HOPE GAP - First Look Images

London, 17 August: Principal photography wrapped last week on family drama HOPE GAP, directed by William Nicholson, and starring Annette Bening, Bill Nighy and Josh O’Connor. Nicholson, a two time Oscar nominated British screenwriter (Gladiator, Shadowlands), OBE, FRSL, director, playwright and novelist, directs from his own script. The film shot for 5 weeks across the UK, in the eponymous Hope Gap, Seaford in Sussex and Leeds and Doncaster, in Yorkshire.

HOPE GAP is financed by Screen Yorkshire, Sampsonic Media and Creative Media with LipSync on board as a production partner. It is produced by David M. Thompson (The Sense of an Ending, Woman in Gold, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom) and Sarada McDermott (Tolkien, Fighting with My Family, Finding Your Feet). Executive Producers include Hugo Heppell for Screen Yorkshire, Nicolas D. Sampson and Arno Hazebroek for Sampsonic Media, Gavin Poolman, Alex Tate and Peter Gould for CMI, Norman Merry and Peter Hampden for LipSync. LipSync Post is also on board to complete full post production.

Grace (Annette Bening) and Edward (Bill Nighy) have been married 29 years. When their son Jamie (Josh O’Connor) comes to visit for the weekend at their seaside home, Edward informs him that he plans to leave Grace. The next day.

Just another breakup. Everyone’s been there, in person or through friends. Hope Gap tracks the unravelling of three lives, through stages of shock, disbelief and anger, to a resolution, of sorts. It’s tender, it’s funny and above all, true. There are no easy answers, no simple paths to redemption, but in the end, it is a story of survival. A story of hope.

Bening is a four-time Oscar nominee (The Grifters, American Beauty, Being Julia, The Kids Are All Right). She recently starred in Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool and 20th Century Women.

Nighy’s credits include the recent highly acclaimed BBC 1 drama Ordeal by Innocence, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Their Finest and Love Actually.

O’ Connor is best known for his portrayal of Johnny Saxby in God’s Own Country (2017), for which he won a British Independent Film Award (BIFA) for Best Actor. He was also nominated in 2018 for the BAFTA EE Rising Star Award. He will play a young Prince Charles in the upcoming series of The Crown.

Nicholson is best known as the Oscar nominated writer of Gladiator and Shadowlands. Other writing credits include Breathe, Unbroken, Everest, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, and Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Previous feature directing credits include Firelight (1997).

Nicholson says: “Ever since Shadowlands I’ve been obsessed by the collision of love and pain: HOPE GAP is the most intense, most painful, and most loving story I’ve ever told. I’m so proud to have Annette Bening, Bill Nighy and Josh O’Connor to tell it for me.”

Producer David Thompson, Origin Pictures adds: “Bill has written a truly moving and witty script and we could not have asked for a stronger cast. I am delighted that Annette, Bill and Josh are going to star in what is sure to be a really powerful, distinctive and captivating film. We’re very pleased to have the support of Screen Yorkshire, Sampsonic, CMI and LipSync to bring this project to screen.”

First look image released as Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne reunite for THE AERONAUTS

Amazon Studios announce that principal photography has begun across the UK and in London for the feature film THE AERONAUTS.

The film reunites Felicity Jones (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) and Eddie Redmayne (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, The Danish Girl) following their successful collaboration on The Theory of Everything, where Jones received an Oscar nomination and Redmayne went onto win the Oscar for his performance of Stephen Hawking.

THE AERONAUTS is directed by BAFTA nominee Tom Harper (War & Peace, Peaky Blinders) and is written by BAFTA winner Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Wonder, Radioactive).

Set in 1862, THE AERONAUTS follow wealthy young widow Amelia Wren (Felicity Jones) and ambitious scientist James Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne) as they mount a balloon expedition to fly higher than anyone in history. This is a journey to the very edge of existence, where the air is thin and the chances of survival are slim. As their perilous ascent reveals their true selves, this unlikely pair discover things about each other - and themselves - that help them find their place in the world they have left behind.

The film is produced by Harper, with Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman for Mandeville Films (Wonder, Stronger, Beauty and the Beast); and executive produced by Richard Hewitt. FilmNation Entertainment is handling international sales.

“A top priority for us on The Aeronauts is authenticity.  With that in mind, we intend to do as much balloon filming in the sky as the weather will allow. This image was taken after we launched Felicity and Eddie 2,000 feet in the air, performing their scripted scene, while a helicopter captured it all.  We’re fortunate that Felicity and Eddie have the nerve to do these stunts themselves as it authenticates our entire approach” explains Lieberman.

Additional cast joining Jones and Redmayne include Oscar nominee Tom Courtenay (45 Years), BAFTA nominee Anne Reid (The Last Tango in Halifax), BAFTA winner Rebecca Front (The Thick of It), Vincent Perez (Riviera), Tim McInnery (Game of Thrones), Phoebe Fox (The Hollow Crown) and Himesh Patel (forthcoming Danny Boyle, Richard Curtis project).

Director of Photography is BAFTA winner George Steel (War & Peace, Peaky Blinders), with costumes by Alexandra Bryne (Oscar winner for Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Oscar nominated for Finding Neverland, Elizabeth and Hamlet) and hair and make-up by Jenny Shircore (Beauty and the Beast, Macbeth).  Production designers are David Hindle (The Death of Stalin, The Theory of Everything) and Christian Huband (Edge of Tomorrow, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them). Louis Morin (Arrival, The House with a Clock on its Walls) is the VFX Supervisor.

A New Breed of PREDATOR is coming! New trailer for THE DAWNSEEKER released!

Before we meet The Predator, come face to face with The Dawnseeker!

Premiering September 4 On Demand from Uncork’d Entertainment, Justin Price’s explosive new sci-fi horror actioner pits five mercenaries against a dangerous alien creature.

2245, the Earth's sun has dwindled and no longer provides the energy needed to sustain human life. Five hired mercenaries travel to an uncharted planet to collect a rare mineral known as stardust to replenish the dying star. After their spaceship crashes on the alien planet, they are stalked and hunted by a creature far more advanced than anything they have ever encountered before. 
                                             
Starring Franziska Schissler, Alexander Kane, Jason Skeen and Khu, The Dawnseeker marks the fifth feature film from director Justin Price (Alien : Reign of Man).

Blindspotting - Movie Review

Collin must make it through his final three days of probation for a chance at a new beginning in his Oakland, Calif., neighborhood. His bond with his volatile best friend soon gets tested when Collin sees a police officer shoot a suspect in the back during a chase through the streets. Things soon come to a head when the buddies attend a party at the upscale home of a young and wealthy tech entrepreneur.

Initial release: July 27, 2018

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ChrisStuckmann

Chris Stuckmann reviews Blindspotting, starring Daveed Diggs, Rafael Casal, Janina Gavankar, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Ethan Embry, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Wayne Knight. Directed by Carlos López Estrada.

Interview with Nicole Olson – DEAD LOVE

Nicole Olson juggles a career in marketing with that of an acting star on the rise; the star of the new horror film Dead Love (out this month from Wild Eye Releasing) gives us the 411 on the movie that’s likely to see offers pour in for her.

Let’s get to the nitty gritty. How hard is it to make it as an actor? 
Well, I work in marketing now so..?
Hah, just kidding (but I do work in marketing at the moment.) Dead Love is my first movie, so who knows what opportunities may open up once it’s released. I definitely think it’s easier to get auditions as an actor once you have some momentum going, otherwise it’s hard to know where to start.

I suppose you have to be a pretty strong, resilient person to choose it for a career?
Determination is a pretty big factor.

What’s your typical audition like? I imagine many actors are going up against many, many others?
I can’t really say! This was filmed three years ago, and I’m exploring another career at the moment. But from my past experience, it just depends on the project. Sometimes you see a select few who are cherry picked for an audition, other times it’s an open call with a line around the block.

Is there a part you’ve lost that you so dearly wanted – and the disappointment has never left you?
Not really, I try to just go with the flow. The parts that you’re really meant for will find you.

The roles you’ve gotten though are wonderful. What’s been the favorite?
Since Dead Love is my silver screen debut, I would have to say Fiona.

And which of the parts opened the most doors for you?
As I previously mentioned, this is my first feature. But, I’m excited to see what the future holds!

How did this one come about? 
Kind of a wild story. I responded to a Facebook post in a group for Colorado filmmakers, and one self-tape later, I found myself doing a chemistry read in Denver. I heard that I got the part that same night.

And is it any different working on an indie to a larger budgeted project? I imagine there’s more creative freedom?
As stated earlier, Dead Love is my first movie. From what I gather, the biggest difference is the amount of time you have to get the perfect shot. We filmed this movie within twelve days, and had to reshoot it six days in. I can’t imagine a large budget movie pulling that off.

Did you get a lot of say in terms of dialogue and improvements you might have had for the character?
Right before the reshoots I definitely had a hand in shaping Fiona’s story a little bit, but as an actor who started in theatre, I tend to stick to the script in terms of dialogue. 

How did you wind down at the end of the day after shooting some of those more gruelling scenes?
Unfortunately for me, I’m a method actor, so there wasn’t a lot of winding down until we wrapped the production. Plus, we were filming in the middle of the Rocky Mountains in a small town, so there weren’t a lot of opportunities to seek out distractions.

When is a movie a success for you?
I don’t really know what success for the movie looks like yet, and I can’t wait to find out! Maybe if I see Dead Love fanart...then I’ll really know it’s taking off.

If you want to keep up with me in the meantime, feel free to follow along on social:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleeolson/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicoleoolson