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James McAvoy is currently in theaters starring in Speak No Evil, but the actor is also preparing to step behind the camera with his directorial debut, California Schemin’.

When asked about the process of getting ready to film, McAvoy said he was “excited” to experience the “whole new world” of prep work as a director.

“It’s a whole new world for me to do this,” the actor told The Hollywood Reporter at the Speak No Evil premiere in New York earlier this month. “I’ve got experience with everything else after we start rehearsals. This whole period of prep, I’ve never been a part of it, so I’m excited.”

As for how things are going, McAvoy said, “It’s going.”

“We’re working on the script; we’re casting actors, and we’re just gearing up, building a little army, which is what you do,” he said.

James McAvoy‘s directorial debut California Schemin‘ about a hip-hop hoax has presold to StudioCanal for the U.K. and Ireland and a range of other international markets.

The movie is based on the true story of Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd, two friends from Dundee, Scotland, who conned the music industry by using American accents and pretending to be a Californian rap duo called Silibil N’ Brains. The project is based on Bain’s autobiography of the same name, which was reprinted under the title Straight Outta Scotland. The duo’s story was previously told in the 2013 documentary The Great Hip Hop Hoax.

McAvoy will not only direct, but also have a supporting role. Séamus McLean Ross (Outlander: Blood of My Blood) and Samuel Bottomley (How to Have Sex) are set for the lead roles. Archie Thomson (Deep State 2) and Elaine Gracie (Romantic Getaway) were responsible for adapting the screenplay

The film,...

Exclusive: James McAvoy’s upcoming directorial debut California Schemin’ has pre-sold to a raft of international buyers, including Studiocanal for the UK and Ireland.

Filming is being lined up for the end of October in Scotland.

Bankside has also inked deals with Estonian Theatrical Distribution (Baltics), Beta (Bulgaria), HBO (Eastern Europe), McF (Former Yugoslavia), Cinetel (Hungary), Efar Films Distribution (India), Front Row (Middle East), Nos Lusomundo (Portugal) and Green Light (Ukraine).

Currently in pre-production, the film will chart the true story of two Scottish lads from Dundee who conned the international music industry by adopting American accents and pretending to be established Californian rap duo, Silibil N’ Brains.

Pic is based on Gavin Bain’s autobiography of the same name, which was later re-printed as Straight Outta Scotland. The story was later adapted into 2013 SXSW documentary The Great Hip Hop Hoax.

BAFTA and Golden Globe nominee McAvoy will direct and have a supporting role,...

The six teams each received £30,000 of development funding.

Netflix, in partnership with non-profit Creative UK, has unveiled the six teams and projects selected for Breakout, the filmmaking programme launched to discover and support talented up-and-coming storytellers in the UK, with participants including Screen Star of Tomorrow Helen Simmons and children’s TV star and presenter Kim Tserkezie.

Emerging filmmakers are given the funding and opportunity to advance their debut feature into development with the partnership and support of Netflix. The selected teams comprise talent who haven’t yet made a feature but whose work has garnered industry or public attention.

The projects will pitch to executives on July 2-3.

Online development marketplace Filmarket Hub has announced the projects in development selected for the UK Online Pitchbox, the new virtual pitch event that runs July 2-3, in partnership with Film London.

Teams representing seven British feature films and scripted series will pitch to companies including Bankside Films, BBC Films, Curzon, Entertainment One, Film4, FilmWave, Gaumont, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal International Scripted, Neal Street Productions, Protagonist Pictures, Studiocanal, SunnyMarch Productions and Wild Bunch TV.

Selected feature films in development Amrit, written and directed by Rory D. Bentley Ice, written by Stéphanie Joalland, produced by...

Story editor Kate Leys will head up the programme.

Talent Lab Connects (TLC), Edinburgh International Film Festival’s development programme, will now take place online following the postponement of the festival due to the Covid-19 shutdown.

The programme of script editing and mentoring support for alumni of the festival’s Talent Lab will run from April to December 2020, with all workshops and mentoring taking place remotely.

Story editor Kate Leys will head up the group of industry mentors guiding the selected teams towards development of a feature film or serial drama project.

TLC launched last year, and is funded through the Scottish Government,...

Story editor Kate Leys will head up the programme.

Talent Lab Connects (TLC), Edinburgh International Film Festival’s development programme, will now take place online following the postponement of the festival due to the Covid-19 shutdown.

The programme of script editing and mentoring support for alumni of the festival’s Talent Lab will run from April to December 2020, with all workshops and mentoring taking place remotely.

Story editor Kate Leys will head up the group of industry mentors guiding the selected teams towards development of a feature film or serial drama project.

TLC launched last year, and is funded through the Scottish Government,...

must Line-up include sessions on casting, ethical documentary filmmaking and Spain focus.

The industry programme for this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival (Eiff, June 19-30) has been revealed.

The highlights include a session titled ‘Casting Light on Casting Directors’, featuring members of the Casting Society of America’s European chapter.

‘Minding Non-Fiction’, co-hosted by the Scottish Documentary Institute, will look at ethical documentary filmmaking and best practices for the mental health and wellbeing of both filmmaker and subject.

In the animation section, ‘Women In Animation: The State of the Art’ will feature women working in the sector, looking at...