Bombay Sapphire – Imagination Series
Geoffrey Fletcher at the Bombay Sapphire launch.
Organizers of the Bombay Sapphire sponsored Imagination Series have just extended the deadline for their 2nd annual global film competition. Aspiring filmmakers are challenged to read a very short excerpt of a script penned by Academy award-winning screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher of ‘Precious’ fame and then craft a treatment for a short film. Entries are judged by Fletcher, Academy award-winning actor and producer Adrien Brody (‘The Pianist’) and members from the Tribeca Institute. Appropriately, the five winning entries will have their World Premiere at the 13th annual Tribeca Film Festival, held annually in NYC in Springtime, 2014.
Last year’s competition attracted 700 plus entries from around the world. Much like the ethos of Bombay Sapphire, which is owned by Bacardi, the competition is designed to encourage candidates to explore their imaginations, challenge their versatility and create a unique film concept. Adrien Brody, well known for his independent spirit, will also executive produce all five winning entries that are based on the same loose screenplay. Winning filmmakers get to work with the Imagination team to bring the shorts to life.
The competition rules state that characters can be real or imagined and can be human, creatures and even objects. Any genre will do and applicants should keep in mind that their film will not exceed six minutes.
IFQ enjoyed finding our more about the catalyst for this intriguing competition from Bombay Sapphire’s brand manager, Ned Duggan.
Independent Film Quarterly (IFQ): What is the aim of this unique competition and how did the idea come about?
Ned Duggan (ND): Bombay Sapphire has long supported the world of creativity, design and imagination. The aim of the Imagination Series is to tap into the world of film by giving budding and aspiring film makers the opportunity to interpret a short script by Academy Award winning screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher using their own imagination. A panel of judges selects the five treatments that they believe to be the most imaginative interpretations. Bombay Sapphire will then fund the development of those short films. In the end, we will see five very different films that all originated from the same original short script- a true demonstration of the power and importance of imagination.
IFQ: How did Bombay enlist Fletcher and why?
ND: Geoffrey Fletcher is one of the most talented screenwriters that we have seen in the last decade. He won the Academy Award in 2012 for ‘Precious,’ and continues to demonstrate his versatility with recent release of his film ‘Violet and Daisy.’ Geoffrey is also an adjunct professor of film at Columbia University, so he has a passion for nurturing budding talent and is committed to playing a role in the evolution of the film world. When we brought the Imagination Series idea to Geoffrey, he immediately wanted to be involved. I think he sees it as a way to give back and inspire the next generation of filmmakers. He has said often that he sees his former self in a lot of the competitors.
IFQ: Can you share any tips on what type of treatment is most likely to get selected?
ND: There are no secrets! Geoffrey leads the panel of judges that is made up of global film experts including members of the Tribeca Film Institute. The main judging criteria is the use of imagination in the interpretation of the script. Last year’s finalists made films ranging from Animation to Science Fiction. The panel of judges select
five finalists and we then work with the filmmakers to develop the films. Last year, we had four talented filmmakers from the U.K. and one from Spain. I am really hoping that we have a finalist from the U.S. this year.
IFQ: Where does funding come from?
ND: Bombay Sapphire funds the development of the five films as part of the program.
IFQ: Awesome to have NYC talent like Adrien Brody on board – how did that come about?
ND: The Imagination Series is about demonstrating the power of imagination, and showing how one idea can lead to an infinite number of interpretations. Imagination is critical to both writing a treatment and bringing it to life on screen. It is hard to think of another actor who has demonstrated more imagination when bringing a character to life than Adrien Brody. He is the youngest person to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, and he, like Geoffrey, is committed to inspiring budding talent in the industry. Bombay Sapphire is very fortunate to be working with such iconic figures within the world of film.