'Slumdog Millionaire' Producer, 'Full Monty' Script Editor and Film4 Exec to Mentor Writers and Directors

LONDON – U.K. broadcaster Channel 4’s movie-making arm Film4 has teamed with English regional organization Northern Film & Media to launch a movie development program.

The organizations have brought in heavyweight help to mentor the writers and directors selected with producer Ivana MacKinnon (Slumdog Millionaire) leading a creative and commercial mentoring program.

Script editor Kate Leys, whose resume boasts stints on Four Weddings And A Funeral, Trainspotting and The Full Monty and Film4 development executive Jo McClellan will also help steer the nubies through the development stage.

Filmmakers will receive mentoring on developing a treatment, outline and visual materials for a movie package, before having the opportunity to present their feature projects to Film4.

The launch of the new talent program, supported by the British government-backed training body Skillset, follows last year’s pilot Film4ward initiative, which saw Film4 invest in developing four films from North East writers and writer/directors.

Film4 is currently working with the filmmakers identified in the pilot program to develop a diverse slate of film projects.

Northern Film & Media has invested in a slate of feature films that includes Song for Marion with Terence Stamp, Vanessa Redgrave, Gemma Arterton and Christopher Ecclestone, The Liability starring Tim Roth, Peter Mullan, Jack O’Connell and Talulah Riley and The Man Inside with Peter Mullan, Michelle Ryan and David Harewood with its venture capital partner Northstar Ventures.