The Friday Download Movie Commences Principal Photography

CAST CONFIRMED FOR MOVIE SPIN-OFF OF HIT CBBC SHOW

CBBC’s popular BAFTA winning kids TV show, Friday Download makes its big-screen debut in a movie spin-off, THE FRIDAY DOWNLOAD MOVIE (working title) which begins principal photography on 6th September. It was announced today by producers Jules Elvins and Dan Shepherd, of Pilot Media and Jeremy Salsby of Saltbeef TV, who created the show.  The four week shoot will primarily take place in Wales, in and around Swansea.

The cast has been revealed to include the current line-up of presenters on the hit CBBC show: Dionne Bromfield (FAST GIRLS); Richard Wisker (DANI’S CASTLE) Shannon Flynn (DANI’S CASTLE) George Sear (EVERMOOR) and guest presenter Bobby Lockwood (WOLFBLOOD);

THE FRIDAY DOWNLOAD MOVIE sees the gang heading off for a holiday they will never forget when they seem inexplicably drawn to Hill House, a creepy old mansion in the middle of nowhere.

In addition to the cast of current Friday Download regulars, also attached is actor and one of Friday Download’s popular former presenters, Tyger Drew Honey (CUCKOO, OUTNUMBERED) and Louisa Connolly-Burnham (WOLFBLOOD, HOUSE OF ANUBIS). Cameo appearances will include the bands The Vamps and Simon Cowell’s Britain’s Got Talent stars, Bars and Melody.

Pilot Media is a London based film and television production company run by Shepherd and Elvins. Shepherd previously executive produced CHALET GIRL and MR NICE.  Shepherd and Elvins commented: “We are extremely excited about this project. Friday Download is a terrific brand and we have an excellent script, great cast and a first-class director attached. Friday Download targets a TV audience that is under-represented in the cinema and we hope to put that right.”

The film is co-produced by Jeremy Salsby of Saltbeef TV, a boutique independent production company, specialising in comedy, entertainment and cross-platform content. Current shows include Friday Download, on which Jeremy Salsby, co-producer on the film has worked for several years and previously, as Head of Development at SO Television, created BAFTA nominated hit comedy series SORRY, I’VE GOT NO HEAD and cross-platform sitcom PIXELFACE. Salsby added: “Turning a hit entertainment show into a big screen adventure has been really great fun and there seems to be a real appetite for a fun, funny and spooky movie for the demanding PG audience.”

Scripted by Toby Davies (YONDERLAND, CRACKANORY, SORRY I’VE GOT NO HEAD), THE FRIDAY DOWNLOAD MOVIE will be directed by John Henderson (The Borrowers, Alice Through The Looking Glass and Loch Ness) and is fully financed by Great Point Media, run by Emmy® Award and Golden Globe® winning producers Jim Reeve and Robert Halmi Jnr. International sales will be handled by Genesis Film Sales.

The Friday Download gang have organised an exciting holiday road trip together, which very quickly turns into a total nightmare, in more ways than one. Their van breaks down outside a creepy old mansion; there's no phone signal and no alternative but to knock on the door and ask for help. Big mistake. Caleb and Clara, an oddly welcoming but sinister brother and sister, who live there, are definitely hiding something. Turns out, what they're hiding is that this creepy old mansion is haunted. And it's about to be knocked down, which is very upsetting for all concerned. The gang's divided loyalties play havoc with their conscience - run away from their new oddball friends or pay back their kindness? They decide to do all they can to save the house with a special Friday Download music festival. Big mistake no 2. It seems the house has some secrets that suggest it would be best if it was knocked down after all.....

About Pilot Media
Jules Elvins and Dan Shepherd both run Pilot Media, a film and television production company based in London.

Dan has many years experience in the entertainment industry working first as an agent for ICM, and then in the development and production of several high profile movies whilst at Working Title Films / Universal Studios. He has further raised finance and acted as an Executive Producer on several successful and award winning films including Mr Nice and Chalet Girl.

Jules is a qualified lawyer and has been involved in financing film deals in the UK and the US totaling well over £500 million. He has worked for both Miramax and EMI and has an in depth knowledge of media across all sectors.

About Saltbeef TV
Jeremy Salsby set up Saltbeef TV in 2009 as a boutique indie specializing in comedy, entertainment and cross-platform content. Current shows include the BAFTA winning hit entertainment series Friday Download. 

Whilst Head of Development at SO Television Jeremy was responsible for creating and executive producing BAFTA nominated hit sketch series Sorry, I?ve Got No Head and 26-part cross-platform sitcom Pixelface for BBC and BAFTA-nominated, BIMA-winning cross-platform series Year Dot for Channel 4.

Other credits include co-devisor of the BBC One comedy entertainment format School’s Out, Richard Hammond?s 5 O?Clock Show for ITV 1, series editor of Big Breakfast and co-creator and writer of Sony award-winning comedy series Giles Wembley Hogg Goes Off and The Brig Society for BBC Radio 4.

About Great Point Media
Great Point Media was set up in December 2012 by Jim Reeve and Robert Halmi Jr, together with the team formerly responsible for television production and television production financing at Ingenious Media. With over 60 years experience in entertainment media, including running production businesses, content distribution businesses and television networks, Jim and Robert have produced, financed and distributed over $2bn of entertainment content and have over 300 production credits in film and television.

Jim Reeve is an Emmy Award winning producer with 25 years’ experience in the development, production, financing and distribution of television programmes and films. He was head of television at Ingenious Media responsible for deploying and negotiating more than £250 million worth of investment in TV content. He has raised funding for films including Stephen Fry's BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS, THE WHISTLE BLOWER, YOUNG ADAM, IN MY FATHER’S DEN, Kevin Spacey’s BEYOND THE SEA and produced or acted as executive producer on more than 60 features and television programmes including 7 series of FOYLE’S WAR, Jack Higgins’ ON DANGEROUS GROUND for Showtime, Ken Follett’s RED EAGLE for Sky and Universal’s THE WEDDING DATE.

Robert Halmi Jnr. is an Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winning film and television producer, with in excess of 250 production credits to his name, including LONESOME DOVE, which earned seven Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe for best Mini-series. Robert has been the Chief Executive Officer of four publicly listed entertainment conglomerates, alongside serving as Chairman of Crown Media, Inc. where he founded the US television network, Hallmark Channel, now broadcast to over 80 million homes.

Halmi and Reeve’s Great Point Media has funded and completed 3 new feature films in 2014, with a fourth starting principal photography in September, along with a new $30m 13 hour series for Amazon and NBC currently filming