DECEMBER 2020

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2020...  you've been pretty brutal.

We can only hope for brighter and more forgiving years ahead. We'll continue to look for the positives and we'll try to make the world a kinder place. With hope and optimism, we raise a glass to 2020, politely bid it farewell, and take a big step into 2021.

A huge thank you to all of our clients and partners for their support and hard work over the past 12 months. You're all amazing - and give us faith that next year will be better than the last. Happy new year everyone!

We're delighted to have been selected to take part in FOCUS Bootcamp - a course aimed to equip young screen companies with the skills, knowledge and contacts that they need to grow and thrive.

Click here to find out more. 

Bass Rock Films is focused on continuous improvement - both in our creative content and in the way we do business. We aim to continue to grow and thrive in Scotland's screen sector, and we're excited to begin this journey with FOCUS.

One of the few up-sides of being increasingly stuck inside has been the extra time allowed for box-set binging. There have been some stellar documentary series broadcast over the past few months, including 'Once Upon a Time in Iraq' and 'Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty'. Masterfully edited, compelling and gripping - both showcase filmmakers at the top of their game. Closer to home, Murder Squad on BBC Scotland has also been superb. 

Most excitingly however, we've managed to conquer Ken Burns' epic 'The Vietnam War'. With 10 episodes (each about an hour and half) this is no mean feat - but wow - it's brilliant. Sad, shocking - but brilliant. Throughout, you realise how many similarities there are between America in the late 1960s and that same country today. The same broad issues are at stake and the belief systems are just as entrenched.  Fundamentally it tells a story of lessons not being learnt - and unfortunately, the cycle continues across the world today:  morally bankrupt politicians focussed on their personal stories,  sacrificing others in that pursuit. 

What a joy it is to be back out filming! After being cooped up for so long it's been a wonderful relief to be (safely) pursuing creative projects with other people once again. 

Beautiful highland weather, good risk assessments and small experienced crews have allowed us to operate within the Covid guidelines - and hopefully we'll produce some superb content as a result. 

We've all got to do our part to ensure we get through it,  but there's no point denying that it's been really tough at times. The pandemic has reminded us how lucky we are to work as documentary filmmakers. It's been rewarding and energising to be back out exploring. 

We're delighted that 'Our Fathers' is now available on BBC iPlayer, following its broadcast on BBC Scotland. We've had some lovely feedback - plus a variety of print and radio coverage in the last few days.  

Zoe and Kieran also took part in a zoom call with the SDI to chat about making the film. You can catch it here:

https://www.scottishdocinstitute.com/masterclasses/making-our-fathers/

Huge shout-out to the wonderful Zoe Hunter Gordon, Thomas Hogben and Erike Iesse - and everyone at the Scottish Documentary Institute, Screen Scotland and BBC Scotland. We hope you all enjoy watching the film as much as we did making it. 

Every 10 years since 1952, Sight & Sound magazine has compiled a list of the greatest films ever made. Chosen by critics, the most recent edition saw Citizen Kane knocked off the top by Vertigo. The list is fascinating and now I realise how many classics still need to watched!

https://www.bfi.org.uk/greatest-films-all-time

Thankfully, one of the few opportunities of lockdown has been the chance to sort this out. We've been rewatching the likes of Citizen Kane and Casablanca - and viewing Tokyo Story for the first time. This morning we had the pleasure of watching Man With A Movie Camera (1929) - commonly recognised as the greatest documentary every made. Such a wonderfully vivid, innovative and compelling film. 

'Our Fathers' will premiere at Glasgow Film Festival - before it subsequently broadcasts on BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer.

Tickets for the screening on 3rd March are available here: 

https://glasgowfilm.org/shows/right-here-long-live-livitime-to-flyour-fathers-nc-15

For more information about the SDI's Right Here initiative, click here: 

https://www.scottishdocinstitute.com/2020/02/03/right-here-gff/

In the last couple of weeks, plenty of people have announced their top films of the 2010s... and we didn't want to miss out on the fun! Cinema (like the decade itself) has had its ups and downs - but there have been some superb additions to the big screen. After lots of deliberation - our ten favourite films of the decade are:

10. Lady Bird (2017) Dir. Greta Gerwig

9. Arrival (2016) Dir. Denis Villeneuve

8. Blade Runner 2049 (2017) Dir. Denis Villeneuve

7. Moonlight (2016) Dir. Barry Jenkins

6. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) Dir. Ethan Coen and Joel Coen

5. The Act of Killing (2012) Dir. Joshua Oppenheimer

4. Get Out (2017) Dir. Jordan Peele

3. Searching For Sugarman (2012) Dir. Malik Bendjelloul

2. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) Dir. George Miller 

1. Free Solo (2018) Dir. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin