Pictured: David Toms, Michael Peace and James
Colley
Three third year students from the Media Production course at
Coventry University are about to start pre-production on a "Stephen
King Dollar Baby" project.
The students, David Toms, James Colley and Michael Peace have
just completed their short film, "The Gift of a Stranger" in Los
Angeles and are ready to start a new project.
The group have been accepted on to the "Stephen King Dollar Baby
Film" programme, the very programme that helped launch "Shawshank
Redemption" Writer/Director, Frank Darabont.
"We will have to work hard to make sure the mind of Stephen King
and this interesting story are done justice in this film," said
David Toms, the film's Director, Writer and co-Producer. "I know I
speak for the three of us when I say that we are looking for any
opportunity we can, to get our names out there, which is evidenced
by 'The Gift of a Stranger' and our participation in Coventry
University's/ZUMC China exchange."
In addition to the film, the group will be going to China, where
they will be part of the much anticipated Zhejiang University of
Media and Communications (ZUMC) exchange with Coventry
University.
"These guys like a challenge and this year will be a really
challenging one for them", said Steve Dawkins, Course Director, BA
Media Production. "Making a film adaptation is difficult but
adapting a story from a writer as skilled as Stephen King will
really test their filmmaking skills. I have no doubt, though, that
they will rise to the challenge."
"Stationary Bike" is a short story by best-selling fantasy and
thriller author Stephen King. The story surrounds a widower artist,
Richard Sifkitz, who spirals into insanity after becoming obsessed
with his health and taking excursions from reality on an exercise
bike.
After completing the pre-production process in China during the
ZUMC exchange, the group who call themselves "Random Download
Productions" will return in January to film the adaptation in early
March. The project will be completed and ready to submit to film
festivals by around May 2012.
You can keep up to date with the film on
www.randomdownload.co.uk and can listen to their "RDP Film
Production Diary" podcast on iTunes, where they will be discussing
their process and offering tips to other media students.
For more information about Coventry University, please visit
their website here: www.coventry.ac.uk