‘Lord of the Rings’ actor John Rhys-Davies to star in ‘Ellston Bay’

Ellston-Bay-short-film-supported-by-Kodak
The production team behind the ‘Ellston Bay’ project, Fact Not Fiction Films, are delighted to announce the casting of John Rhys-Davies.

'Ellston Bay' is a highly ambitious piece of short-form filmmaking being produced by Fact Not Fiction Films with the support of Kodak Motion Picture Film. The film is aimed at being a British short film contender of the highest level.

‘Ellston Bay’ Director, Nicholas Eriksson stated:

“It is a great privilege to have this opportunity to work with John, and I am greatly looking forward to collaborating together in the coming months.”

John Rhys-Davies is best known to film audiences for his outstanding roles in blockbuster hits such as 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' (1981), 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade' (1989), as well as the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy where he played the role of Gimli the dwarf.

‘Ellston Bay’ will be shot in VistaVision, a very high-resolution motion picture film format. Originally designed by engineers at Paramount Pictures in 1954, the format enjoyed limited use throughout the 1950s and 1960s before falling out of favour with studios due to the increased costs of running the film.

Whilst a great deal of seminal work was produced in the format by the likes of Alfred Hitchcock and John Ford, the format did not succeed as a mainstream option for filmmakers, and as such its development and use has been reserved for high-resolution visual effects work and backup options for large-format filmmakers working in IMAX.

Christopher Nolan frequently utilises VistaVision cameras for both miniature work and action set pieces to great effect.

Director Nicholas commented on the use of VistaVision:

“Thanks to extensive research, testing, and the support of the UK film industry - we are very pleased to announce that 'Ellston Bay' will be originated entirely in the VistaVision format. The use of VistaVision is a very rare event, and something that hasn't been seen in contemporary cinema for a considerable time.”

‘Ellston Bay' is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to raise the money for the film. Fact Not Fiction Films Producer, Tristan Loraine, commenting on the ‘Ellston Bay’ Kickstarter campaign stated:

“Kickstarter is an online community used globally to raise funding for projects of all types. Members of the public and companies can play a part in the filmmaking process by donating to the ‘Ellston Bay’ short film through Kickstarter. Reward packages start from £10.”

Kodak’s Features Account Manager, Mr. Sam Clark stated:

“Film remains a strong preference for many filmmakers, and we’re really excited to be supporting ‘Ellston Bay’. Shooting on VistaVision is a really exciting concept and we look forward to seeing the results.”

The ‘Ellston Bay’ short film is scheduled to shoot in September 2016 and will be completed next year. The project is being supported by: Kodak, Arri Media, Camera Evolution, Coast Communications and many others.

The ‘Ellston Bay’ Kickstarter campaign can be found here:

www.kickstarter.com/projects/1969323425/ellston-bay-the-film

More information on the film, regular updates and further details can be found on the ‘Ellston Bay’ website and social media at: