Lecturers launch Staffs film initiative

A FILM production company which aims to harness the talents of Staffordshire’s finest film-makers has launched at Staffordshire University.

Founded by Staffordshire University film production technology lecturers James Fair and Peter Rudge, Grand Independent will develop, produce and distribute films and documentaries.

The launch took place ahead of the screening of Fair’s new documentary, ‘A Saharan Diary’ – as part of the Stoke Your Fires film festival at the Mitchell Arts Centre in Stoke-on-Trent.

Fair, a film technology lecturer at the university, said: “As an industry we’ve relied on government for funding. We’ve set this up with the aim of making industry for independent film-makers sustainable. There is an incredible amount of content being created in Staffordshire that is hitting a dead end at the moment and that is something we want to address.

“Through our links with film festivals such as Melbourne, Raindance, Galway and Stoke Your Fires and our well established presence in the Berlin and American film markets we can help projects get out into the world.”

As a commercial enterprise, Grand Independent, is available to filmmakers outside of the university.

Staffordshire University vice-chancellor Professor Michael Gunn said: “Spin-out companies are a really important part of what we do in enabling advantage to be taken of the ideas and developments that are generated within the university for the benefit of the local economy and society.”