Click HERE to see a short version of the film Unscripted
Riding Lights Theatre Company's first professional film production has taken four of the eighteen awards at the 168 Hour Film Project Festival in Los Angeles, having been nominated in a record breaking fifteen categories. Their film Unscripted, was produced in collaboration with Reel Issues Films and supported by Bible Society.
Producer Ralph Winter (X-Men, Fantastic Four) presented the prestigious Best International Film award to two of the film's three Producers Jackie Sheppard and Luke Walton. Unfortunately, Jonathan Brown of Riding Lights was unable to attend the ceremony in Los Angeles but said "Unscripted has been a fantastic foray into filmmaking for Riding Lights and we are very excited and pleased by the nominations and awards the film has attracted in the 168 competition".
Unscripted also won Best Drama Screenplay for Riding Lights' Nigel Forde, and their Roughshod Company actress, Rachel Wilcock, won Best Supporting Actress. Young film maker Fionn Watts' short film, on the making of Unscripted, was awarded the prize for Best Behind the Scenes documentary.
The film was produced as part of the Los Angeles-based 168 Hour Film Project which challenges teams to create a film of no more than 11 minutes. It must be completed from start to finish, and delivered to Los Angeles, in 168 hours (one week). Each entrant's film is based on a Bible verse all with a common theme which this year was 'Family Business'.
Unscripted tells of an actor's personal journey set in the family environment of the rehearsal room. Through a 'baptism of fire' of improvisation, he has to face his own failings. The film asks how we would respond if we should hear, in an unforgettable way, the full affirmation of a parent figure. It also challenges parents to give acknowledgement to their children - not for what they have done or achieved - but simply for who they are.
The judges for the competition included critically-acclaimed Hollywood
producers: Howard Kazanjian (Star Wars, Return of the Jedi and Raiders of the Lost Ark); Mark Clayman (The Pursuit of Happyness) and Bill Ewing (The End of the Spear). The awards were presented by Zachary Levi (Chuck and An American Carol) and Ralph Winter.
Reflecting on this work in film rather than theatre performance, Riding Lights Director, Paul Burbridge said "Riding Lights and our Roughshod Company are constantly looking at ways to bring theatre everywhere. We experimented with film in summer 2008, as a way to reach out to new audiences and to engage with those where theatre may simply not be possible. We saw 168 and any other film productions we may become involved in as complementing our work. I am delighted our first serious attempt at film has been recognised in a way no one would have imagined possible. The awards we have received confirm the team's ability to produce film to a quality and level people already associate with Riding Lights and Roughshod".
A shortened version of Unscripted has also been entered into The Doorpost Film Project and can be seen at www.thedoorpost.com. Viewers' online votes decide who goes through to the next round with an awards ceremony in Nashville in September. Voting is open until 30th April.
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