A 2016 Thank You and What's In Store For 2017

The events of 2016 have been written about far more comprehensively and sensibly than we could ever do– and anyway, it's all old hat now!

It's 2017!

We'd like to thank everyone for their support over 2016. It was a pretty exciting year for Scottish Independent Filmmaking. Things really are changing. What started as a jump into the unknown with Tartan Features is developing into something that really is now taking shape and evolving for the better. We're re-branding ourselves as Year Zero Filmmaking - but Tartan Features will always still be a part of that.

There's so much scope within the independent filmmaking movement that we need to expand and explore all the world has to offer. That means that we need to – all of us do – look beyond Scotland. While it's nice having little articles in local newspapers about our friends films, what does that really do for Scottish Filmmaking – very little. We need to start making contacts and networking with like minded people beyond Scotland. England, Europe, America and further. They are all our friends and all trying to achieve the same goal – creating a sustainable filmmaking community. We can hep them, and they can help us so we must all work together. Showing what is being achieved here on a world stage has far more impact than a local newspaper ever can.

Creating worldwide networks allows for so much more possibilities for all of us- marketing, distribution and meeting and learning from others with more experience. It's just not enough to wait for our own industry to do this, we have to make a start ourselves. And what better time than the dawning of a New Year.

So our plans for 2017 are to push forward with our Tartan Features – and we have 5 more to add to the lineup in the first few months. We're already delighted to have David Cameron Newbigging and Graham Hughes on board with their news films. We've got our Tartan Features little sister – Whaam! Shorts to bring together even more like minded people AND make some great films. We'll definitely be having more events and as we've mentioned our big plans are to focus on distribution, marketing and making friends beyond Scotland. We've already got a BBC screening set for one film and a major festival lined up for another. It's all very exciting! And we'd love for you to be part of it too - whether with TF or doing your own thing. Either is good.

As 2016 has ended we've put together a little highlights list below, we're happy with what we've managed this year. Not everything has been a success but if we've learned anything it's that TRYING is the only way to achieve anything. Don't sit back and wait for others. Don't sit back and wait for permission. Just Get out and do something. If something does not work, learn from it and try again. If you feel something is going in the wrong direction, just change where your heading. You should always be creating. Not everything is going to be perfect. But not being perfect is what makes things human. Don't be afraid to show your work. Learn from your mistakes and just keep on trying. Tenacity is the only sure fire way of making sure something happens. It's not easy, but if it was everyone would be doing it.

Have a great 2017, all the best and thank you.

Our 2016 Highlights:

The Films:

Where Do We Go From Here?

After the 8 nominations at the Sydney 2015 world premiere, 2016 was still bringing in the awards and the festivals. Notable highlights were:

The UK Premiere at Glasgow Film Festival

BAFTA Scotland Nomination for Alison Peebles

Bay Street Festival People's Choice Award.

4 Awards at Blue Whiskey Festival.

And more exciting news to be revealed in 2017!

Big Gold Dream

After 2015's EIFF award win and Sight and Sounds 'Best of 2015' things slowed down a little. Still, the 2016 highlights included:

A New York University screening with Hysteric Esoterics – a commemorative book , audio cassette and poster made for us.

An additional Raindance screening with a Q+A including the KLF's Bill Drummond. All in a circus tent...

And the final tweaks (an AS-11 File for those technical folk) for a BBC screening in early 2017.

Con Men

Amongst the festival screenings were these highlights:

Winner of Excellence : Accolade Global Film Competition

Sunrise Film Festival – Best Drama Winner, Best International Film Nomination

And a full release due in 2017

Bend Don't Break released a new trailer and is almost ready to go. Sarah's Room became available on Amazon Prime. Take it all Back... had a wonderful 'how we made it' guide.

Shorts:

Whaam! Shorts

Our little sister to Tartan Features was born. Over the next few weeks we'll curate 10 shorts that fit the Tartan Features ethos. And then make ten new ones over 2017.

The Events:

The Summer Alternative Film Festival

Our summer mini festival, purely by co-incidence of course was held during the EIFF.

It was a true alternative independent festival and full of our friends.

Talks from Outlander's Michael Wilson on profitable distribution for shorts, a panel discussion on the future of micro-budget feature filmmaking in Scotland and the best in uncompromising Scottish Independent Features and Shorts. Oh, and a French 60s pop DJ set by Angus McPake and his Dansette during the networking. And not a single red carpet in sight.

The Alternative Christmas party and screening of Wigilia.

To finish the year we had our own Alternative Christmas event. Starting with a screening of Graham Drysdale's lovely feature film Wigilia at GMAC. We then moved across the road to Mono for more festivities - Traditional Polish Christmas Carols from Iwona, a mixture of Scottish and Polish Christmas food (Irn Bru, Tunnocks and some lovely Vegan Polish dinner), some songs from BMX Bandits Duglas T Stewart + Pals, and to finish off some drinks and plans with some lovely Independent Filmmakers and Musicians.