Race against the Sun

Around this time last year we were very close to having a UK distributor signed up. They were enthusiastic about the script and the whole project. But because we had a few other irons in the fire, we decided to delay a little - thinking maybe we could play a few off against each other. And then... the UK summer intervened. If not the whole nation, then at least the whole film industry seems to close down from mid-July through to the end of August.

By the time those lazy hazy days had finished, the head of acquisitions in our friendly distribution company had been promoted within the firm. We needed to deal with her newly-appointed replacement. In the time-honoured tradition of the industry, no one ever takes on the projects that have been inherited. If they succeed, the predecessor gets the glory. If they fail, the incumbent gets the blame. And so our new man cried off the deal.

Now, as the sun beats down upon England's green and pleasant land, we are in another desperate race against the sun. Industry players are beginning to vacate their offices, or else showing signs of that soporific state common to holiday mode. We're up against the summer shut-down. Everyone heading off to pasture - everyone, that is, except our UK producers who are busy as beavers getting the final documentation we need. Caveat helios - beware the sun!