BAFTA Breakthrough Brits 2013 by BAFTA

Ade Oyefeso Arthur Williams Chloe Pirrie Dan Pearce Dominic Mitchell Ed Barratt BAFTA

BREAKTHROUGH

BRITS 2013

James Floyd Mitu Khandaker Nisha Parti Oliver Clarke Paul Brannigan Rex Crowle Rowan Athale Sharon Rooney Sophia George Tom Holland Zam Salim

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Practice, practice,

practice. And make the best of the talent you have. ke nneth b ranag h actor, f i l mmake r and four-time bafta winne r

Watch, Listen, Read, Explore.

Get insights, advice and more at BAFTA Guru. www.bafta.org/guru 2

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Contents WELCOME 4 5

A Message from HRH The Duke of Cambridge kg, President of the Academy A Message from John Willis, Chairman of the Academy

FEATURES 6 18 26

BAFTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ongoing Search for New Talent Meet our Partner: Burberry The Legacy of the Breakthrough Brits

INTRODUCING THE BREAKTHROUGH BRITS 2013 12 13 14 15 16 17 20 21 22 23 24 25 28 29 30 31 32

Ade Oyefeso Arthur Williams Chloe Pirrie Dan Pearce Dominic Mitchell Ed Barratt James Floyd Mitu Khandaker Nisha Parti Oliver Clarke Paul Brannigan Rex Crowle Rowan Athale Sharon Rooney Sophia George Tom Holland Zam Salim

Contact Details

Thanks

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

HRH The Duke of Cambridge kg President of the Academy

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Welcome

reakthrough Brits, the latest industry-leading new talent initiative from BAFTA, is a glorious celebration of the next generation of British creativity, a hand-picked selection of 17 promising newcomers across film, television and games. In partnership with Burberry, BAFTA’s Breakthrough Brits provides a shop window for exceptionally talented individuals whose names may be unfamiliar to most of us now but undeniably show great promise. Each one has already started making waves in the film, television and games industries, but BAFTA and Burberry, with an expert industry jury, have given them a seal of approval, put their names up in lights, and entered them into a year-long mentoring and guidance programme to help them shape a successful career. Anyone considering a career in these industries faces a tough challenge just getting onto the career ladder. It’s harder still to take the next step up and gain wider industry recognition, which every one of these Breakthrough Brits deserves.

Here at BAFTA, we have more than 60 years’ experience identifying, encouraging and rewarding excellence. We celebrate the very highest levels of achievement at our glamorous Awards ceremonies, but we also have a true passion for discovering and nurturing those who are destined for great things. Supporting emerging talent is a significant part of our charitable remit; we are here to identify, support and develop them. Breakthrough Brits aims to open the dialogue between established talent and emerging stars. Like Burberry, we’re keen to exploit our country’s unique pool of highly creative and successful talent and have them pass their skills and knowledge on to the next generation of promising individuals. In the months (and years) to come, I hope you will find yourself referring back to this brochure when considering talent for your latest project. These 17 hand-picked stars have made their breakthrough, now it’s time to help them shine. Thank you for your support.

John Willis Chairman of BAFTA

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

M A KING TH E

BREAKTHROUGH… Breaking into the film, television and games industries can be difficult, but BAFTA is here to help…

he British Academy of Film and Television Arts’ key remit is to support, promote and develop the art forms of the moving image. One of the primary ways we do this is by identifying and rewarding aspiring new talent as well as those practitioners looking to take the next step in their chosen careers through an extensive and varied Learning and Events programme.

Our members and industry network are at the heart of all we do – they not only help us to define excellence and identify the next generation, but also allow us to develop that talent, sharing their connections and expertise to help people new to the industry progress. All of our awards include a new talent category, and over the years we’ve introduced many schemes to discover, help and promote aspiring stars, from our student scholarship schemes through to the BAFTA Rocliffe New Writing Forum. Established in 2013, Breakthrough Brits is a little different from the new talent initiatives we’ve run

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

BAFTA runs many new talent initiatives and awards including (clockwise from right): our scholarships; our Young Game Designers competition; the EE Rising Star Award, won by Juno Temple in 2013; and the BAFTA Rocliffe New Writing Forum.

before, although its chief aim remains the same: to champion creative excellence in film, television and games. All the applicants to the initiative have already demonstrated impressive skills in their chosen art form, but we recognise that the moving image industries are very competitive, leading to many talented individuals either being overlooked or lost entirely. Our aim is not to let that happen. With BAFTA uniquely placed to offer both public and industry recognition, we felt we could provide the best of these new talents with a more tailored form of support and development to help them stand out from the crowd. As such, the scheme has been specifically designed to highlight talented individuals who may not be household names yet but have already shown incredible promise. The next step is for BAFTA to help them to reach their full potential. Seventeen Breakthrough Brits were chosen by panels of informed industry experts. The year-long rewards of being selected are covered in more detail in our ‘legacy’ feature (turn to page 26), but key to the success of this initiative will be providing each one with the opportunity to meet and learn from the expert professionals who individually inspired them. It’s through these connections – and the invaluable knowledge, advice and support they can offer – that the Breakthrough Brits will develop their craft to new heights. As its name suggests, Breakthrough Brits is also about celebrating and rewarding British talent. BAFTA is an organisation that is wholly associated with celebrating artistic quality and heritage with a British flavour, and this is perfectly aligned with the values of our Breakthrough Brits’ partner, Burberry. We have an enviable history of producing exceptional new talents in film, television and games in this country, but an industry only survives by discovering and developing fresh talent. BAFTA delights in giving these individuals the attention they deserve. And so, we give you the Breakthrough Brits…

Breakthrough Brits highlights talented individuals who may not be household names yet but have already shown incredible promise.

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Nisha Parti Producer, page 22

Dan Pearce Game Developer, p.15

James Floyd Actor, p.20

Chloe Pirrie Actress, p.14

Dominic Mitchell Writer, p.16

IN TRODUCING TH E

BREA KTHROUGH BRITS 2013 8

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Rowan Athale Writer/Director p.28

Zam Salim Writer/Director p.32

Ed Barratt Producer, p.17

Sophia George Game Designer p.30

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Tom Holland Actor, p.31 Sharon Rooney Actress, p.29

Ade Oyefeso Actor, p.12

Rex Crowle Game Developer p.25

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Oliver Clarke Game Developer p.23

Paul Brannigan Actor, p.24

Arthur Williams Broadcaster, p.13

Mitu Khandaker Game Developer p.21

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Ade

Oyefeso Actor

he past year has been quite a ride for actor Ade Oyefeso, who burst onto our television screens as one of the stars of comedy drama Youngers, created by Benjamin Kuffuor and Levi David Addai. Produced by the BAFTA-winning Big Talk Productions, Youngers has already been commissioned for a second series by E4. Serendipitously, the plot of Youngers, about a group of south-east London teenagers trying to break into the urban music scene, mirrors Oyefeso’s own rise in acting. Originally believing that acting wasn’t a realistic profession, Oyefeso was eventually inspired to become an actor by fellow Londoner Dev Patel, and particularly his leading role in the multi BAFTA-winning Slumdog Millionaire. Like Patel, Oyefeso hasn’t had formal training but, as his winning performance as Yemi in Youngers has shown, he’s clearly a talent to watch. “Every job I get I’m learning so much,” Oyefeso notes. “That’s what excites me the most: learning, getting more comfortable in my own craft and picking things up from other people. I’d love to be able to do films one day, but at the moment I’m just trying to learn as much as I can, so if these opportunities do come along, I’m prepared.”

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Arthur

Williams Broadcaster

t’s easy to bandy around words such as ‘inspirational’ and ‘courageous’ with regards to broadcaster and presenter Arthur Williams because of his disability (a severe car crash in 2007 left him paralysed from the waist down). And he is certainly those things, but only to focus on this overlooks the fact that he’s just very, very good at his job. This was most clearly evidenced during Channel 4’s Paralympic Games broadcast in 2012, for which he won praise in both traditional media and on social media for his knowledge and enthusiasm for the events. However, Williams has shown that he is also a compelling presenter of history, and in particular of programmes with a military and aviation motif. A former Royal Marine and a keen pilot, Williams’ informed, entertaining and wholly passionate style won him further acclaim while co-presenting Channel 4’s D-Day: As It Happens, a 24-hour, real-time, multiplatform history event, and fronting The Plane That Saved Britain, a documentary about Williams’ favourite plane, the Mosquito bomber. “I’d like to carry on my commitment to Paralympic sport, because it’s something I feel very passionate about,” Williams says, “but I also want to assert myself as a dominant presenter of aviation and military aviation history. I’m a pilot, so I can not only tell the stories but relive them. I really want to move that field forward and bring it to a younger audience.”

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Chloe

Pirrie Actress

f there’s one defining word that describes actress Chloe Pirrie it’s ‘talent’. If there were a second phrase that defines her, it would be ‘go-getting’. For instance, while still a student at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, she wrote, produced and performed a one-woman show in support of the Helen Bamber Foundation, a charity helping the victims of sex trafficking. Since leaving Guildhall, Pirrie has already made both her television and feature film debuts. She guest-starred in Doctors in 2010 before making an impression in Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror: The Waldo Moment in 2013. This autumn sees her appear as a series regular in the BBC’s new headlining spy drama, The Game. Meanwhile, a starring role in 2012’s independent film Shell garnered her international recognition, earning Pirrie a nomination in the best newcomer category at the London Film Festival, as well as best film award wins at the Zlin and Torino Film Festivals. All of the above contributed to her selection in Screen International’s celebrated Stars Of Tomorrow 2013 line-up.

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Dan

Pearce Game Developer

hen someone cocreates a game called Hamster: Accidental World Domination, which picked up the very first BAFTA Young Game Designers award in 2010, you know they are not only talented but also have a fantastic sense of humour. This dry wit is palpable in Pearce’s first solo game, 10 Second Ninja, which is due for release this October – all designed and developed by Pearce while completing his first year of studies at the University of Westminster.

At the same time, Pearce has been in the process of setting up an independent games development company, called The Tall Trees, with the aim of delivering narrativedriven experiences that focus on the joys of being a child. The company’s first game, Castles In The Sky, which takes a storybook as its aesthetic, is finished and awaiting release. “The Breakthrough Brits is a massive deal for me,” says the 19-year-old. “I’m quite young, so being able to accelerate the pace of how quickly I can get into the industry in a meaningful sense is great. I’d like to gain an audience who not only like my games but know who I am, so if I release something, they’re interested in it because of that.”

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Dominic

Mitchell Writer

ominic Mitchell’s CV is filling up fast. Sitting at the top of the list is the darkly provocative In The Flesh, the critically acclaimed zombie drama he created for BBC Three, recently recommissioned for a second series with Mitchell at the creative helm. However, he also has other television projects in development with Kudos Productions, Drama Republic, ITV Studios, Feelgood Fiction, Hat

Trick Productions, Noho Films and the BBC. And that’s not to mention the number of authored stage plays he’s written, which have been performed at Shakespeare’s Globe and The Young Vic, to name a few. Among his other credits, Mitchell was invited onto the Royal Court Theatre’s Young Writers Programme; he won the inaugural Papatango New Writing Prize in 2009; he was selected for the BBC’s Northern Voices scheme; and has recently been chosen as one of ‘The Twelve’, a group of writers picked out as up-and-coming talents by the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester.

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Barratt Producer

s Ed Barratt says, “creative entrepreneurship” is what being a producer is all about. It’s certainly a skill he had to employ to raise the necessary private investment to make his first feature film as a producer, The Rise (aka Wasteland), become a reality. Not only did he bring the film in on budget, but he also brought it in on time, with fellow Breakthrough Brit Rowan Athale at the helm. The film, made through his own production company, Hook Films, has been a hit on the festival circuit and is now all set to follow that success with releases planned in the UK, North America and other territories. Before The Rise, Barratt was head of development at Ipso Facto Films where he worked on four theatrically released and internationally distributed films, namely SoulBoy, Who Killed Nancy?, Mad, Sad & Bad and Comes A Bright Day. “Ultimately, I want to grow a sustainable and successful production company that makes great films and television,” he says. “I want to continue to make things that I’m proud of. Down the line there may be some films I’m less proud of, but every producer has those. As long as you have more good ones than bad ones and as long as you get to keep making ones, then you’re doing something right.”

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

CUT

FROM TH E

SAME CLOTH BAFTA’s Breakthrough Brits could not have happened without our partner, Burberry. From supporting design institutions through to campaigns, shows and events, this British brand has a history of recognising and nurturing creative talent.

ounded in 1856, Burberry today remains a quintessentially British brand, with a closely connected, creative thinking culture at its heart. Burberry believes that to be a great brand it must also be a great company and constantly leverages the energy of its culture for positive change. From its campaign cast and Burberry Acoustic musicians to design institutions around the UK, Burberry is committed to unearthing and supporting the next generation of creative talent in the UK across design, art, film, theatre and music. The partnership with BAFTA embodies a shared vision of celebrating British talent, inspiring those across film, television and games and giving them the tools to develop their skills at the start of their careers. “We have a unique energy and the most inspiring creative spirit in Britain, so to be able to support BAFTA in celebrating our new generation of emerging talent, at the beginning of their journey, is a real privilege,” says Burberry Chief Creative Officer, Christopher Bailey. 18

“The idea of recognising and nurturing creative confidence is very close to our hearts. With Breakthrough Brits, BAFTA has created a platform that shines a light on and, importantly, supports some of the amazing breadth of talent that we are so proud of in this country.” This year has also seen Burberry celebrate the fifth anniversary of its Burberry Foundation, a charitable organisation dedicated to helping young people realise their dreams and potential by the power of their creativity. The Foundation works to help young people gain confidence, build connections in their communities and grasp opportunities to succeed. It provides a strategic platform for the company’s engagement in community initiatives and builds charitable giving in key regions where the majority of Burberry employees live and work. BAFTA’s Breakthrough Brits is an initiative that fits snugly into Burberry’s aims and values. “Congratulations to all 2013 Breakthrough Brits,” says Bailey. “We can’t wait to see what they do next.” b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

The idea of recognising and nurturing creative confidence is very close to our heart. c hristophe r bai ley

c h i e f c reative offi c e r

Top: Burberry Prorsum womenswear spring/summer 2014 show finale. Above: Burberry Acoustic presents Jake Bugg Live at 121 Regent Street, London

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

James

Floyd Actor

‘‘

Infidel and Tormented. He also shone as rock legend Freddie Mercury in BBC Four’s Best Possible Taste: The Kenny Everett Story. But it was as the lead in the 2012 film My Brother The Devil that the London-born actor burst onto the scene. His performance as Rashid, a young Muslim struggling with both his sexuality and gangland pressure in Hackney, won him the Best Newcomer award at the 2012 British Independent Film Awards, Best Male Actor at the 2012 Milan International Film Festival, and a nomination for Most Promising Newcomer at the 2013 Evening Standard British Film Awards.

want to keep on doing really high quality projects here in the UK,” explains actor James Floyd when asked about his ambitions. “Like everyone else, I’m just looking for great material, great scripts and great characters. When you have something like BAFTA behind you, it pushes you, people’s ears prick up when they hear the name.” Floyd’s name may soon be doing the same thing if his work to date is anything to go by. He made his television debut in Holby City, before securing a regular role in Sky’s Dream Team, and has since gone on to star in feature films The

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Mitu

Khandaker Game Developer

s a child, Mitu Khandaker dreamt of becoming either an astronaut or a game developer. While space may remain a final frontier for Khandaker (for now!), she’s certainly been breaking new boundaries as the latter. She is on the verge of releasing her first game, Redshirt, a comedy science fiction sim released through her own independent games studio, The Tiniest Shark. She completed an MEng Computer Engineering at the University of Portsmouth, before pursuing a PhD in Creative Technologies. She was then selected to take part in the prestigious NCGEKauffman Global Scholars programme in 2007, spending six months

in the US on a fast-track entrepreneurship programme, including studying at Harvard Business School, the Kauffman Foundation, and taking part in a design and business internship at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Education Arcade initiative. “My big dream is to establish my studio as a proper studio beyond just myself,” she says. “I want to hire other talented people and go from there. Being named as a Breakthrough Brit is like setting off on a great adventure. I don’t really know where it’s going to go, but I’m excited to find out.” It seems NASA’s loss is the games industry’s gain.

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Nisha

Parti Producer

isha Parti is one of the more experienced professionals in the Breakthrough Brits lineup, having spent more than 10 years working behind the scenes at such high profile companies as Warner Bros, Warner Music and New Line. But it wasn’t until this year that she made the step into production through her own company Parti Productions with the film Honour. Written and directed by newcomer Shan Khan and starring Paddy Considine and Aiysha Hart, the film is not your typical London-based girl-on-the-run thriller, having a distinctly Asian flavour while also remaining quintessentially British. “I want to make commercial international movies that have a link to India,” explains Parti. “I think a lot of British Asian films are quite narrow, too often telling the same stories. I’d love to make more exciting genre-led pieces about Indians, which feel original but are still very commercial.” Other current projects include an adaptation of Sathnam Sanghera’s novel The Boy With The Topknot, co-produced with Kudos for the BBC; Darkness Visible, a horror film written and directed by Neil Biswas (Skins); and Stray, a thriller starring Dev Patel (the latter two in development with the BFI).

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Oliver

Clarke Game Developer

t’s clear from the moment you meet Oliver Clarke that games development is more than just a job to him, it’s a deep and ardent passion. Dovetailing his first love with an interest in the arts, animation and history, Clarke’s vision is to create interactive experiences that combine elements of both gaming and art. This is nowhere better illustrated than in the two games he has developed at his independent creative house, Modern Dream, The Cat That Got The Milk (2011) and The Button Affair (2013), with a third game, Kandinsky’s Violin, currently in development. Recently, Clarke co-founded Game Lab Social in Leamington Spa, a vibrant co-working space for creatives to work, collaborate and share industry knowledge.

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

“I want to continue to learn how to make games that will challenge players with ideas that, in turn, push the medium forward,” Clarke says. “I’d like to work with and include people that are passionate about the arts and gaming… I’d also like my company to get established and become known as a place where great games get made. And long, long term, my really big ambition is to win a BAFTA.”

Paul

Brannigan Actor

irector Ken Loach knows a thing or two about discovering sparkling new acting talent, so when he cast unknown, untrained Paul Brannigan in the lead of his 2012 film The Angels’ Share, you know there must have been something special about him. The role won him the Best Actor award at the BAFTA Scotland Awards that year, as well as nominations for Best Newcomer at both the British Independent Film Awards and the Evening Standard Film Awards. Since then, his career has been on an upward trajectory, with roles in Dexter Fletcher’s new film Sunshine On Leith, and Under The Skin, directed by Jonathan Glazer and starring Scarlett Johansson. A proud Scot, Brannigan has overcome much along the way, having become embroiled in Glasgow’s gang culture as a teenager, and he now regularly works with young offenders to inspire them to turn their lives around, too. “I’m hoping to meet people who will inspire me, give me advice and help hone my skills,” he says. “Everyone needs a role model to help them… To get this recognition from BAFTA, and to represent my country, is just a great feeling.”

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Rex

Crowle Game Developer

t’s a small world. At least it is in the mind of Rex Crowle, whose work creating the visual style of the groundbreaking LittleBigPlanet for Media Molecule helped evoke the very essence of publisher Sony Computer Entertainment’s “Play, Create, Share” maxim. LBP has won five BAFTAs across its various iterations, including Artistic Achievement at the 2009 Games Awards, and is probably Crowle’s tentpole title to date, although he’s also created digital art and animation for clients such as Disney and MTV; graphic design for Lionhead Studios; co-created a bestselling app, EpicWin; and designed Media Molecule’s own distinctive identity. This year has seen Crowle become creative lead for the first time on Media Molecule’s Tearaway, a handheld adventure based in a papercraft world. Released this autumn, it has already won the Best Handheld/Mobile Game category at the Game Critics Awards from E3 2013. “In my area of games, it’s easy to be a little bit insular,” he says. “I’d like to build more bridges between my space and the other creative industries. I’d also like the freedom to try out new ideas and styles and take some risks.”

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

W H AT

COM ES

NEXT… Being named as a Breakthrough Brit is just the start of a year-long programme to help each one climb to greater heights in their chosen careers. Here’s what’s to come…

hrough our high profile awards ceremonies, BAFTA is world-renowned for celebrating the best in artistic achievement at the very highest level in the film, television and games industries. But often what’s not so readily known is our work to nurture and promote new talent, those exceptionally creative individuals who are just a few steps away from making a name for themselves. The Breakthrough Brits initiative was developed with that express wish in mind. “There’s just an incredible array of talent,” says actress and Breakthrough Brits juror Felicity Jones. “It’s really important that this is encouraged… Getting into film

and television can be quite difficult. There isn’t an automatic route that you can take. It’s not like you can do a particular course and you’ll end up doing it as a career. So, if there’s any way of helping people out, I think it’s vital.” Being named as a Breakthrough Brit is just the start of a year-long journey for the 17 newcomers selected for this inaugural scheme. BAFTA recognises that each of the Breakthrough Brits is an individual talent, and so it is only appropriate that the professional assistance that we should provide in helping them take the next step in their career should also be a bespoke experience. Below: BAFTA Academy Circle event with Hayley Atwell and Dev Patel at Burberry. Opposite: Felicity Jones and Shane Meadows at the Breakthrough Brits jury panel.

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

life-long working partnerships and friendships. So BAFTA will be providing as many opportunities for the Breakthrough Brits to network as possible. As complimentary non-voting BAFTA members, they will be able to attend a year’s worth of our screenings and events in an extensive programme that covers a broad array of inspirational talent, informative skills and aspirational criteria. They will also have access to our members’ site at 195 Piccadilly for meetings, attend industry events and mix with their peers. We hope that our members, as well as wider industry professionals,

We will be using our considerable connections, through our members and contacts, to help each Breakthrough Brit meet those industry professionals who originally inspired them to follow their dreams, as well as those who may be able to assist them practically in their work. As such, the unique, intuitive and demonstrative advice that these established professionals can provide, including invaluable industry connections, will be tailored for each Breakthrough Brit, providing them with an organic programme that is based on their needs and wants. The mentoring aspect of the Breakthrough Brits was one of the reasons why writer-director Shane Meadows agreed to be a juror for the initiative. “The reason I took it on was because it was for ‘breakthrough’ people and there have been people in my life that have helped me – the producers I’ve met or, even further back, people in community centres that took a chance on me. So this was the one that I really felt like I should be part of. From my perspective, there are a couple of actors here that I’d probably pull in for auditions off the back of just their showreels.” Networking too has become a necessity for all industry professionals, and can provide the genesis of

will actively seek out our Breakthrough Brits with offers of support and potential work. This is just a snapshot of the experiences that await our Breakthrough Brits over the coming 12 months. We hope it will prove to be a fulfilling and invaluable experience for all 17 stars of the future, which will help them to reach their full potential. Each one has already shown that they have the talent, the next step is about ensuring they have the opportunity to make the most of it. “The dream for me as a kid was never to win an Oscar it was always to win a BAFTA,” remarks Meadows. “Hopefully, the panel and the jury are looking at people here that we think are going to be able to win BAFTAs in the future.”

The dream for me as a kid was to win a BAFTA. Hopefully, we’ve seen people here that are going to be able to win BAFTAs in the future. s h a n e m e a d ow s

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Rowan

Athale Writer/Director

ith a cast that includes Matthew Lewis, Iwan Rheon, Timothy Spall, Vanessa Kirby and Luke Treadaway, Rowan Athale’s debut feature film, The Rise, is set to catapult the first-time writer/director into the limelight, along with the film’s producer (and fellow Breakthrough Brit), Ed Barratt. Having premiered at the 2012 Toronto Film Festival and screened in competition at the BFI London Film Festival and Dinard the same year (under its original title, Wasteland ), the film has already garnered impressive reviews from critics and audiences alike. It’s a far cry from Athale’s first directorial duties as the creator of 45-second viral adverts. “The last two years have been the greatest I’ve ever experienced,” Athale remarks. “Making The Rise and receiving the recognition we did afterwards has been something I’ve worked hard for for a long time. There have been a lot of people involved in it, it’s not just me, but it really feels like it’s been a breakthrough. “There will never be a point where you stop learning,” he adds, “whether about new techniques or just advice from people who have already been there. I want to absorb as much as I can from as many people as I can.”

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Sharon

Rooney Actress

haron Rooney knew from a young age that she wanted to be a performer. Having first tried her hand at stand-up comedy (often performing as a comedy duo with her best friend), the Glaswegian-born Rooney chanced upon an audition for a televised version of Rae Earl’s novel My Fat, Mad Teenage Diary. Although the audition process was long, when she won the lead in E4’s adaptation she knew that she wanted to be an actor. Since the show began in January 2013, Rooney has impressed critics and viewers alike with the warmth and humour

she brings to the cripplingly insecure Rae, who faces some of the toughest and most distressing situations ever depicted in a British drama. Rooney’s rise shows no signs of slowing down either with a second series of My Mad Fat Diary due to air next year. In terms of role models, Rooney has set her sights high: 2013 double BAFTA winner Olivia Colman. “My aim is to have a career like hers,” she says. “I want to do stuff that has a heart and a soul. It’s not about fame or money, it’s about being true. If I can continue doing this in my career, then I’ll be happy.”

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Sophia

George Game Designer

ophia George’s credentials are impressive. After graduating from a Games Art and Design course at Norwich University of the Arts in 2011, she has already co-founded her own company, Swallowtail Games; released a bestseller (Tick Tock Toys) via the App Store in more than 40 countries; been named as one of the ‘Top 100 UK Women In Video Games’ by trade magazine MCV; and won the 2012 BAFTA Ones To Watch award, in association with Dare To Be Digital. This autumn sees George break yet more new ground by taking up the position of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s first resident game designer. During her six-month residency, she will be creating games concepts based on the British 1500 –1900 galleries as well as running public games events and workshops. George’s selection as a Breakthrough Brit is given further weight by her determination to encourage more women to enter the games industry. She has actively championed this at BAFTA’s Career Pathways Summit and other high profile public events. “I really love games,” she says, “but I know it has its problems. There’s still a gender divide, with a lot more men making games than women, so I’d love to try to encourage more girls to get into games.”

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Tom

Holland Actor

t the tender age of 17, actor Tom Holland is the youngest of this year’s Breakthrough Brits, but what he lacks in years he makes up for in talent. Holland was thrown in at the deep end in 2008 when he took on the titular role in Billy Elliot: The Musical in London’s West End, which he played for two years. He has added an impressive filmography to his credits, with high profile roles in JA Bayona’s The Impossible; Kevin Macdonald’s

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

How I Live Now; and Steven Knight’s Locke. He is also set to star in Ron Howard’s new feature, In The Heart Of The Sea. If any more proof was needed that Holland is an actor to watch then a line-up of accolades that includes Screen International’s Stars Of Tomorrow; the National Board Of Review’s Breakthrough Actor award; Young British Performer Of The Year at the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards; and an Empire Award for Best Male Newcomer, among others, should convince. “I’d love to meet a young director and work on a film from a very early stage,” says Holland. “Maybe have something to do with the writing, or to produce it. I’d like to meet someone who is looking for someone like me really.”

Zam

Salim Writer/Director

eing named a Breakthrough Brit is not writer-director Zam Salim’s first brush with BAFTA. In 2012, his feature-length film, Up There, won him both the Best Feature Film and Best Director awards at the BAFTA Scotland Awards, as well as numerous international festival awards. His debut in long-form film-making, Up There was an adaptation of Salim’s own short Laid Off, made in 2006.

Born and raised in Denton, Greater Manchester, and now living with his journalist wife in Glasgow, Salim is self-taught, learning his trade as a writer, director and editor by trial and error. “It’s great to be recognised by BAFTA,” he says about being named as a Breakthrough Brit. “I want to keep developing and any opportunity to push myself forwards is good as a filmmaker. You’re always on the cusp of something. I think it’s a slow journey – I’m not sure there’s such a thing as an overnight success, and if there is, it’s a very long night. It’s really about taking it one bit at a time, but always moving forward.”

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

CENTRE STAGE 195 PICCADILLY, THE HOME OF BAFTA With state-of-the-art technical facilities, exceptional catering and a superb location in the heart of London's Mayfair, 195 Piccadilly is the perfect venue to host your red carpet event.

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

020 7292 5860 events@195piccadilly.co.uk www.bafta.org/venue-hire 33

Dan Pearce Email

gamedesigndan@gmail.com Telephone

+44 (0)7539 357 062

you wish to make contact with any of the Breakthrough Brits, here are their details...

Twitter

@GameDesignDan Website

10secondninja.com

Dominic Mitchell Email

mitchelldominic@hotmail.com Telephone

+44 (0)7740 475 379 Twitter

@DomMitchell Agent

Tanya Tillett at Knight Hall Agency

Ade Oyefeso Agent

Gary Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Sullivan at Troika Agent email

Agent email

tanya@knighthallagency.com Agent telephone

+44 (0)20 3397 2901

gary@troikatalent.com

Ed Barratt

Agent telephone

+44 (0)20 7336 7868

Arthur Williams

ed@hookpictures.com Telephone

+44 (0)7734 868 366

Twitter

Website

arthurvw@hotmail.co.uk @arthurvw1986 Agent

Jonny McWilliams at Wasserman Media Group Agent email

jmcwilliams@wmgllc.com Agent telephone

+44 (0)20 7009 6007

Chloe Pirrie

@ed_barratt www.hookpictures.com

James Floyd Twitter

@iJamesFloyd Website

facebook.com/jamesfloydofficial Agent

Peter Brooks at CAM Agent emails

Twitter

@ChloePirriePie

pb@cam.co.uk (Peter Brooks) or meg@cam.co.uk (Meghan Shankar)

Agent

Agent telephone

Annalisa Gordon at Ken Mcreddie Associates

+44 (0)20 7292 0600

Agent email

annalisa@kenmcreddie.com Agent telephone

+44 (0)20 7439 1456

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

Mitu Khandaker

Sharon Rooney

Twitter

Agent

Websites

Agent email

mitu@thetiniestshark.com @MituK www.mitukhandaker.com thetiniestshark.com

Nisha Parti Email

nisha@partiproductions.co.uk Twitter

@partinator

Oliver Clarke Email

ollieclarkesjournal@gmail.com Telephone

@sharonrooney Gary Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Sullivan at Troika gary@troikatalent.com Agent telephone

+44 (0)20 7336 7868

Sophia George Email

sophia@swallowtailgames.com Twitter

@SophiaPretoria Websites

www.sophiageorge.com www.swallowtailgames.com

+44 (0)7905 123 909

Tom Holland

Twitter

Agent

@ollieclarke

Paul Brannigan Agent

Olivia Woodward at Curtis Brown Agent email

olivia@curtisbrown.co.uk Agent telephone

+44 (0)20 7393 4484

olivia@curtisbrown.co.uk

Zam Salim

Agent telephone

+44 (0)20 7393 4484

Rex Crowle

zpsalim@gmail.com Telephone

+44 (0)7977 557 510

Twitter

Website

Agent

rex@rexbox.co.uk @rexbox www.rexbox.co.uk

Rowan Athale Email

rowan@mischieffilms.com

@ZamSalim www.zamsalim.co.uk Michelle Archer at United Agents Agent email

marcher@unitedagents.co.uk Agent telephone

+44 (0)20 3214 0946

Twitter

@RowanAthale Agent

Mady Niel at 42 Agent email

madyniel@42mp.com Agent telephone

+44 (0)20 7292 0554

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

BREAKTHROUGH BRITS JURY

Thanks

John Willis Jury Chair

Georg Backer

Games Sub-Committee Chair

Hilary Bevan Jones

Film and Television Sub-Committee Chair

James Dean

Film and Television Sub-Committee Chair

Jacqueline Durran Jamal Edwards Dexter Fletcher Andy Harries Miles Jacobson Felicity Jones Daniel Kaluuya David Kosse Karen Lindsay-Stewart Kim Longinotto Philippa Lowthorpe Shane Meadows Abi Morgan Rageh Omaar Eddie Redmayne Jo Twist Rob Yescombe BREAKTHROUGH BRITS FILM AND TELEVISION SUB-COMMITTEE Amma Asante Maggie Brown Christopher Figg Olivia Lichtenstein Krish Majumdar Robin Parker Sara Putt Brian Welsh BREAKTHROUGH BRITS GAMES SUB-COMMITTEE Kim Blake Paulina Bozek Gina Jackson Imre Jele Lee Schuneman Guy Simmons Keith Stuart

BURBERRY FREUDS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Kate Lee and her team AUDI SAVOY HOTEL PHOTOSHOOT CREW Photographer Jessie Craig www.jessiecraig.com Producer Seona Taylor-Bell Production Assistant Sophie Tindall Make-up Artists Natsumi Narita, Untitled Artists London Ami Streets, LMC Worldwide Hair Stylists Elliot Bssila, Terri Manduca Darren Hau, Lovely Management Fashion Editor Francesca Turner Fashion Assistant Giulia Oddi Props Stylist Rosie Jenkins Location Loft Studios www.loftstudios.co.uk

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

BAFTA Credits EVENT AND PROJECT STAFF Senior Manager, Talent Development Alex Cook Project Producer Thalia Cassimatis Event and Legacy Producer Claire Stratton

BROCHURE Print Editor Toby Weidmann Communications Intern Olivia Dean Graphic Designer Adam Tuck

British Academy of Film and Television Arts 195 Piccadilly London w1j 9ln t: +44 (0)20 7734 0022 f : +44 (0)20 7292 5869 www.bafta.org Chairman John Willis

Event Producer Cassandra Neal

Chief Executive Amanda Berry obe

Event Researcher Evan Horan

Chief Operating Officer Kevin Price

Head of Partnerships Louise Robertson PR and Learning Campaigns Manager Niyi Akeju Digital Marketing and Projects Manager Genevieve Smith Digital Communications Manager Pippa Irvine

The Academy chooses Regency Satin, supporting excellence in print. Brochure printed on Regency Satin 270g/m2 (cover) and 150g/m2 (text) supplied by PaperlinX. The carbon impact of this paper has been measured and balanced through the World Land Trust, an ecological charity. www.paperlinx.com

Photography Director Janette Dalley Photographer Jamie Simonds BAFTA Productions Gareth Beeson David Capon Tom Coope Georgina Cunningham Cassandra Hybel Darren Lovell John Maloney

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013

T H E L E A D I N G I N D E P E N D E N T U K C H A R I T Y S U P P O R T I N G, D E V E LO P I N G A N D P R O M OT I N G T H E A R T F O R M S O F T H E M OV I N G I M A G E ¥ T H E L E A D I N G I N D EP EN D EN T U K CH A R I T Y SUPPORTING, DE VELOPIN G A ND PROMOTING THE A RT FOR MS O F TH E MOVI N G I M AGE ¥ TH E LE A DI N G I N DEPEN DENT U K C H A R I T Y S U P P O R T I N G, D E V E LO P I N G A N D P R O M OT I N G T H E ART FOR MS OF THE MOVING IM AGE ¥ THE LEADING I N D EPEN D EN T U K CH A RI T Y SU PP O RT I N G, D E VELO PI N G A N D PROMOTIN G THE A RT FOR MS OF THE MOVING I M AGE ¥ THE LE A DING INDEPENDENT UK CHA RIT Y SUPPORTING, DE VELOPING A ND PROMOTIN G THE A RT FOR MS OF THE MOVING I M AGE ¥ T H E L E A D I N G I N D E P E N D E N T U K C H A R I T Y S U P P O R T I N G, D E V E LO P I N G A N D P R O M OT I N G T H E A R T F O R M S O F T H E M OV I N G I M A G E ¥ T H E L E A D I N G I N D EP EN D EN T U K CH A R I T Y SUPPORTING, DE VELOPIN G A ND PROMOTING THE A RT FOR MS O F TH E MOVI N G I M AGE ¥ TH E LE A DI N G I N DEPEN DENT U K C H A R I T Y S U P P O R T I N G, D E V E LO P I N G A N D P R O M OT I N G T H E ART FOR MS OF THE MOVING IM AGE ¥ THE LEADING I N D EPEN D EN T U K CH A RI T Y SU PP O RT I N G, D E VELO PI N G A N D PROMOTIN G THE A RT FOR MS OF THE MOVING I M AGE ¥ THE LE A DING INDEPENDENT UK CHA RIT Y SUPPORTING, DE VELOPING A ND PROMOTIN G THE A RT FOR MS OF THE MOVING I M AGE ¥ T H E L E A D I N G I N D E P E N D E N T U K C H A R I T Y S U P P O R T I N G, D E V E LO P I N G A N D P R O M OT I N G T H E A R T F O R M S O F T H E M OV I N G I M A G E ¥ T H E L E A D I N G I N D EP EN D EN T U K CH A R I T Y SUPPORTING, DE VELOPIN G A ND PROMOTING THE A RT FOR MS O F TH E MOVI N G I M AGE ¥ TH E LE A DI N G I N DEPEN DENT U K C H A R I T Y S U P P O R T I N G, D E V E LO P I N G A N D P R O M OT I N G T H E ART FOR MS OF THE MOVING IM AGE ¥ THE LEADING I N D EPEN D EN T U K CH A RI T Y SU PP O RT I N G, D E VELO PI N G A N D PROMOTIN G THE A RT FOR MS OF THE MOVING I M AGE ¥ THE LE A DING INDEPENDENT UK CHA RIT Y SUPPORTING, DE VELOPING A ND PROMOTIN G THE A RT FOR MS OF THE MOVING I M AGE ¥

b r e a k t h r o u g h b r i t s 2 013