News - 10/06/2008

The Planet - Now on Sale

Stirton Productions 'The Planet,' is now available in North America through MTI Home Video. It can also be bought online from Amazon.com here. The dvd is in NTSC widescreen with making of feature and biographies.

 

News - 08/10/2007

Award Notification

The recent showing of 'The Planet,' atThe Festival of Fantastic Film in Manchester has resulted in it's first award. It received a 'Highly Commended' in the independent film category along with "Chill" directed by Serge Rodnunsky (USA) and "Something Beneath" directed by David Winning (USA).

Needles to say we are all very pleased with the award, and would like to thank all involved in it's selection.

 

News - 09/11/2006

Announcement of new project.

It has been an extremely interesting and rewarding year for Stirton Productions. We finally completed work on our first feature length production ‘The Planet’ and we were delighted with the positive nature of the reviews. To have the film shown at the Belmont cinema and on Propeller TV was a tremendous boost and to finish the year with a six-figure deal to produce new work, was as good a result as we could possibly have asked for.

As I said, it’s been an interesting year. I would like to take a moment to thank the cast and crew of ‘The Planet’. Not just for sticking with me during the shoot, but during the re-shoots, the pick-ups, the dubbing sessions, the test screenings and the final premiere night. It is no small thing to stick with a project for 2 years and my gratitude goes out to each and every crewmember.

It is now my pleasure to announce that we have secured a six-figure sum for a co-production between Stirton Productions and Cannyfilms Partnership Ltd. We are looking forward to working with our new partners to ensure that ‘One Day Removals’ is as good a film as we can possibly make. We are also hopeful that this will be the first of many co-productions with Cannyfilms.

‘One Day Removals’ will star veterans of ‘The Planet’ Patrick Wight and Scott Ironside. Anyone who saw ‘The Planet’ will have noticed the potential of these two performers and it is a pleasure to be working with them again.
The film will be a re-imagining of an early short film of ours called ‘Removals’. This short was well received and I always wanted to expand the original idea and to get to know the characters more intimately. Which, thanks to our new co-production deal, is exactly what we are going to do.
The movie will be filmed using the latest HD equipment and eventually transferred onto film.

We are looking forward to the creative and technical challenges ahead of us and as director I am looking forward to working with so many of the people who made ‘The Planet’ such an amazing experience.

Mark Stirton
Director

 

News - 08/08/2006

Lot of news since our last update. 'The Planet', is receiving rave reviews and getting lots of press coverage and we have just signed a deal with Propeller TV, (SKY channel 195) for broadcasting rights for the movie. Transmission dates will be available soon. Also the first public screening will be held at the Belmont Cinema in Aberdeen on September 6th, tickets will be available from August 11th via the cinema website or at the cinema in Belmont Street.

Stirton Productions is now looking for investors or commercial backing for its latest project, Viking Burial (a romantic comedy adventure set in modern day Scotland). Any interested parties should contact Mark Stirton.

News - 23/06/2006

The Stirton Productions store is open and ready for business. To access use the STORE link on the left or click STORE

News 17/04/06..... Finished work on 'The Planet.' For further information visit The Films link on the left or see our current press release.

Pre update warning 10/03/06..... Much exciting stuff to update soon, so stay on the edge of your seats and pin back your eye parts to await the new precious things.

News: 25/05/04

Aberdeen film producer turns Balmedie into alien planet.
When aspiring film writer, Mark Stirton, wrote his first script, little did he think it would take him 15 years to see the finished article.
But after a hectic filming schedule, the Aberdeen producer is now busy putting the final touches to the 80-minute science-fiction movie.

“It was the first film I wrote – 15 years ago. I thought I could pull it off then. But the time was right now and there have been advances in technology which have since made it possible,” added Mark.
Balmedie Beach was cunningly disguised as an alien planet for the film which featured Aberdeen’s internationally famous body-builder, Mike Mitchell.

Unleashed, which was written, produced and directed by Mark, and made on a budget of just £6000, tells the story of space mission which goes wrong,
The action film, which boasts numerous special effects and lots of gore, also featured popular Aberdeen entertainer, Patrice, in his movie debut.

Mark was full of praise for his all-male crew, who had to help carry heavy kit and equipment, along the dunes.
“Trying to get 80 minutes shot in 10 days was extremely hard and eventually we had to run into 11 days. It was the hardest shoot I have been on with the added hazard that sand gets into everything,” he said.
He is busy editing the film which, he quite happily admits, is not targeted at the home market. Last year, his black comedy, Removals, was well received when premiered in Glasgow. Despite being delivered in the Doric, he could not get an Aberdeen venue to agree to screen it.
“Unleashed has been planned with international audiences in mind and I will take it to the US, France and Turkey – where Mike is very popular.

“He is always being compared to Schwarzenegger but he is a much better actor. He is not gung ho and he learned big speeches of technical dialogue which he delivered well.”
Mark added that it would not have been possible to make his dream become a reality without the support of Turner Van Hire, Balmoral Water Tanks and the Aberdeen Film Office.
Now he has sponsors who want to take him to Los Angeles and he hopes to jet off to Hollywood early next year.

 

News: 25/02/04

Things are happening in Stirton Productions land. A small article in the local paper (Press & Journal) seemed to grab people's attention. Asking for some help with the new film has led to hundreds of queries, many thank's to all that have offered assistance or have came forward to get a part in the planned film 'Unleashed.'

I must admit, I was a bit vague about what sort of people I wanted for the film. Ideally, 10 ex-special forces veterans with their own equipment would have been good, but the people who have applied so far have been of a very high caliber.

Details on the new project will come out in time, along with some publicity material to gauge interest in, what is, a very ambitious film for the area.

For interest, here is the feature from the local paper.

FILM-MAKER SEARCHES FOR NEW ACTORS TO JOIN PROJECT

LEAH WILLIAMSON

09:00 - 21 February 2004

Budding movie stars are being sought for an Aberdeen film-maker's latest project.

Mark Stirton is looking for 10 actors, unwanted Army surplus or military hardware and a small workshop where he can create an art department.

His project Unleashed is an 80-minute horror film, which will be filmed in the north-east.

Mr Stirton said: "It is an ambitious project. I tried to pull it off years ago but I am determined to do it this time and do it here."

Last year, his short black comedy Removals met with acclaim from industry heads when it was premiered in a Glasgow cinema.

The 30-minute film was shot in and around Fyvie, Banchory and Aberdeen, but Mr Stirton could not get any cinema in Aberdeen to screen it.

The director said he had been disappointed with the apparent lack of support in the north-east and had been left with no option but to film another of his projects, Viking Burial, in Glasgow.

"I don't feel there is enough promotion or networking in the area for local films," he said.

"If production companies in Glasgow are offering to help a north-east film, I can't understand why it's not happening in the north-east."

Grampian Film Commissioner Joyce Ogilvie said she was disappointed the director felt he had received little local support. But she admitted the local Film Office was still at an early stage in its development.

Viking Burial casts Doctor Who legend Tom Baker as an Aberdeen University professor in a black comedy featuring body snatching and a bizarre battle against the odds.

It features a group of 30-something friends who met at university. One of them dies and his last request is to have a Viking funeral in the sea off Cove.

To meet their friend's dying wish, the group faces the daunting task of stealing his body and building a full-size longboat without getting caught.

Baker plays a kindly but eccentric Aberdeen University history professor who offers sage advice to his former students.

Anyone able to assist Mr Stirton can contact him at www.stirtonproductions.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All material, concepts and images are copyright of Stirton Productions 2006.