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Founded | 1999 |
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Headquarters | Sheffield & London , United Kingdom |
Website | warpfilms |
Warp Films is an independent film and television production company based in Sheffield & London, UK. [1]
Warp Films was established by Warp Records founding partners Rob Mitchell and Steve Beckett. It was initially created with financial support from NESTA and had a remit to produce a number of short films. [1]
After the death of Rob Mitchell in 2001, Beckett decided to continue with Warp Films and enlisted the expertise of Sheffield friend Mark Herbert (who had just produced the critically acclaimed first series of Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights for Channel 4) to run the company. [1]
The first film, Chris Morris' My Wrongs#8245-8249 & 117 , was shot in 2002. It won the award for Best Short Film at the 2003 BAFTA Film Awards and became the first short film DVD single in the UK market. [1]
Through the star of My Wrongs, Paddy Considine, Herbert met director Shane Meadows and asked them to generate an idea for a film. Herbert raised the funding and the result was Warp Films debut feature, Dead Man's Shoes , directed by Shane Meadows in 2004. [1]
Shot in 22 days on a tight budget, and produced from Warp Films' Sheffield office (at that time a shed in Herbert's garden), it earned a BAFTA nomination, was nominated for a record eight British Independent Film Awards, won the Hitchcock D'or at the Dinard Festival, and won the Southbank award for Best Film. It received strong critical acclaim and has been hailed as a landmark in British cinema. [1] It was ranked No. 27 in Empire magazines list of the best British films ever
In 2005, Warp Films produced Rubber Johnny, an experimental short and 42-page book by director Chris Cunningham, featuring music by Warp Records artist Aphex Twin. [1]
Warp Films break-out success came with Shane Meadows' This Is England , the story of Shaun, a boy who is adopted by a local skinhead gang after his father is killed in the Falklands war. Since its release in early 2007 it has gained many awards including the Best Film at the British Independent Films Awards, the Special Jury Prize at the Rome Film Festival and Best British Film at the BAFTAs. [1]
At the same ceremony, Warp Films received its third BAFTA as Paddy Considine's directorial debut Dog Altogether won the Best Short Film award. [1]
Three months after This Is England was released in cinemas, Warp's third feature film, Grow Your Own , was released by Pathe. The film was Warp's first collaboration with BBC Films. The film was directed by Richard Laxton and written by Frank Cottrell Boyce and Carl Hunter, developed from stories Carl had uncovered in his documentary work about the travails of immigrants. Produced by Barry Ryan for Warp Films, Luke Alkin for BBC Films and Carl Hunter for Art in Action.
In 2004, Warp Films made a significant expansion in its capacity. Robin Gutch joined Mark Herbert and Barry Ryan to devise the Warp bid for the Low Budget Film Scheme tender put out by Film4 and UK Film Council. The Warp bid was backed by Optimum Releasing, Screen Yorkshire and EM Media. Warp won the tender against stiff competition and Warp X was formally set up as Warp X in 2005 as a low-budget digital 'studio' to develop and produce films with focus on new talent and commercial potential. [2]
The first projects under the new label were Chris Waitt's A Complete History of My Sexual Failures and Olly Blackburn's Donkey Punch , which were both launched at the Sundance International Film Festival in 2007. [3] These were followed by Mark Tonderai's Hush [4] Paul King's Bunny & the Bull [5] (Toronto International Film Festival 2009, [6] BIFA award for Best Production Achievement 2010, [7] ) Xiaolu Guo's She, a Chinese [8] ( in collaboration with Tiger Lily Films) which won the Golden Leopard at the Locarno International Film Festival [9] ) .
Another Warp X production was 2009 documentary All Tomorrow's Parties , covering the history of the All Tomorrow's Parties music festival. The film was created using footage generated by the fans and musicians attending the events themselves, on a multitude of formats including Super8, camcorder and mobile phone.
In 2009, Warp films produced Exhibit A , a groundbreaking pseudo-documentary film. The film was awarded the title of 'Best UK feature' at the Raindance Film Festival [10] and was nominated for three British Independent Film Awards [11] receiving particular credit for its standout cast. [12]
In 2010, Warp Films produced Chris Morris’s debut feature Four Lions , a satirical comedy drama following a group of homegrown Islamic terrorists from Sheffield, England. The film was a critical and box office success, achieving impressive numbers at the box office on its opening weekend, generating the highest site average of all the new releases (£5,292) and making a total of £609,000. As of 8 August 2010, Four Lions grossed £2,932,366 at the UK box office. [13] The film was nominated for two BAFTA awards; it won the 'Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, director, or Producer' BAFTA award for Chris Morris. [14]
Richard Ayoade's debut feature Submarine starring Noah Taylor, Sally Hawkins and Paddy Considine premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2010 [15] and was released in the UK during March 2011 by Optimum Releasing. It was distributed in the US by The Weinstein Company. [16]
The film was met with high critical acclaim, and featured original songs by Arctic Monkeys front man Alex Turner. Submarine has won many awards worldwide, including the Best Screenplay award at the 2011 British Independent Film Awards. Richard Ayoade was nominated for a BAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer at the 65th British Academy Film Awards [17]
Warp Films 2010 television production for Channel 4, Shane Meadows' This Is England '86 , was a continuation from the 2006 film. It aired over four weekly episodes and received numerous plaudits, including a BAFTA award for leading actress Vicky McClure. [18] It achieved record viewing figures for Channel 4. [19]
Warp X production Kill List was released in the UK on 28 August 2011. [20] Directed by Ben Wheatley, the film stars Neil Maskell, Michael Smiley and MyAnna Buring. It has gone on to win several awards internationally, including a British Independent Film Award for supporting actor Michael Smiley. [21] Kill List has received strong critical acclaim, with Total Film declaring it 'Outstanding' and giving a 5 star rating. [22] It was released in the US by IFC films. [23]
Tyrannosaur , also produced through Warp X, was released in 2011. Directed by Paddy Considine, it was an exploration of how love and friendship can be found in the darkest of places. Tyrannosaur stars Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman and Eddie Marsan. [24] It has received strong critical acclaim and won the BAFTA for 'Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, director, or Producer' for director Paddy Considine and producer Diarmid Scrimshaw. [25]
2011 also saw the world premiere of Justin Kurzel's Snowtown in Semaine du Critiique at the Cannes International Film Festival. [26] In 2008, Warp Films had established Warp Films Australia in Melbourne, headed up by Anna McLeish. [27] The film has received widespread acclaim and won numerous awards internationally, including four awards at the Australian Academy Cinema Television Awards. In late 2015, the partnership ended with the setting up of Carver Films by Anna McLeish and Sarah Shaw. [28]
This Is England '88 , the sequel to the 2010 television series This Is England '86, aired on Channel 4 over three consecutive nights from 13 December 2011. [29] Set two and half years after '86, it received strong critical praise. The series had high viewing figures, with 2.5 million people tuning-in to watch the first episode. [30]
Warp Films / Warp X productions, Tyrannosaur, Kill List and Submarine were nominated for a total of 18 awards at the 2011 British Independent Film Awards. [31]
Warp Films successfully ran a crowd-funding campaign to fund four short films shot at the All Tomorrow's Parties music festival by Vincent Moon, using the website Kickstarter.com. The project reached its funding goal on 15 October and the films are currently in post-production. [32]
Warp Films produced three 30-minute television dramas for the Sky Arts Playhouse Presents season. These were The Minor Character , written by Will Self and starring David Tennant (which was Sky Arts highest rating commission on the channel [33] ), The Snipist directed by Matthew Holness and The District Nurse starring Gina McKee. [34]
Title | Year | Director |
---|---|---|
This Is England '86 | 2010 | Shane Meadows & Tom Harper |
This is England '88 | 2011 | Shane Meadows |
Southcliffe | 2013 | Sean Durkin |
This is England '90 | 2015 | Shane Meadows |
The Last Panthers | 2015 | Johan Renck |
The Virtues | 2019 | Shane Meadows |
Little Birds | 2020 | Stacie Passon |
Title | Year | Director |
---|---|---|
Dead Man's Shoes | 2004 | Shane Meadows |
This Is England | 2006 | Shane Meadows |
Grow Your Own | 2007 | Richard Laxton |
Arctic Monkeys at the Apollo | 2008 | Richard Ayoade |
The Mighty Boosh Live: Future Sailors Tour | 2009 | Paul King |
Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee | 2009 | Shane Meadows |
Exhibit A | 2009 | Dom Rotheroe |
Four Lions | 2010 | Chris Morris |
Submarine | 2010 | Richard Ayoade |
Snowtown | 2011 | Justin Kurzel |
The Stone Roses: Made of Stone | 2013 | Shane Meadows |
'71 | 2014 | Yann Demange |
Ghost Stories | 2017 | Jeremy Dyson & Andy Nyman |
Yardie | 2018 | Idris Elba |
The Death and Life of John F. Donovan | 2018 | Xavier Dolan |
Everybody's Talking About Jamie | 2021 | Jonathan Butterell |
Title | Year | Director |
---|---|---|
A Complete History of My Sexual Failures | 2008 | Chris Waitt |
Donkey Punch | 2008 | Oliver Blackburn |
Hush | 2009 | Mark Tonderai |
All Tomorrow's Parties | 2009 | All Tomorrow's People & Jonathan Caouette |
Bunny and the Bull | 2009 | Paul King |
She, a Chinese | 2009 | Xiaolu Guo |
Tyrannosaur | 2011 | Paddy Considine |
Kill List | 2011 | Ben Wheatley |
Berberian Sound Studio | 2012 | Peter Strickland |
For Those in Peril | 2013 | Paul Wright |
Title | Year | Director |
---|---|---|
Fur TV | 2008 | Chris Waitt |
The Minor Character | 2012 | Richard Curson Smith |
The Snipist | 2012 | Matthew Holness |
Care | 2012 | Amanda Boyle |
Privado | 2012 | Jim Hosking |
The Midnight Beast | 2012 | Ben Gregor |
The Midnight Beast 2 | 2014 | Al Campbell |
Liam Williams'Valentine | 2017 | Jonathan Schey |
Title | Year | Director |
---|---|---|
My Wrongs #8245–8249 & 117 | 2002 | Chris Morris |
Rubber Johnny | 2005 | Chris Cunningham |
Scummy Man | 2006 | Paul Fraser |
Dogs Mercury | 2006 | Martin Radich |
Dog Altogether | 2007 | Paddy Considine |
Slippin' | 2007 | Jason Nwansi |
The Archivist | 2008 | James Lees |
Curtains | 2009 | Julian Barratt |
The Taxidermist | 2009 | Bert and Bertie |
A Gun for George | 2010 | Matthew Holness |
The Organ Grinders Monkey | 2011 | Jake and Dinos Chapman |
Swimmer | 2012 | Lynne Ramsay |
The Beast | 2013 | Corinna Faith |
No Kaddish in Carmarthen | 2013 | Jesse Armstrong |
Dr Easy | 2013 | Shynola |
Liam and Lenka | 2014 | Michael Keillor |
The Tale of Hillbelly | 2016 | Isaiah Saxon, Sean Hellfritsch & Daren Rabinovitch |
Unseen | 2017 | Katie Mitchell |
Christopher J Morris is an English comedian, radio presenter, actor, and filmmaker. Known for his deadpan, dark humour, surrealism, and controversial subject matter, he has been praised by the British Film Institute for his "uncompromising, moralistic drive".
Lynne Ramsay is a Scottish film director, writer, producer, and cinematographer best known for the feature films Ratcatcher (1999), Morvern Callar (2002), We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011), and You Were Never Really Here (2017).
Sarah Caroline Sinclair, known professionally as Olivia Colman, is an English actress. Known for her comedic and dramatic roles in film and television, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, two Emmy Awards, three British Academy Television Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards.
John Ronald Simm is an English actor, director, and musician. He is best known for playing Sam Tyler in Life on Mars, the Master in Doctor Who, and DS Roy Grace in Grace. His other television credits include State of Play, The Lakes, Crime and Punishment, Exile, Prey, and Cracker. His film roles include Wonderland, Everyday, Boston Kickout, Human Traffic and 24 Hour Party People. He has twice been nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor.
Patrick George Considine is an English actor, director, and screenwriter. He frequently collaborates with filmmaker/director Shane Meadows. He has received two British Academy Film Awards, three Evening Standard British Film Awards, British Independent Film Awards and a Silver Lion for Best Short Film at the 2007 Venice Film Festival.
My Summer of Love is a 2004 British drama film directed by Paweł Pawlikowski and co-written by Pawlikowski and Michael Wynne. Based on the 2001 novel of the same name by Helen Cross, the film explores the romantic relationship between two young women from different classes and backgrounds. Working class Mona, whose once-hotheaded brother Phil became a born-again Christian in prison, meets upper middle class Tamsin who suffers from a lack of love in her family. Filmed in West Yorkshire, the film went on to win a BAFTA.
Shane Meadows is an English director, screenwriter and actor, known for his work in independent film, most notably the cult film This Is England (2006) and its three sequels (2010–2015).
Dead Man's Shoes is a 2004 British psychological thriller film directed by Shane Meadows and starring Paddy Considine, both of whom co-wrote the film with Paul Fraser. The film also stars Toby Kebbell, Gary Stretch and Stuart Wolfenden. It was released in the United Kingdom on 1 October 2004 and in the United States on 12 May 2006. Filming took place in the summer of 2003 over the course of three weeks.
The 7th British Independent Film Awards, held on November 30, 2004 at the Hammersmith Palais, London, honoured the best British independent films of 2004.
Natalie Press is an English actress. She is known for her performance in the 2004 film My Summer of Love and a number of short and feature-length independent films, including Wasp (2003), which won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. In 2008, her performance in Fifty Dead Men Walking earned her a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female. In 2010, she was nominated for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for her work in the three-hour BBC miniseries Five Daughters.
Paul Popplewell is a British actor having played Simon in the BBC television drama Criminal (1994), Happy Mondays Paul Ryder in 24 Hour Party People (2001), Tyrannosaur, Black Mirror'sFifteen Million Merits (2011), and as Paul Pegg in Casualty (2021-2023).
Pia Di Ciaula ACE, CCE is a BAFTA winning international film editor best known for editing 'A Very English Scandal', 'The Crown' and 'Tyrannosaur'.
Dog Altogether is a short film written and directed by Paddy Considine. The term "Dog Altogether" comes from an Irish expression that Considine's father used to use when situations got really bad. It was filmed on 22 January 2007 in Glasgow.
The Leisure Society are an English rock band formed by Nick Hemming and Christian Hardy of Burton upon Trent.
Johnny Harris is an English actor, screenwriter, producer and director best known for his roles in film and television, including Without Sin, Jawbone, This is England '86, A Christmas Carol, The Salisbury Poisonings, Medici, Troy: Fall of a City, Snow White and the Huntsman, Fortitude, Monsters: Dark Continent, The Fades, Welcome to the Punch, and London to Brighton.
Theo Green is an ASCAP Award-winning British composer and Oscar winning sound designer. He is known for his music for The Gambler, House at the End of the Street, his Academy Award nominated sound design for Blade Runner 2049. and his Academy Award winning sound design for Dune,.
Tyrannosaur is a 2011 British drama film written and directed by Paddy Considine and starring Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman, Eddie Marsan, Paul Popplewell and Sally Carman.
Warp X is a British film production company, sister to Warp Films based in Sheffield, UK with further offices in Nottingham and London. The company was founded in 2005 and produces feature films.
Snowtown is a 2011 Australian biographical crime drama directed by Justin Kurzel in his directorial debut and written by Shaun Grant based on the true story of the Snowtown murders.
The 14th British Independent Film Awards, held on 4 December 2011 at the Old Billingsgate Market in central London, honoured the best British independent films of 2011.
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