Castle

Greg Hall

Greg's work as a writer/director came to early notice while still studying, his second year documentary "Training" (2002) screened at the DFG's "Serious About Shorts" International Festival, and his graduate script "Front" (2003) won the Carlton TV Student Bursary Prize. Graduating at the age of twenty-two he shot his ultra low budget feature debut "The Plague" (2004), which landed critical acclaim on an international scale, screening globally and notching up three awards. Chosen by British director Mike Leigh to receive the inaugural Katrin Cartlidge Foundation Scholarship (10th Sarajevo Film Festival) he described it as "very exciting 21st Century cinema"; it also received the Best Director Award (Portobello Film Festival 2004) and the Audience Award for Best Feature (Raindance East Film Festival 2005). Industry Oracle "Variety" even described it as a "Cinderella story" and raised it to an international respectability with an outstanding review. "The Plague" was released theatrically in 2006 and commercially in 2007 in the UK, and the BBC has acquired the television rights, which has canonised the films impact, generating strong reviews and articles about the film, its production and the filmmakers involved. Since 2002 Greg has also worked under the umbrella of Collective Vision alongside nine other filmmakers. Originally created by Paco Sweetman while the group were all still studying as film students. The Collective have produced a number of short films together and organised occasional Collective Vision "Free Cinema" screening events. As well as "The Plague", Collective Vision also saw two more low budget features, "Bye Bye Miss Goodnight" (2005 Karan Kandhari/ Oslo Beach Films) and "Loony In The Woods" (2006 Leo Leigh/ Ramar Prods.). The accumulation of the Collectives successes came together in 2005 when Raw TV commissioned ten one minute films to be made by each filmmaker and screened on Channel 4 ("Raw Britannia"). Greg directed "Everybody Wants To Be An M.C" as part of the Collectives input and directed/edited four one minute episodes of "Hood Newz" which also aired as part of the programme. And also in the same year the Portobello Film Festival 2005 dedicated a night to a screening of the Collectives work. This packed event began with old rare short films, eclectic music videos and installations, a body of documentary work and climaxed with a showcasing of the latest and most recently cut short films. This last segment saw two short films, "Tenter Hooks" (2005 Leo&Leo/ Ramar Prods.) and "The Housewife" (2005 Paul Sheeky/ Triptree Films), both shot by Greg as a cinematographer. "The Housewife" has gone on to screen at festivals and TV and has received glowing reviews. Since 2005 Greg has also collaborated on music videos with the Beta Brothers which has seen the creation of some of his most creative work. Most notably as Co-Director/Co-Editor of Benjamin Zephaniah's "Rong Radio Station" (2005) and Director/Editor of Jehst's "Nuke Proof Suit" (2005) and Braintax's "Syriana Style" (2006). All of which have gained a massive following, on television and most notably online, due to their creatively innovative and social political content. He has most recently been commissioned by the Manchester International Festival (M.I.F) to complete a feature length film working with contemporary classical composer Steve Martland, entitled "KAPITAL" (2007). As Writer/Director, Greg has been given complete creative freedom and final cut on this, only his second feature, and it promises to be a mature step forward from his previous work. This unique commission has given him the chance to expand his usual artistic boundaries by collaborating in a number of innovating ways. Firstly using co-director Rebecca Finlay Hall to facilitate and co-create a three month secretive rehearsal period so that the film could be shot chronologically and improvised, with events unfolding on camera for the first time and the actors having to react deep in character. Secondly by working with cinematographer Jussi Syjra, moving away from the 'cinema verite' he is often associated with, to instead work with a gothic and structured cinematic visual. And thirdly in the post production with editor Paco Sweetman, where the film is being cut to Steve Martlands music, all of which has been scored and compossed without seeing the film. "Kapital" will premiere at M.I.F in the summer of 2007 to an international press and will feature alongside some of the World's most renowned and innovative artists working in music and art today. The past few years have seen Greg do a number of interviews online, for TV and in the printed press; he has always been very keen to talk about cinema and culture as social and political tools. Greg has spoken at the British Guild of Directors when attending the 48th London Film Festival alongside director Hugh Hudson. A year later he spoke on the future of cinema as part of "Screen Internationals" panel debate at the 49th London Film Festival, ran a 3 day workshop at the Young European Filmmakers Forum in Berlin 2005, and screened his work and talked about its context at the Re:Transmission event at the National Film Theatre in 2006. He often speaks at film festivals, events and universities regarding his own work and the media in general. His most current writing on cinema can be found in the "Cinematic Rant", which he works as a co-editor, and most recently online for the BBC Film Network.

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