Alby James
Former Head of Development at Eon Screenwriters’ Workshop in London. He is a board member of First Light Movies in the UK. He is a jury member and mentor for the Script Station and Actors Workshop. Since 2008 he has also been a jury member of the Berlinale’s World Cinema Fund.
Programme events at the Berlinale Talent Campus:
Alby James, Fred Roos, Rajendra Roy
In co-operation with the Hamptons International Film Festival.
This presentation allows a unique glimpse into the casting process for feature films and how they are made. Festival director Rajendra Roy (Hamptons International Film Festival) will talk with producer and casting director Fred Roos (THE GODFATHER , LOST IN TRANSLATION) about the crucial moment when a written character becomes a real person. The casting process is teamwork, involving all film professions: producers, casting directors, actors, writers and directors.
For actors, one script reading can decide their entire future, while at the same time it is their daily business and they have to improve, day by day, their ability to translate a script into a visual experience in body and mind. 11 scripts have been selected for the Script Clinic of the Campus, that means 11 writers can work on the development of their projects with international experts. As one of the most successful formats of the Berlinale Talent Campus, selected scenes from these Sparkling Tales will be presented for the first time in public written, directed and performed by Talents.
moderated by Alby James
The success of a film depends on the moment the script is woken to life. It is the first time the writer faces the people with whom he or she spent the most intimate moments: the written characters. For the actor or the actress it is the first time to slip into the skin and the personality of a stranger. Alby James, Head of EON Screenwriters’ Workshop, will present a unique glimpse into the hands-on sector of the Berlinale Talent Campus: Acting Talents reading selected scenes from Script Station screenplays in development.
David Thompson, moderated by Alby James
The ultimate expression of a script is when it interacts emotionally with the audience. This is when the writer faces the people with whom he or she spent the most intimate moments over a stretch of time: the written characters. For the actor or the actress it is the first time to slip into the skin and mirror the personality of a stranger. Alby James, Head of EON Screenwriters’ Workshop, presents a unique glimpse into this hands-on sector of the Berlinale Talent Campus: Acting talents reading selected scenes from Script Station screenplays in development. Former head of BBC Films, producer David Thompson, who launched his independent production company Origin Pictures in 2008, gives concrete feedback on all presented Script Station projects.
Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, Don Edkins, Alby James, Nashen Moodley, Pedro Pimenta, Sophie Salbot, Selina Ukwuoma, moderated by Michael Auret, Rumbi Katedza
The session addresses film professionals from or interested in working in Subsaharan Africa. Talents will be introduced to some of the key players present in Berlin, who will talk about their range of activities. Additionally, an overview of events highlighting African cinema at the Berlinale will be provided along with strategic advice on navigating the festival in general.
Alby James
Focusing on dialogue training in tandem with the Talent Actors Stage (p.25), this session will have Talent actors explore selected scenes and characters from two of the Script Station projects. Engaging in a deep exploration of storytelling and interpretation for performance guided by Alby James, Talent actors will immerse themselves in the scenes and embody their roles, creating real, intriguing characters and making dialogues and story lines come alive.
Alby James, a successful theater director for fifteen years before he moved into films, radio and television drama, was previously Head of Development with EON Screenwriters’ Workshop in London, and is currently working as an independent producer. Talents of the Script Station are invited to observe their screenplays come to life for the first time and get fresh insights into their characters from the actors’ take on their scripts. Actors and scriptwriters will have the opportunity to offer suggestions and comments during the session.