James Cottle Scriptwriter

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THE PROJECT After being approached by Director Norman Gregory in relation to a short film project, a feature film collaboration was discussed, with Norman providing the story that he wanted me to write. It was an exciting opportunity to take on, and we began to develop the plot together, based around the simple pitch we started with. Before long, I was drafting the script, as Norman began to pool his considerable resources into getting people involved. The film was shot in Dorset and Tuscany. You can view the trailer below.			A REASON TO LEAVE STARRING Mark Wingett, Claire King, Alice Bird and Simone Spinazzè DIRECTOR Norman Gregory PRODUCER Carolyn Weldon SCREENPLAY James Cottle DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Franz Pagot AIC MBKS EDITOR Fiorella Santaniello SOUND Eric Lehmann COMPOSER Paul Fincham POST-PRODUCTION CrystalLight AWARDS A Reason to Leave has been nominated for numerous awards and succeeded in winning several including the Best Drama Award at the National Film Awards. The ceremony took place at the Porchester Hall in London on Thursday, 31st March 2016. Other films nominated in this category included The Lady in the Van, The Danish Girl and 45 Years. Commenting on the win, Norman Gregory the film’s Director said “This award was not only for us but for all the small independent companies making feature films on micro budgets. It can be done but only with the help and support of cast and crew who all give so much for so little.”


			More good news for the film with three more awards at the International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema in London in February 2017. The awards were for - Best Lead Actress - Alice Bird Best Original Score - Paul Fincham Best Film - Norman Gregory and Carolyn Weldon


THE PROJECT After extended conversations with Producer Kerry Matthews with regards to pursuing a sitcom project for her Master's Project and beyond, a pirate themed idea came to the fore, inspired by the anachronistic absurdity of classic "Blackadder". The characters were set from quite an early stage and, from there, I worked extensively on a pilot script that not only introduced audiences to the story world, but also gave the whole cast a moment to shine in the increasingly farcical situation. Teaming up with local talent for cast and crew, the pilot was shot over two intensive weeks in June 2014 in various (mostly seaside) locations around Dorset. Several late nights and a lot of rum later, the pilot was finished and released online. We hope to use this filmed pilot, graciously supported by donators, as a pitching tool to hopefully get a full series commission.			BUCCANEERS STARRING Costa Chard, Richard Alexander, Sid D'Hant, Vicky Foster, Tiffany Hannam-Daniels, Joshua Ward WITH Michelle Batcock, David Wylie, Russell Biles, Natalie Barthel, James Cottle DIRECTOR Andy Wilson FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Kerry L Matthews PRODUCER Kerry L Matthews WRITER James Cottle STORY James Cottle, Kerry L Matthews CINEMATOGRAPHER Pradeep Budha CAMERA ASSISTANT Alex Pillau EDITOR Hauke Sterner ASSISTANT EDITOR Chris Shaw SOUND DESIGN/RECORDIST Hangyu Ji MUSIC Andy Wilson COSTUME SUPERVISOR Lucy Sammons COSTUME DESIGNER Hannah Rutter COSTUME MAKERS Kathryn Lawton, Tiffany Russell MAKE-UP ARTISTS Rosy Emberley, Chloe Downtown

James Cottle © 2019