Co-producers are Alan Duncan Ross and Charley Cabrera. Associate Producers are Belly Torres, James Norrie and Mark Cartier. Executive producers are Stephen Hays and Peter Graham of 120db Films; and Robert Bevan, Samantha Horley and Cyril Mégret of The Salt Company.

Salt will launch sales on Metrodome’s Meet the Monsters in Cannes.

Gabe Turner’s thriller, which he also wrote, is set among the clans and firms of South East London. It centres on a devoted husband and father Mitch who puts his gang back together after his old friend and mentor is beaten up and left to die.

The film is the second from the Metrodome slate, following Rook Films’ Whitaker which is also being sold by Salt.

Meet the Monsters is produced by Leo Pearlman of Fulwell 73 and Cass Pennant of Urban Bridge Films. It will be executive produced for Metrodome Distribution by Jezz Vernon.

Cast is to be announced.

Fulwell is currently producing the One Direction 3D film This is Us.

Salt’s office comedy Welcome to the Jungle, premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival where it won the award for Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking (Ensemble Cast). Congratulations to JCVD, Adam Brody, Rob Huebel, Kristen Schaal, Dennis Haysbert, Megan Boone and the rest of the cast!

An early 2014 start date has been set in Puerto Rico for crime thriller, The Geography of Hope, with Ethan Hawke, Ed Harris, Vera Farmiga and Emmanuelle Devos attached to star in the Neil LaBute written script that he will also direct.

The pic is set in the 1970’s and takes place at a Baja resort where two small time crooks (Ethan Hawke and Ed Harris) are keeping a low profile after a heist gone wrong. When they meet two women vacationing together (Vera Farmiga and Emmanuelle Devos), sparks fly romantically but tension builds when a large amount of cash is found in their room. This discovery sets in motion a catastrophic series of events that pits man against woman and friend against friend, until we reach a nail biting and bloody conclusion.

The Geography of Hope will be produced by Stefan Nowicki and Joey Carey of Sundial Pictures, Trace Sheehan of Boomdozer Inc and Tim Harms. Susan Wrubel is exec producing and The Salt Company is handling international sales with Salt’s sister production company Pimienta providing production services in Puerto Rico, doubling for Mexico.

From LaBute, “ The Geography of Hope will be a film filled with vivid images and poetic violence. It’s about men and women – a subject that I know and love – and about goodness and badness running into each other head on. This is a film I’ve been waiting my whole life to make.”

Stars Jean-Claude Van Damme and Adam Brody will be in attendance at the world premiere of Salt’s office comedy Welcome to the Jungle at the Newport Beach Film Festival on 27 April. Let the good times roll.

Salt is delighted to welcome the new addition to its family, Underscore. The company offers a cohesive ‘one-stop’ approach to the process of creating music for all forms of visual media including film, TV, commercials and games. You can check out the website here.

Today’s audiences, reared on rock, techno and everything in between are looking for more contemporary aural accompaniments and we believe that the collaborative process between musicians is a truly dynamic platform for creating great music for the big and small screen.

By combining their technical skills of setting music to picture, with an ability to harness the talents of collaborators, with a range of musical styles and influences, Underscore can bring a fresh and highly creative dynamic to the process of composition.

They have assembled a number of very talented musicians, who are credible contemporary recording artists in their own right, to be part of the Underscore collective. They can be called upon to get involved with projects as appropriate.

Having their own 3,000 sq ft recording studio also helps ensure that everything possible is done to support the process of creating and delivering great music.

We will keep you posted on all Underscore developments.

Ken Duken and James Norton have joined Kon-Tiki actor Tobias Santelmann in action-adventure Northmen – a Viking Saga.

Duken (Inglourious Basterds, Distanz), Norton (Rush, Belle) and Santelmann form part of a band of Viking marauders shipwrecked off the coast of Scotland.

More cast annoucements to follow.

Salt is delighted to announce that it will bring two new titles to EFM 2013: action film Montana and horror Whitaker.

Directed by Mo Ali, Montana stars The Killing’s Lars Mikkelsen, BAFTA Rising Star winner Adam Deacon, rapper turned actor Ashley Walters and newcomer Mckell David. Production is due to get underway in London in mid-February.

Mikkelsen will play a steely eastern European hitman who arrives in London to avenge the death of his family but is held up after stumbling on a 14 year-old boy (played by David), himself on the run from drug lords trying to kill him.

Produced by Mark Foligno and Gareth Maxwell Roberts of Molifilms. Writers are Peter Lowe and Jeremy Sheldon.

Also new on Salt’s slate is horror Whitaker, executive-produced by Ben Wheatley and produced by Wheatley regular Andrew Starke of Rook Films.

Commercials and shorts director Jim Hosking makes his feature debut on the story of a maverick scientist who discovers a way to swap bodies with unwitting victims leading to terrifying consequences.

Currently out to cast for a summer shoot, the film is the second on UK distributor-producer Metrodome’s genre slate.

Red Bull Media House, Pure Grass Films and The Salt Company today announced the director of upcoming action heist film, Twist, Frédéric Jardin.

Jardin shot to prominence with Sleepless Nights and is currently directing the Canal+’ International Emmy Award winning action series Braquo. Production is set to begin on Twist later this year.

Twist tells the story of a young grafitti artist who is lured into a street gang who use Parkour to commit a series of audacious art thefts. With a unique combination of action sports and street culture, Twist will be Red Bull Media House’s first fully scripted feature film – and promises some of the most thrilling Parkour, BMX and BASE jumping sequences ever caught on camera.

German-Norwegian actor Tobias Santelmann, who stars in the Oscar-nominated Kon-Tiki, is set to topline Northmen – A Viking Saga.

Santelmann will play the leader of a band of Vikings stranded behind enemy lines on the coast of Alba (as ancient Scotland was known), and pursued by fierce mercenaries until the Norsemen turn the tables on their enemy and the hunters become the hunted.

“After seeing Kon-Tiki it was clear for me that only Tobias could give a powerful lead to our Viking tale,” said Ralph Dietrich, CEO of Zurich-based Ascot Elite Entertainment Group. “He reminds me of Kirk Douglas in the legendary film The Vikings.’”

Claudio Faeh is directing the adventure film from a screenplay by Mattias Bauer and Bastian Zach. Ascot Elite’s Elite Film Produktion is producing.

Dietrich, Karin G. Dietrich and Elite Film’s Daniel Hoeltschi are co-producing with Frank Kaminski, Ulrich Stiehm, Marco Del Bianco and Rolf Wappenschmitt, along with Hanover-based Jumping Horse Film. Northmen will be shot in English with principal photography set to start in September in Bulgaria.

Salt is handling international sales with eOne distributing in the U.K., France, Scandinavia, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Ascot Elite will release Northmen theatrically in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in 2014.

Grabbers has been nominated for 4 Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) awards. Kevin Lehane is nominated for Script, Ruth Bradley for Best Actress, Bronagh Gallagher for Best Supporting Actress and they’re also up for Best Film. Congratulations all!

A mobile game based on Irish horror-comedy Grabbers is set for release on Android on December 17th and iOS by December 30th, Iglu Media and BillyGoat Entertainment have announced. The game’s launch is set to accompany that of the film in the UK: after appearing at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, Grabbers will début publicly on DVD and Blu-ray on December 31st.

The game is set in Erin Island’s lone pub and sees players play as one of the three main characters from the film – Lisa, Ciáran, and Adam – and kill as many grabbers as possible in sixty seconds. Iglu and BillyGoat are both based in Belfast and built the game using Unity in only seven weeks, with the assistance of the film’s producers in providing digital assets.

You can check out the trailer for the game and find more information on the game’s website here.

Our friends at straight 8 are attempting to make the first straight 8 feature film, working with an adaptation of a known story of 30 chapters with 30 x brilliant past straight8ers (not all selected yet) taking a cartridge each to make a feature length film together. the idea is for the feature film to become an annual or bi-annual event, each time selecting directors from the growing pool of past straight8ers succeeding in the competition and salt is delighted to be partnering with the team on this new project.

In other exciting news, Widebeam Digital and straight 8 are partnering to make the world’s first in-camera-edited movie-making app. They are creating a high-end video app to appeal to cinephiles and the app community at large. Professional, amateur and first-time filmmakers will be brought together as a community of people making and sharing films in this unique way. Using the ‘everyman’ cameras of today – the iPhone/iPad/iPod – the straight 8 app enables the discipline of starting and finishing a short film without the opportunity for editing or post-production! To find out more about it click here.

Just released is the new German trailer for Grabbers which has been picked up by our friends at bloody disgusting. Check it out here.

German independent Tiberius Film has added Huck Botko’s raunchy indie comedy Johnson to its slate.

Speaking about the deal for Johnson, Tiberius Film’s managing partner Wolfgang Carl pointed out that this was his company’s first acquisition from the London-based sales company Salt “and their movie Johnson has huge potential, a great cast, and a highly contemporary topic.”

Johnson began shooting in Chicago from mid-October and features Twilight star Cam Gigandet as a charismatic womanizer who receives his comeuppance when his penis mysteriously leaves his body and takes on human form (as played by comedian Nick Thune).

In a pre-emptive bid, Entertainment One has swooped in on Ascot Elite’s action film Northmen – A Viking Saga directed by Claudio Faeh, acquiring the UK and Ireland, France, Australia and New Zealand, Scandinavia and South Africa from The Salt Company. Producers are Ralph Dietrich, Karin Dietrich and Daniel Höltschi.

The project was generated by Ralph Dietrich of Ascot Elite Entertainment Group, one of the leading distributors in Germany and Switzerland.

“There just aren’t a lot of quality action films at this level out there,” says Dietrich. “So with our years of experience in acquisition and distribution, we were able to assemble the best team, came up with a great script, and are currently formalising some exciting creative elements. In short, we finally stopped discussing it and are getting down to the business of making it. We are delighted that Entertainment One wanted to join in the fun.”

The Salt Company boarded the project over the summer.

Salt’s James Norrie, “With Northmen we felt we had finally found a Viking movie the industry would crave. Bloody and visceral entertainment, but with great characters and a touch of class. Entertainment One’s aggressive multi territory pick up shows us that this is the case and we are thrilled to be in business with them again.”

Northmen – A Viking Saga is an action chase movie. A gang of Viking marauders, off to plunder Lindisfarne of its gold, are shipwrecked off the coast of Scotland. The survivors cut a bloody swath as they are pursued relentlessly by the King of Scotland’s mercenaries (longer synopsis below).

Director is Claudio Faeh (Sniper Reloaded, Hollow Man 2), Director of Photography is Lorenzo Senatore (The Fourth Kind; steadicam: Expendables 2, The Way Back and 300, Rise of the Empire) and Line Producer is Gabriel Georgiev (Expendables 2, Conan the Barbarian).

The film will shoot in Bulgaria in 2013 and is a Bulgarian/German co-production in the English language.

Cast to be announced shortly.

Metrodome Group plc is expanding its production output with a slate of films through its subsidiary company Cinedome. Five projects are currently at various stages of development and production. Metrodome Distribution will executive produce the slate and handle theatrical and H.E. rights in the UK; international sales will be handled by The Salt Company who will be involved from the early stages of each production. Metrodome will co-produce between 4-5 features a year from 2013 onwards.

The Borderlands, the first feature from the slate, is in post- production with Salt commencing sales at AFM, it’ll be theatrically released in the UK in mid 2013. An innovative horror feature, it was produced for Cinedome by Jennifer Handorf and stars regular Ben Wheatley collaborator Robin Hill. The script was written by director Elliot Goldner with input from Dr Who and Severance scribe James Moran.

The Borderlands tells the story of a team of Vatican investigators sent to the British West Country to investigate reports of sinister events at a remote church. Salt are playing early footage at AFM

The slate will focus on elevated genre theatrically released films with some of the UK’s most exciting new writing and directing talent working alongside established British producers. Full or part funding for projects will be provided through a relationship with an EIS fund.

Projects scheduled for production in 2013 include:

Slayer – a supernatural action thriller based in Roman Britain, produced by Black Camel and directed by Sam Walker.

Whitaker – a contemporary take on Frankenstein, produced by Rook Films and directed by Jim Hosking.

The Monsters – a thriller set against the back drop of football hooliganism, produced by Leo Pearlman’s Fulwell 73 and co-developed with Cass Pennant.

Fallen Eagle – an SAS siege drama, produced by Gaia Media and directed by Adam Randall

Sam Walker and Adam Randall both hail from The Vipers Nest, the creative collective for commercial, first-time British and Irish filmmakers launched by Salt in 2010.

Further production announcements and appointments will follow in the New Year.

Twilight thesp Cam Gigandet and comedian Nick Thune are set to star in the raunchy indie comedy Johnson which is a co-production between 2DS Prods. and Roman’s Empire. Huck Botko (The Virginity Hit) is directing from a script by Jeff Tetreault.

Gigandet will play Rich Johnson, a charismatic womanizer who receives his comeuppance after his penis mysteriously leaves his body and takes human form (Thune). Stripped of his manhood and pitted against his alter ego, protag must find a way to get his johnson back while learning how to be a better man in the process.

Reid Brody and Bill Ryan will produce for 2DS Prods., while Danny Roman will produce for Roman’s Empire. The Salt Company is handling international sales for the pic, which is skedded to start production Oct. 10 in Chicago.

2DS Prods. (Nothing Like the Holidays) is a production and financing company run by Ryan and Brody, who also runs the post-production outfit Filmworkers Club. Prior to joining 2DS, Ryan worked with writer-producer John Hughes.

Before forming Roman’s Empire, Roman worked at Scott Rudin Prods., Mace Neufeld Prods. and Industry Entertainment.

Gigandet recently wrapped Catherine Hardwicke’s thriller Plush and will soon be seen in John Stockwell’s Seal Team Six which will premiere Nov. 4 on the National Geographic Channel after being acquired by The Weinstein Company.

Thune, who has appeared numerous times on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno has had minor roles in Judd Apatow’s Knocked Up, Mike Judge’s Extract and Paul Feig’s Unaccompanied Minors. Thesp is set to co-write and co-exec produce an untitled multi-camera project about hipsters for NBC and Jimmy Fallon’s Holiday Road banner.

Miss You Already director Paul Andrew Williams’ Song for Marion will close the 37th Toronto International Film Festival at Roy Thomson Hall. The film, about a grumpy and lonely 72-year-old man who joins an unconventional choir to learn about life, stars Terence Stamp, Vanessa Redgrave and Gemma Arterton. The Weinstein Company already snapped up the U.S. rights to Williams’ comedic drama as it bets the Toronto launch will lift the film to Oscar hopeful heights reached by previous British fare like The Full Monty and Shakespeare in Love.

Check out the trailer for the Irish release of Grabbers here. Spooky!

Grabbers had its UK premiere at the Edinburgh Film Festival this weekend to a rapturous reception including a prolonged standing ovation. Congratulations to all! Have a read of some of the great reviews from the likes of The Telegraph and Forbidden Planet.

Pure Grass Films and The Salt Company today announced a partnership on action movie Twist with leading producer Red Bull Media House – a global media company based in Austria that produces and distributes compelling sports, culture and lifestyle programming across multiple platforms.

Twist is an action packed 3D retelling of Oliver Twist set in the present day, where Fagin’s gang use Parkour to commit a series of audacious art thefts. Developed by Pure Grass Films and The Salt Company, from an original idea by The Brothers Lynch and Simon Thomas, Twist will be shot in the UK and in Continental Europe.

Pure Grass Films, CEO, Ben Grass comments “We are delighted to announce this strategic partnership with the Red Bull Media House on Twist. The global media company brings world class action expertise and resources, and the marketing capability to raise global awareness of the film. Their contribution validates our goal at Pure Grass to create exciting entertainment properties that we can bring to international audiences in partnership with leading brands.”

The Salt Company, MD, Samantha Horley comments “Red Bull Media House has brought a huge surge of energy to Twist. We are really excited to be taking the film, and the way films are made, to the next level together.”

Red Bull Media House recently appointed Head of Cinema, Sophokles Tasioulis, remarks “ Twist tells a unique story and will deliver fascinating content as it combines a classic tale of extreme sports with an individual and joyful way of life. Finding a way to build this into an engaging, breathtaking 3D cinematic experience is something that compels us. Innovative ideas like Twist fascinates us and we are keen to drive it further.”

Twist will be produced by Sophokles Tasioulis for the Red Bull Media House, Ben Grass for Pure Grass Films and Piers Tempest for Salt. In addition to the feature film, Twist will also include a variety of multi-platform elements such as an online prequel, and apps and games. Twist will start pre-production in January 2013.

Pure Grass Films and The Salt Company were advised by Film Tree and represented by Guy Sheppard at Wiggin. The Red Bull Media House were represented by Stefan Luetje and Henrik Armah at Olswang.

Christophe Charlier and John Forte’s Le Castle Film Works will receive a Co-producer credit on Twist.

We are delighted to announce that our very own Afolabi (Afo) Kuti has been selected as one of Screen International’s “Future leaders in sales and acquisitions”. Afo, Salt’s acquisitions manager, joined the company in 2011. Read the full feature here.

Salt is delighted to support Straight 8’s “crème de la cannes” premiere (7-9pm, monday 21 may at the uk film centre). The event, which marks the tenth anniversary of Straight 8’s presence in Cannes, will feature a screening of the best entries of this year’s crop. Straight 8, which challenges filmmakers to make a short turnaround, no budget, three minute film on a single cartridge of super 8 without editing, first launched in the UK in 1999. Close to 1,000 straight 8’s have been made now. You can find out more here.

Our partners and producers on Dolphin: A 3D Adventure are profiled in Screen International. Amberjack was set up by producer Alix Tidmarsh and director Andy Byatt to make “films that have something to say, that can make a difference.” Read the full profile here.

Dolphin producer Alix Tidmarsh is riding high on the success of DisneyNature’s Chimpanzee which has grossed just shy of $20 million after two weeks of release in the US. This makes it DisneyNature’s most successful theatrical release since Earth (also produced by Alix). Separately, another of Alix’s films for DisneyNature, African Cats is closing in on $6 million at the box office in France and was launched in the UK last week in a royal performance attended by the duke and duchess of cambridge.

Salt is delighted to announce that the Puerto Rican short film Mi Santa Mirada, directed by Álvaro Aponte and produced by The Pimienta Film Co., was selected from among 4,500 films to compete in the 2012 Short Film Palme d’Or alongside nine other shorts from around the world. Mi Santa Mirada is the first Puerto Rican short film to compete for the prestigious prize. Producer Luillo Ruiz commented, “We are extremely proud of the new generation of Puerto Rican directors such as Álvaro. Mi Santa Mirada is an important piece of Puerto Rican cinema, a neo-realist vision of contemporary Puerto Rico that portrays all our complexities as a nation.” Way to go papis!

India-based Trigno Media, co-founded by Sajjad Chunawala and Shariq Patel, has acquired the rights to develop cross-cultural comedy The Infidel in Hindi; the film’s original producers Uzma Hasan, Arvind David and writer-producer David Baddiel will executive produce the remake.

The 2010 UK box office hit starred Omid Djalili as a Muslim family man who discovers he’s adopted and Jewish. Richard Schiff (West Wing), Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife) and Matt Lucas (Little Britain) also starred in the film. The Infidel has been released in over 22 territories globally to critical and commercial acclaim.

The remake will focus on India’s two main religions: Hinduism and Islam.

Sajjad Chunawala, Director of Trigno Media said, “People are terrified about race and religious issues, especially issues surrounding Muslims and Hindus, and when people are terrified, what they really should do is laugh. The Infidel is a hilarious story of a man caught between his religion and his conscience and is a story that has immense relevance to India and is a fantastic and important film that is waiting to be made.”

Negotiations were handled by Uzma Hasan and India specialist lawyers Lee and Thompson. Commenting on the announcement, Uzma remarked, “It’s been incredible to watch The Infidel resonate with audiences across the globe; I’m excited to see it reinterpreted in one of world’s most richly diverse nations.”

Casting of the film is in process and an announcement with regards to the same is likely to be made soon.

ifc Midnight has acquired North and Latin American rights to director Jon Wright’s sci-fi comedy Grabbers. The film had its world premiere in the Park City at Midnight section of the Sundance Film Festival in January. IFC plans a release later this year.

Richard Coyle, Ruth Bradley, Russell Tovey, Lalor Roddy, David Pearse and Bronagh Gallagher star in the story of a sleepy Irish fishing village whose only defense against an attack by bloodsucking sea aliens is becoming very drunk. Kevin Lehane wrote the script.

Tracy Brimm and Kate Myers of Forward Films produced along with Martina Niland of Samson Films, Eduardo Levy and James Martin of High Treason Productions and Piers Tempest of The Salt Company.

“ Grabbers is a great time at the movies and an ingenious update of the classic monster movie,” said Sundance Selects/IFC Films president Jonathan Sehring.

Sundance Selects/IFC Films exec Arianna Bocco negotiated the deal with Samantha Horley of The Salt Company and Jay Cohen of Gersh on behalf of the filmmakers.

The Salt Company has closed a number of deals on thriller Cleanskin starring Sean Bean, Charlotte Rampling, James Fox and Tuppence Middleton, including a deal with Warner Bros for UK and Australia in a deal negotiated with Salt’s head of international James Norrie.

Other territories sold include North America, France, Germany, Scandinavia and South Africa (Entertainment One); Spain, Portugal, CIS, Turkey and Eastern Europe (SPI); Benelux (Splendid); Greece (Tanweer); Middle East (Front Row); South Korea and pan-Asia TV rights (MediAsia); China (HGC Entertainment); India (Pictureworks) and Singapore (Cathay Keris).

Hadi Hajaig writes, directs and produces the thriller about a secret service agent working undercover in London’s criminal underbelly. Warner will release in the UK on March 9.

James Norrie said “Hadi has done an incredible job of delivering a multiplex thriller on a fraction of the usual budget. With Warner Bros we have found a perfect partner who recognise Cleanskin‘s full commercial potential.”

Hadi Hajaig said “Salt have been a fantastic sales partner for Cleanskin, for them to negotiate the UK theatrical deal with Warners was a dream come true for me, To also have Entertainment One pick up multiple territories demonstrates Salt’s skill in the marketplace and the commercial nature of the film.”

Jennifer Aniston is attached to star in Paul Andrew Williams’ Miss You Already, a comedy drama about two lifelong friends living in London, whose cosy friendship is shredded when one falls pregnant and the other falls sick. Written by Morwenna Banks and Williams, the film will be produced by Christopher Simon and Felix Vossen of Embargo Films. The Salt Company, who are executive producing and packaging, are handling international sales. Film will shoot in London Summer 2012. Entertainment One has acquired UK, Australian and Canadian rights.

Director Williams (London to Brighton, Cherry Tree Lane) is currently in post-production on Song For Marion, which stars Vanessa Redgrave, Terence Stamp and Gemma Arterton, and has been acquired by The Weinstein Company for US release later this year.

Miss You Already is co-written by Williams and British writer/actor Banks. Well-known in the UK for acting in TV shows such as Saxondale, Skins and Shameless, Banks started making her name as a drama and feature writer after her award-winning independent film The Announcement. She has written scripts for Intermedia, Mirage and Showtime and is currently developing a film for the BFI and producer Damian Jones (The Iron Lady).

Producers Christopher Simon and Felix Vossen’s credits for Embargo Films include Barnaby Southcombe’s I, Anna, starring Charlotte Rampling and Gabriel Byrne, which premieres at The Berlin Film Festival; and in post-production are Nick Love’s The Sweeney with Ray Winstone and Pusher, the British remake of the Danish cult hit by Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive), which was picked up by The Weinstein Company’s new Radius-label for US distribution.

The project has been co-developed by sales and financing entity The Salt Company and production house Embargo. Executive producers are Robert Bevan, Samantha Horley, James Norrie and Cyril Mégret for Salt, Barnaby Southcombe for Embargo and Kristin Hahn.

Entertainment One, which is handling sales on Williams’ Song For Marion and will also be that film’s distributor in the UK, Canada and Australia, closed in on Miss You Already in a pre-emptive bid. The deal was negotiated by James Norrie from Salt and Jo Sweby at Entertainment One.

Entertainment One’s Patrice Theroux, President, Filmed Entertainment, said, “Entertainment One is very pleased to be working with the talented Paul Andrew Williams again and thrilled to have acquired multi-territory rights for the film. We were immediately drawn to this touching and funny script and we are thrilled that Jennifer Aniston is attached to the lead role.”

Aniston is repped by Brillstein Entertainment Partners and CAA, who also represent Williams and Banks, and are helping to package Miss You Already and co-represent the film’s domestic rights.

As announced in Variety, Salt has secured a raft of pre-sales on Adam Brody and Jean-Claude Van Damme starrer Welcome to the Jungle.

Pic, which is currently lensing in Puerto Rico, has sold to Entertainment One for Canada, Ascot Elite for German-speaking Europe, Transmission for Oz and New Zealand and Pasatiempo for Latin America. Other international sales include Greece (Tanweer), Turkey (SPI), Eastern Europe (Freeman), CIS (Super Music), China (HGC), India (Pictureworks), Indonesia (PT Amero) and Middle East (Front Row).

Justin Kanew and Luillo Ruiz for Pimienta, Salt’s Puerto Rico based sister production company, produce the pic while Jeff Kauffmann pens the script. Executive producers are Stephen Hays and Peter Graham for 120db Films; and Robert Bevan, Samantha Horley and Cyril Mégret for Salt.

The Salt Company secured financing and is handling international sales on the pic.

Read the full article here.

Click here to check out the UK trailer for Cleanskin which was recently launched by warner bros. ahead of the film’s theatrical release on 9 march 2012.

Jon Wright’s Grabbers screened last night as part of Sundance’s Midnight Section to a thunderous reception. Congratulations to the whole cast and crew.

Parkour advisor Sébastien Foucan and Director Matthew Parkhill discuss Twist, parkour and their open auditions which were held on Saturday 3rd December on the BBC’s flagship BBC Breakfast programme. Check it out here.

Sundance Institute announced today that Jon Wright’s Grabbers will screen in the 2012 Sundance Film Festival Park City at Midnight section (read announcement here). Grabbers is being released next year by Sony in the UK with other pre-sales to date in Germany (Ascot Elite) and Scandinavia (Mis. Label) amongst others.

As announced on the first day of the AFM, Salt has closed a number of pre-sales on Twist, the Parkour-based update of Dickens’ classic Oliver Twist. Wild Bunch has taken rights for German speaking Europe, Luxor for CIS, Front Row for Middle East, Best Film for China, and Panorama for Hong Kong. Mathew Parkhill (The Caller) will direct the London-set action adventure, currently out to casting, with freerunning founder Sébastien Foucan on board as an adviser.

Salt has also newly boarded $7.5m-budgeted Australian sci-fi Skylab, a monster vs astronauts thriller set on board a NASA space station, with Splendid snapping up rights for German speaking Europe as well as Benelux. Rupert Glasson (Coffin Rock) writes and directs, producers are David Lightfoot (Wolf Creek) and James Vernon (The Eye Of The Storm). The Australia shoot is set for early 2012.

Also on the Salt slate is UK comedy-horror Grabbers, currently in post-production, and completed titles Cleanskin, starring Sean Bean, and newly edited Dirty Girl with Juno Temple, Milla Jovovich and William H Macy.

Salt is delighted to come into AFM 2011 with a soundly commercial line-up with aliens (Skylab), monsters (Grabbers), 3D Parkour (Twist) and a gun-toting Sean Bean (Cleanskin). Read all about it in the latest edition of Salt’s magazine, available here.

paddy considine’s multi-award winning tyrannosaur is released in the uk today, featuring the song we were wasted from The leisure society, signed to salt’s sister company full time hobby (check out the trailer here). Frontman nick hemming was part of indie band She Talks To Angels which included Considine, film director Shane Meadows and bassist Richard Eaton. Hemming wrote and performed music for the films A Room for Romeo Brass and Dead Man’s Shoes.

the vipers nest is delighted to welcome three new members, in the shape of writer/performer David Reed, writer John Pape and writer/actor Chris Boyle.

The Weinstein Company have launched the website for dirty girl, including new artwork, which you can check out here. Director Abe Sylvia has been working tirelessly to reshape the Juno Temple starring film into a 90-minute version “to broaden its appeal” down from the original running time of 109 minutes and salt look forward to screening the finished film in due course. dirty girl is now due for release in the us on 7 october 2011.

Salt congratulates vipers nest member, Director Corin Hardy on being selected as one of the stars of tomorrow 2011 by Screen International. You can find out more about Corin here.

Salt is delighted to announce that Abe Sylvia’s Dirty Girl won the HBO Audience Award Best Narrative Feature at the closing ceremony of the 2011 Provincetown International Film Festival. The film is scheduled for release in the US in August 2011 through The Weinstein Co.

Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad’s “Mclovin”) is the office loser in Salt’s new comedy Welcome to the Jungle which the company is introducing to buyers in Cannes. In the vein of workplace comedies like Employee of the Month and Waiting, and male buddy movies such as Role Models and Without a Paddle. throw in the warm wit and abject silliness of Apatow and Welcome to the Jungle is a rare beast in today’s market: a comedy which delivers on the laughs – both the high and the low brow.

Salt have been engaged to co-finance, market and sell Amberjack Films’ Dolphin: A 3D Adventure which they will be introducing to distributors and financiers in Cannes.

Principals behind Amberjack are wildlife Director/Producer Andy Byatt (BBC’s Deep Blue, Planet Earth) and Producer Alix Tidmarsh (DisneyNature’s African Cats, Wings of Life, Chimpanzee; BBC’s Deep Blue, Earth).

Salt has recently completed a raft of sales on audience favourite The People vs George Lucas which went to Wrekin Hill Entertainment for all English-language speaking rights, Initiative Cinema One (a division of BAC Films) for France and Fine Films for Japan. This is in addition to deals previously announced including with Germany’s Capelight Pictures.

Pimienta’s Luillo Ruiz led an industry group which pushed through new legislation introducing a 20% tax credit on all on-screen talent. This is in addition to the 40% credit on local spend which has also been renewed. Luillo and his team are confident that this will ensure Puerto Rico’s continued popularity as a location for worldwide productions in the face of increased competition. Find out more about Pimienta here.

Paramount Pictures is releasing salt’s music comedy Killing Bono wide in the UK on Friday 1 April. You can check out the official website here on the film which critics are calling “an extremely enjoyable, very well performed romp”.

Salt’s Samantha Horley is featured in the second edition of the iPad only Project Magazine set up by Richard Branson

Shocktillyoudrop.com today revealed the first images on upcoming comedy, horror Grabbers. You can read the full article, including an interview with the director Jon Wirght, and see the images here.

Full text below.

salt has struck a deal with Ascot Elite to aquire Grabbers for all German language rights.

Grabbers starring Richard Coyle and Russell Tovey, centers on an idyllic Irish fishing village that is invaded by enormous tentacled creatures from the sea, which begin picking off villagers one at a time. The inhabitants soon discover that getting drunk is the only way to survive since the monsters don’t like alcohol.

Grabbers is written by Viper Kevin Lehane and directed by Jon Wright.

read the full article in variety here

Omid Djalili’s performance in The Infidel has been honoured with a nomination for a London Evening Standard British Film award in the category for the ‘Peter Sellers Award for Comedy’.

The full list of nominations can be found here.

The new poster for the eagerly anticipated music comedy Killing Bono is unveiled for the first time today on Empire. To view click here .

Principal photography is underway in Belfast and Donegal, Ireland on irreverent Irish comedy horror Grabbers, directed by Jon Wright from an original screenplay by Kevin Lehane. Richard Coyle (Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Madonna’s W.E, Terry Pratchett’s Going Postal), Ruth Bradley (Flyboys) and Russell Tovey (The History Boys, Being Human) head the cast.

Director Jon Wright re-teams with producers Tracy Brimm and Kate Myers of Forward Films following their collaboration on 2009 teen horror _Tormented _(released in the UK by Pathé Warners). International sales are being handled by The Salt Company and Sony Pictures has already snapped up UK rights to the project which provides a comic twist on the classic suburban monster horror, as a sleepy Irish fishing village is forced to fend off a blood-sucking sea creature with an unlikely weapon…alcohol.

For more information please read article on screen daily here.

Omid Djalili has won the award for best actor at the 2010 Torino Interantional Film Festival in Italy for his portrayal of Muslim everyman Muhmud in UK comedy “The Infidel”.

The trailer for upcoming music comedy Killing Bono is now available to view exclusively on the Telgraph website here

The film will be released by Paramount in the UK some time in April 2011.

Rob Paris is a writer’s producer.

After spending nearly a decade as a literary agent, Paris realized his calling wasn’t in getting deals for writers, but rather working with them to get their scripts made. He officially jumped the agency ship in 2003.

“I remember thinking, ‘If I can package movies for other people, I can definitely do it for myself,’ “ he says.

After spending two years at the now-defunct shingle Mission Entertainment, Paris struck out on his own and landed his first producer credit on last year’s “The Maiden Heist,” with Morgan Freeman and William H. Macy. That was followed by writer/director Abe Sylvia’s “Dirty Girl,” a coming-of-age comedy that premiered in Toronto in September and is slated for theatrical release in 2011 via the Weinstein Co.

But when it comes to picking a project to attach his name to, Paris is looking for just one thing: a great story written by a talented writer.

“We’re agnostic when it comes to genre,” he explains. “What’s important is how exquisitely the story is rendered on the page.”

With the help of partner Adam Ripp, Paris launched the shingle Crime Scene Pictures earlier this year. The company provides full financing for pics, of which Paris says four to six will be released in the next three years. “Shoulder Pads,” a musical follow-up to “Dirty Girl,” is among them.

VITAL STATS
Age: 40
Provenance: Sacramento
Inspired by: John Hughes. Paris’ “addiction” began as a child when he began pirating films off HBO with his parents’ Betamax. “My gateway drug was John Hughes. Watching ‘Sixteen Candles‘ and ‘The Breakfast Club’ over and over again, just marveling at the dialogue, the characters, and the performances he got out of those casts. I loved the grounded reality of how those films felt.”
Web: crimescenepictures.net

To view please click here

Previous Issues available here:
01: Cannes 2010

The Infidel took home the award for Premiere of the Year at the first Screen Awards.

The Infidel was released in the UK by Revolver Entertainment with a gala premiere at the Hammersmith Apollo, one of London’s leading live comedy and music venues. Red carpet arrivals were accompanied by a gospel choir and a perfomance from break-dancers dressed in Burkhas and Hasidic Jew costume. Competition winners of The Infidel’s ‘Which Religion is Funniest’ campaign to find the best religious joke performed live to a sold our screening, before comedians, writer David Baddiel and star Omid Djalili took to the stage to introduce the film. The Infidel went on to be a UK box office hit and is now available on DVD.

Read the full list of winners in Screen here

The Weinstein Co. have secured multiple territory rights to Abe Sylvia’s dramedy Dirty Girl, in a deal worth approximately $3 million. It bought rights to the U.S., U.K., France, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

The deal was closed as the film made its Toronto premiere, but the Weinstein Co. had been keenly interested in the film repped by Graham Taylor’s WME Global and international sales company Salt before the fest began.

Read the full article in variety here.

“I am thrilled to be part of such a sexy, edgy comedy that puts a modern spin on a coming-of -age story,” said Harvey Weinstein. “It’s great to be back in business with some old friends and join forces with new and exciting talent and filmmakers.”

Dirty Girl is positively reviewed by in Screen Daily by Mike Goodridge, who remarked, “First time feature director Abe Sylvia, a former Broadway dancer and choreographer, brings a gleeful sense of human mayhem to his 1980s road movie, a rough-around-the-edges campfest-with-a-heart that should be one of the crowdpleasers at this year’s TIFF. Set in 1987 and featuring a knockout of-the-era soundtrack that will send fortysomethings into a transport of nostalgia, Dirty Girl should have no difficulty connecting with upscale teen audiences – and their parents.”

For the full review please click here

Cherry Tree Lane begins its limited 6 screen theatrical run today.

Selected reviews:

Total Film | ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
“gripping, chilling and scary. A visceral dramatisation of every home-owner’s worst nightmare that plays potently on fears about broken Britain.”

Empire | ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
“…sparse and ingenious thriller”

News of the World | ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
“Combining top-notch craft and strong performances across the board, Cherry Tree Lane is indie filmmaking done very, very right.”

Financial Times | ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
“…very frightening, with an ending cathartic and unexpected, and a last shot whose acidic irony is worthy of Graham Greene.”

Dirty Girl will have its world premiere in the Discovery section at the 35th Toronto International Film Festival

Danielle is the dirty girl of Norman High School. When her misbehaviour gets her banished to a remedial class, she teams up with an innocent closet-case and they head out on a road trip to discover themselves. Stars Juno Temple, Dwight Yoakam, Milla Jovovich and William H. Macy.

Screening Times

Sunday 12 Sept | 6.30pm | Varsity 8 | Premiere/1st Public Screening

Monday 13 Sept | 12.00 midday | Scotiabank 1 | 1st P&I

Thursday 16 Sept | 12.00 midday | Ryerson | 2nd Public Screening

Friday 17 Sept | 11.45am | Scotiabank 1 | 2nd P&I

More information on the TIFF website here

UNKLE, managed by Salt sister company Surrender All, have released the short film trilogy, ‘Saviors and Angels‘ written and directed by Paul Andrew Williams (Cherry Tree Lane) featuring UNKLE songs, Caged Bird, The Runaway and Another Night Out

Watch on VIMEO

The People Vs. George Lucas has made the “Best of the Fest” selection at Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Selected reviews:

✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ “hugely entertaining… a must-see” View London

✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ “hugely enjoyable… highly recommended” Edinburgh Film Festival Blog

✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ News Scotsman

Stephen Warbeck, the oscar winning composer of Shakespeare in Love will score the music to upcoming comedy Killing Bono.

Stephen joins music supervisor Tarquin Gotch and singer-songwriter Joe Echo who has written a number of original songs for the film. Echo’s previous writing credits include Madonna’s Celebration.

Ashley Chin has been selected as one of Edinburgh Film Festival’s twelve Trailblazers, chosen to represent the best and brightest in breakthrough UK talent. Ashley plays plays Asad, one of a gang of youths who invade the home of a middle class family as they sit down to dinner, in the urban horror Cherry Tree Lane, being sold by Salt.

Cherry Tree Lane has it’s world premiere in Edinburgh Film Festival, screening on:
21 June | 19:45 | Cameo 1
25 June | 20:35 | Cameo 1

To book tickets visit the EIFF website

about | asley chin

Ashley began his film career in the critically acclaimed BBC film Storm Damage directed by Lennie James.He then made his theatre debut in Roy Williams’s Lift Off at the Royal Court and later played Razer in the Olivier award-winning play Gone Too Far – a role which he subsequently reprised. Most recently on stage he played the role of Carl in Roy William’s There’s Only One Wayne Matthews at the Polka Theatre. On television he has appeared in The Bill, Holby Blue, The Fixer and Law & Order.

Following a hugely successful US premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, THE INFIDEL is set to continue its roll out with a series of theatrical openings across the United States

After a strong run in New York, where it screened at the Tribeca cinemas on Varick Street at the beginning of May, the film will open in LA with a grand West Coast premiere on June 23rd at Laemelle’s Sunset 5, where the film will be showing until June 30th.

There are further plans to then bring the film to an additional 20 screens across North America, with dates and cities to be confirmed in due course.

Filming has wrapped on Abe Sylvia’s camp comedy Dirty Girl.

For more information about the shoot, see our interview with Juno Temple, who plays Dirty Girl, in the feature ‘A Dirty Girl Comes Clean’ from our Cannes 2010 edition of the salt magazine (page 16). available here.

Salt has struck a deal with Paramount to acquire Killing Bono for the UK and Ireland.

Nick Hamm’s Irish comedy stars Ben Barnes (Prince Caspian, Easy Virtue) and Robert Sheehan (Season of the Witch) and is based on Neil McCormick’s autobiography. Barnes and Sheehan play hapless brothers who set up a band in Dublin in the late 1970s; unluckily their classmates and rivals go on to become megastars U2.

See the full article on screen daily here.

The Infidel is set for it’s US premiere at the Tribeca Film festival on Sunday 25th April. The film has been picked up by the fledgling Tribeca Film for limited theatrical and day-and-date release on VOD concurrent with its Tribeca Film Festival premiere.

For more information on where you can view the film in the united states please see the Tribeca Film website here.

The UK’s first week has been a grand success!

The film was released on Friday 9 April, after a giant 3,500 person gala premiere on Thursday night.

Revolver’s smart release strategy really paid off, and despite the odds being against us (the sun came out for the first time in three months) the film scored a whopping $7,000 screen average out performing much bigger players like Clash of the titans and Kick Ass in many of those venues. Cinema managers reported having to turn back punters due to huge demand and regional cinemas are clamoring for access to prints.

Consequently Revolver are doubling the number of prints to at least 60 going into the weekend of 16 April.

The press reactions have also been overwhelmingly strong. The Evening Standard (London’s biggest newspaper) calls it “the summer’s funniest film”. Link to the full review here.

The US premiere will take place at Tribeca on Sunday 25 April and will then roll out in theatres in the US on the back of the festival.

Filming is underway in Los Angeles on iDeal Partners Film Fund’s comedy Dirty Girl with Juno Temple, Milla Jovovich, William H Macy, Mary Steenburgen, Dwight Yoakam and Tim McGraw.

View full article on Screen Daily here

Killing Bono completed principal photography in Belfast on 19 February.

View feature in screen daily here

French Distributor, Haut Et Court, takes rights for France and French-speaking Europe to Paul Andrew Williams’ third feature.

Full article on Screen Daily here distributor takes rights for France and French-speaking Europe to Paul Andrew Williams’ third feature. Paris-based Haut et Court has snapped up Paul Andrew Williams’ thriller Cherry Tree Lane for France and French-speaking Europe from sales company Salt. Cherry Tree Lane, Williams’ third feature after London To Brighton and The Cottage, takes place in real time over the course of an evening. The home of an average couple is invaded by a gang of youths, who have come to kill their son as payback for snitching on one of them, who is now in prison as a result. Ken Marshall, Williams’ partner in Steel Mill Pictures, is producing and it will be released in the UK by Metrodome later in the year. The film is financed by the UK Film Council and post-production/financing/producing facility Molinare.

The trailer for our comedy THE INFIDEL was unveiled exclusively today on the of The Guardian website. Click here to view

Dominic Murphy’s White Lightnin’ was handed the Le Hitchcock d’Or (Grand Jury Prize) at this year’s Dinard British Film Festival held in Brittany in France.

As reported in the Evening Standard

Edward Hogg scooped the best acting award for White Lightnin’ for his portrayal of cult mountain dancer Jesco White at the 2009 Monterrey Film Festival in Mexico.

The Infidel website goes live…

Shooting on Cherry Tree Lane wrapped at the end of July after a short and intense production.

london-based sales and financing outfit the salt company has confirmed a number of key pre-sales closed during and after cannes on its uk comedy the infidel which is now in post-production.

la times picks big river man as one of its must sees at the los angeles film festival where the documentary screens on june 20 10pm at majestic crest and june 24 2:15pm at landmark 8.

article on i was bono’s doppelgänger inscreen international hollywood reporter 14 may.

article on the infidel in variety may 13.

white lightnin’ has its canadian premiere at over the top festival in toronto on thursday 21st may 7pm at the royal cinema @ 608 college st w.

big river man at hot docs.

following massively successful screenings in park city, white lightnin’ was described as: