Scottish Director Ryan Hendrick Inks With Zero Gravity Management, Preps Christmas Pic ‘Perfect Strangers’
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EXCLUSIVE: Ryan Hendrick, the Scottish Bafta-nominated filmmaker, has signed with the UK wing of management firm Zero Gravity.
The news comes as Hendrick heads into production on feature movie Perfect Strangers, a Scotland-set Christmas tale about two strangers who find themselves stranded in the Scottish Highlands on Christmas Eve. Putting aside their own personal turmoil they reluctantly decide to team up to try and get home for Christmas.
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The feature is based on Hendrick’s own short film of the same name, which was nominated for a Scottish BAFTA.
Cast includes Natalie Clark (Still Game), Kenny Boyle (Hero Worship), Sylvester McCoy (The Hobbit), Sanjeev Kohli (Stan & Ollie), Clare Grogan (Gregory’s Girl), Caitlin Blackwood (Dr Who), Frazer Hines (Outlander), Karen Bartke (Scot Squad), Nicolette McKeown (Convergence), theater actor Alasdair McCrone and newcomer Alexander Teunion.
The project comes from Hendrick’s own company Magic Monkey Films, which he founded with David Newman. The outfit is now building a slate of films with “optimistic and escapist themes” and has secured backing from Scotland-based angel finance group Apollo Informal Investments to develop and produce a series of low-budget, commercially-focused pictures.
Hendrick is directing Perfect Strangers from his own screenplay, written with writing partner Clare Sheppard. Newman is producing, while John Rhodes has been attached as DoP.
Finance comes from Apollo Informal Investments and Moonglass Music. Additional support and sponsorship comes from Ben Nevis Distillery and CutMustard TV.
“This is something very different from what we normally do but we are very excited to support the Scottish Film Industry,” said Michiel Smith of Apollo Informal Investments.
“The investment from Apollo is a breath of fresh air, it gives us the freedom and opportunity to re-examine how films can be made in Scotland and the UK,” added Hendrick.
Zero Gravity’s UK arm has quietly built up its client roster in recent months, having also signed Fisherman’s Friends director Chris Foggin and graphic novel author Tony Lee.
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