FIVE Scottish film-making teams have been named on the shortlist of an initiative seeking to develop up and coming talent in Scotland.

Lo-fi, a low budget film initiative run by Screen Academy Scotland, a Skillset Film & Media Academy based at Edinburgh Napier University, received a wealth of entries after launching the search in May.

Now five promising film-making teams have been put through to the next phase of the programme, which will see them attending a series of three specialist workshops aiming to develop their screenplays over the next eight months.

The projects will then be pitched to an industry panel, with one being selected for advanced development and financing.

The initiative is being supported by Creative Scotland, Matador Pictures and BBC Scotland.

Oscar van Heek of Screen Academy Scotland said: “The Screen Academy is delighted to be working with such exciting new talent. The Lo-fi projects span across a wide range of genres and there is no doubt that the selected film makers represent the next generation of talented film makers to come out of Scotland.”

Ewan Angus of BBC Scotland said: “BBC Scotland is proud to support exciting new talent and the Scottish film industry through the Lo-fi initiative.”

Nigel Thomas of Matador Pictures said: “Our involvement in Lo-fi is part of our long-standing commitment to nurturing new voices in British film and these six varied and exciting projects are testament to the intense creativity of the new generation of British talent.”

Caroline Parkinson, Director of Creative Development at Creative Scotland said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Screen Academy Scotland, BBC Films, and Matador Pictures to support these talented up and coming film makers to develop their screen plays.  This scheme is an essential part of finding and developing talent across Scotland, we look forward to seeing the final film.”

The final projects focus on a range of themes including revenge, depression, extra-terrestrials and financial crises.

The shortlist is:

Rocket Surgery: Stewart Thomson (writer)
In order to raise the required funds to send his father's cremated ashes into outer space, Donald McPhail unleashes a spectacular UFO and extraterrestrial contact hoax on the residents of a small Scottish village.

White Mice: Simon Arthur (Writer/director), Lindsay McGee (Producer), Rodger Griffiths (writer), Fiona McKee-Johnston (producer)
Retired family man Terry travels from his home in Northern Ireland to Scotland on a mission to track down Ronnie who killed his son many years before. Vengeance is on his mind but can mild-mannered Terry really become a killer and more importantly, will Ronnie let him?
 
Cream: Russell Davidson (Writer/Director) and Selena Darke (Producer)
A stylised drama about a debt recovery lawyer on the brink of financial meltdown.
 
Fireworks: Wendy Griffin (Producer), Hannah Robinson (Writer/Director), Jonathan Hall (Writer)
Deluded teenager Kat hits upon an awesome plan to fix both her mum's epic grief AND her uncle's manic depression - a spectacular, homemade firework!

Kill: Lindsay McGee (Producer), Rodger Griffiths (Writer/Director), Fiona McKee-Johnston (Producer)
After the death of their father three estranged brothers go on a hunting trip to the Highland forest they visited as children. Once deep in the woods unknown assailants attack. A bloody race for survival ensues as the hunters become hunted. Only confronting childhood secrets provides any hope for salvation.