April 2011

Brendan has completed Addae’s Journey, a screenplay for Devonshire Productions [...]]]> August 2011

Brendan was the lead guest speaker at a weekend seminar for screenwriters from across northern Europe. It was held in Odense, home of Hans Christian Andersen in Denmark. It followed a similar successful course in Bremen, Germany with German film fund Nordmedia.

April 2011

Brendan has completed Addae’s Journey, a screenplay for Devonshire Productions about a West African boy’s perilous journey to Europe in search of Soccer Stardom. Peter Macdonald is attached to direct.

Sept 2010

Brendan was chosen as the lead tutor for an intensive weekend screenwriting workshop with delegates from all over northern Europe. The course was run by the North Sea Screen Partnership and FilmFyn of Denmark.

June 2010

Shelldon, the animated children’s series about the ocean environment written and co-developed by Brendan Foley and Shelly Goldstein was aired on America’s NBC (Qubo) channel, and has gone on to screen in more than 20 countries, including on Ireland’s RTE.

July 2009

Lionsgate release Legend of the Bog on DVD in the United States through Grindstone. The low budget tongue-in-cheek chiller stars Vinnie Jones, Nora Jane Noone and Jason Barry. International sales are handled by Spotlight Pictures, LA.

June 2009

Brendan is featured as one of the success stories in Script Magazine, covering his journey from winner or finalist in screenwriting contests through the making of his first three films and bestselling book, Under the Wire.

February 2009

The Riddle gained a second UK release this month through Metrodome. Following its unique 2.6 million copy launch with the Mail on Sunday, the film gets a traditional DVD launch in the UK. Metrodome is one of the UK’s fastest growing distributors.

January 2009

Brendan is working on a series of young adult adventure books called Young Vikings. Represented by Robert Kirby of United Agents, London, who negotiated multiple sales for Brendan’s previous best-seller Under the Wire.

May 2008

The Riddle was chosen to screen at the Little Rock Film Festival and attracted a capacity attendance both nights it screened, followed by a Q&A with the director and actor Shelly Goldstein. Foley was also chosen to speak on a writers panel at the Bill Cinton Presidential Library.

September 2007

The Riddle becomes world’s first national newspaper premiere as Mail on Sunday national newspaper buys UK distribution rights in groundbreaking deal. They support the launch with prime time tv advertising and a  national poster campaign. The Riddle, a modestly budgeted indie, distributes some 2.65 million copies in one day. The newspaper puts on more than a quarter of a million new readers – the second highest sales spike in its century-long history. The film gets a tenfold increase in estimated distribution and the event is covered in Variety, Billboard, the Hollywood Reporter, Screen International and Huffington Post.

The event boosts the film’s international and tv sales and attracts
much press attention from BBC, Variety, Billboard, The Guardian and
Huffington Post.

August 2007

Riddle first sales

Inframe reports that the first Riddle sales, following recent market
screenings include Australia, Middle East and Romania, with more in
negotiation.

The Riddle scores three good reviews

Blogcritics Magazine said:
“Foley manages to succeed where big-budget Hollywood films like
National Treasure and The Da Vinci Code failed. And he did it by putting the
genre first.

The evidence is in Mike Sullivan, a hardnosed journalist who is as
colorful as an old-time radio detective, only with a modern edge. Jones,
who also starred in Foley’s first screenwriting effort Johnny Was,
appears to have the support to go outside of his safety zone in creating the
character.”

January Magazine said:
“Impossibly smart, cleverly cast and wildly entertaining, The Riddle
engages from start to finish with an unlikely plot that includes visits
with Charles Dickens in 19th century London and a 21st century
journalist on the trail of a murderer.”

Bumscorner Reviews said:
“As in JOHNNY WAS, Foley shows a knack for exploring the seedier side
of London, and makes the most of a relatively modest five-million-dollar
budget to bring his smartly-written screenplay to life with an
exceptional cast.”

July 2007

Picture lock for Bog Bodies

Brendan’s first horror pic, starring Vinnie Jones, Nora Jane Noone,
Jason Barry and Adam Fogerty, has reached picture lock stage in Ireland.
Sound work will be carried out over the summer for a finished film by
October.

May 2007

First London Private Charity Screening for Riddle

A private charity screening of the Riddle for cast, crew and guests of
charity Over the Wall was held at the Imax screen in the London Science
Museum. The capacity crowd cheered the film and gave generously to the
charity which provides breaks for sick children and their carers. A
public premiere with the cast in attendance is planned for later in the
year to coincide with the film’s release.

March 2007

Sony launches Johnny Was on DVD in the UK. Strong sales are reported from Amazon and ASDA

February 2007

Market screening

The Riddle gets first market screening at EFM, Berlin. It receives strong reviews:

Hollywood Classics chosen as sales agent for The Riddle.

InFrame, the new division of Hollywood Classics that specializes in “acquiring rights to exceptional independent feature films by talented directors” will be selling The Riddle in 2007. The company is part of Hollywood Classics, which represents the classic film libraries of MGM/UA, Universal, 20^th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures, Warner Bros., Canal Plus and Carlton International as well as a number of films from independent producers.

Both companies have operations in Los Angeles and London. Sales will be led by Joe Dreier and Ildi Toth-Davey.

January 2007

The Riddle completes post production

The Riddle, Brendan’s first film as both writer and director, completed post production in London and Thailand in January 2007.

Brendan worked with Technicolor in both the UK and in Bangkok to complete the film and says he is delighted with the results. “The film looks great and it has some really strong performances, particularly from Derek Jacobi, Vinnie Jones and Julie Cox.”

The Riddle is expected to debut at some of the leading film festivals and markets in 2007.

December 2006

Post production starts on Bog Bodies

Bog Bodies, a comic horror feature starring Vinnie Jones, Jason Barry and Nora-Jane Noone is gearing up for post production in London and Dublin in 2007.

The film, written, produced and directed by Brendan Foley will have sound and post work carried out by ScreenScene in Dublin. It is hoped the film will be finished by Summer 2007.

Brendan’s action-drama Johnny Was has won a clutch of award

November 2006

Johnny Was wins awards galore

Awardss from film festivals in the United States, UK and Canada.

Full details are available in the Awards section of the website, but here’s a quick summary:

Best Feature – Tacoma Film Festival

Best Feature – Connecticut Film Festival: JOHNNY WAS

Johnny Was Nominated for Raindance feature prize

Johnny Was wins Audience Choice Award Rebelfest Toronto

Johnny Was named Best Feature New Hampshire Film Festival

Johnny Was named Best foreign Film in Charlotte Festival

October 2006

Bog Bodies, a new horror feature, shooting in Ireland

Brendan, producing with Peter Burrell along with Joe Condren and Paul Valentine of Bog Body Films in Ireland has started production on his second feature film as writer-director. The movie, Bog Body is a tongue-in-cheek horror film starring Vinnie Jones, Jason Barry (Titanic) and Nora-Jane Noone (The Descent) with Adam Fogarty (Snatch).

The film, shot in the forests and boglands of Dublin and Wicklow, will wrap before Christmas, with post in Spring 2007.

July 2006

Under The Wire paperback success

Following its hardback UK bestseller success, Under the Wire, the WWII adventures of Tex Ash, written by William Ash and Brendan Foley, appeared in UK paperback this month, in the Bantam Press imprint of Transworld Publishing, part of Random House.

UPDATE – By year end 2006, Under the Wire has sold more than 30,000 paperbacks, making it one of the most successful WWII books of the year.

April 2006

Cameras roll on The Riddle in London

The Riddle, Brendan’s first feature as writer-director and producer is being filmed along the river Thames in London, with a remarkable cast led by Vinnie Jones, Derek Jacobi and Vanessa Redgrave. The film, a contemporary thriller with a supernatural twist, concerns the discovery of an unpublished book by Charles Dickens and a series of murders that coincide with its reappearance. The cast also includes Julie Cox, Jason Flemyng, Mel Smith, PH Moriarty and Shelly Goldstein.

The six week shoot, by Manuscript Productions and Grosvenor Park Films, will be followed by post production with Technicolor in London and Thailand during the remainder of 2006 for release in 2007.

February 2006

Sales strong for Johnny Was DVD

Initial sales for Johnny Was, the action thriller written and produced by Brendan Foley with Ben Katz and Borderline Productions, are reported to be strong. First sales include Benelux and Brazil, reports sales company Nordisk who showed the film at a premier in Berlin at the Berlin Film Market.

UPDATE – By the start of 2007, Johnny Was has scored a major success in the US on the DVD market. According to IMDB, the film is one of the strongest performing non studio releases of the year, with DVD rentals at high volume across the USA, where the film was released by FirstLook Studios.

October 2005

Under The Wire US edition launched

Following its UK launch and rise to hardback bestseller, a new edition of Under the Wire has just been published in the United States of America and Canada. St Martin’s Press launched the book in New York this month.

September 2005

JOHNNY WAS reaches post production in Denmark

Brendan’s thriller feature film Johnny Was, starring Vinnie Jones, Patrick Bergin, Eriq La Salle, Lennox Lewis and Samantha Mumba completed photography in Belfast and London during the summer and is now in post production at Nordisk Film in Denmark. The completed film will be ready for a 2006 release.

Pictured: Vinny Jones and Lennox Lewis from the cast of Johnny Was

May 2005

UNDER THE WIRE BECOMES UK BEST-SELLER

The UK hardback edition of WWII biography Under the Wire became a best-seller this month, reaching a high point of Number one Biography and Number One War book on the Amazon UK charts. The book attracted strong reviews, a few of which are printed below:

“An astonishing tale – totally spell-binding. Bill Ash makes Steve McQueen look like Jim Carrey. Perhaps his greatest achievement was to emerge from the horrors of the war with his faith in ordinary people enhanced. That’s the real heroism of the man, and of the book”. - Alan Plater, writer of Last of the Blonde Bombshells

“A very moving, very entertaining memoir. The portrait of Bill’s childhood in the Great Depression is terrific. There are some wonderful, poetic descriptions of flying Spitfires – and of the social life in wartime London. What struck me very much through all Bill’s subsequent years in prisoner of war camps was his steely determination to keep fighting. Under the Wire is a book that everybody should read.” – Libby Purves, Midweek, BBC Radio 4

“The book I’ve just read, Under The Wire – and I read it cover to cover and couldn’t put it down – is one of the most inspirational, moving and powerful stories I’ve ever seen committed to print. Bill Ash became a perpetual escapologist, in a WWII tale written without vanity but with great humanity and a sense of humour. Read the book! It is a wonderful tale about a wonderful man.” Robert Elms – BBC Radio London

“A remarkable story of one man’s refusal to give in to his captors, brilliantly told and with all the authentic sights, sounds ands smells of the World War II prison camp.” – Tony Rennell, co-author of The Last Escape

October 2004

Two publishers set dates for Under The Wire

The launch of the book version of Under The Wire, the wartime adventures of escapologist Bill Ash has now been set. The book will appear in April 2005, published in the UK by Transworld and in October in America by St Martin’s Press.

April 2004

ANOTHER BOOK DEAL FOR WW2 ADVENTURE – this time in UK

Transworld Publishing, a division of Random House, struck a deal for the UK to rights to Under The Wire written by Brendan Foley and Bill Ash – the life story of America ’s most remarkable WW2 Prisoner of War escape artist. The deal was brokered by Robert Kirby of PFD.

March 2004

UNDER THE WIRE MAJOR US BOOK DEAL

St Martin’s Press buys book version of Under The Wire written by Brendan Foley and Bill Ash – the life story of America’s most remarkable WW2 Prisoner of War escape artist. The deal was set up by Scott Waxman of the Waxman Agency in New York and Robert Kirby of PFD London.

JOHNNY WAS – SET FOR PRODUCTION

Brendan’s indie thriller set in Brixton, London , is now set for production, starring subject to contract: Robert Carlyle, Idris Elba and Roger Daltrey. Brendan and Ira Besserman of Affinity Films International are producing, with acclaimed documentarian Mark Hammond directing.

January 2004

Foley signs with PFD for book representation

Europe’s leading talent agency PFD signed Foley on the strength of his book version of Under The Wire, the true story of POW escapologist Bill Ash. Brendan is now also working on a crime novel set in London.

July 2003

Un-named family project optioned by Shutt
Jones.

Shutt Jones, a leading production company
based at Universal Studios has optioned
an un-named family adventure project from
Brendan Foley. The company, run by former
studio marketing execs Buffy Shutt and Kathy
Jones has had recent hits, including surfer
movie Blue Crush.

May 2003

Hollywood’s Davis Filmworks joins
forces with Affinity on two Foley scripts.

Davis Filmworks, part of John Davis production
operations at 20th Century Fox has joined
forces with independent producers Affinity
Films to work on two Brendan Foley projects.
These are the London-based thriller Johnny
Was, and the romantic comedy set in Sicily,
Island Wedding. Both production companies
hope that both films will be in production within
a year. J. Todd Harris is producing for
Davis. The projects were brought into Davis
by Head of Development Nick Thurkettle.

March 2003

Vikings Ho! Foley options Treece Viking
trilogy.

Brendan Foley has optioned the rights to
Henry Treece’s trilogy of Viking novels
for older children and young adults published
in the 1950s and 60s.

December 2002

Island Wedding and Johnny Was set for production
with LA-based Affinity Films International.

The following report appeared in Variety,
16 December 2002-12-18

Kendall on ‘Island’

Real-life volcano mirrors spec story

By Dana Harris

Nicholas Kendall will direct the romantic
comedy “Island Wedding,” which is set on a
volcanic island that rises from the deep
once every few centuries. Pic has a prescient
precedent: On Nov. 26, there were reports
that a volcanic island submerged off the
coast of Sicily for 170 years could soon
reappear if Italy’s Mt. Etna didn’t cease
its seismic rumblings. When the island last
emerged in 1831, the U.K., France and Sicily
served territorial claims. Written by Brendan
Foley, “Island Wedding” centers on an ownership
battle that ensues between an upper-crust
British journalist and a feisty Sicilian
fisherwoman when the rock resurfaces. Script
was a semifinalist for the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts & Sciences’ 2001 Nicholl Fellowship.
Coincidence compounded Dec. 2, when London’s
Daily Telegraph published an article by
a writer who described his attempt to fly
the Union Jack on the still-wet island to
the outrage of local Sicilians. “We got
a call from one agent asking who our publicist
was,” said Affinity Films’ Ira Besserman,
who produces with Mark Hammond and Ira Trattner.

Date in print: Mon., Dec. 16, 2002, Los
Angeles

June 2002

Foley featured in Communicators magazine

Communicators, a magazine for business
journalists, recently interviewed Brendan
Foley for an article on his recent success
in screenwriting.

May 2002

Terminus is finalist in British Short
Screenplay Contest

Terminus, a five minute short script
has been named as one of the 16 finalists
from more than 700 entries in the British
Short Screenplay Competition 2002, run by
Kaos films. Judges include Charles Dance,
Nik Powell and Stephen Wooley.

January 2002

Screenwriter featured in Eyepiece
- UK’s cinematography magazine

A look at screenwriting issues in UK
and USA.

December 2001

Foley options book and life story rights
to WW2 drama

Brendan Foley has optioned the life rights
and rights to the published autobiography
of Bill Ash, a Texan pilot who flew Spitfires
for the RCAF and who became one of America’s
greatest POW escape artists of WW2.

October 2001

Brendan Foley signed by Jim Preminger
Agency, Beverly Hills

Brendan Foley has signed with The Jim Preminger
Agency, one of the most respected boutique
agencies in Hollywood. The agency represents
both TV and feature writers, and its stable
includes the writers of Frasier.

September 2001

Foley to write animation feature by Peakviewing
Media.

Peakviewing Media, a major UK production
house with major facilities in the UK and
a studio in South Africa, has commissioned
Brendan Foley to write a treatment and script
for a Chicken Run-style claymation feature.
Details of the story have not been released.

August 2001

Brendan Foley signs with Morrow/Jacobi
prodco for feature rewrite

Bits & Pieces, the Canadian Production
Company owned By Rob Morrow, Sir Derek Jacobi
and producer Rajiv Maikuri, has commissioned
Brendan Foley for a rewrite of Punk’s Not
Dead – a comedy satire on commercialization
and rebellion.

August 2001

The Riddle makes finals of Hollywood Symposium

The Riddle has been named a finalist in
the Hollywood Symposium. Symposium Executive
Director Eric Edson congratulated the finalists
for ‘some outstanding work’ and hoped that
their inclusion would ‘bring them a step closer
to their goals’.

July 2001

Academy News: semi-finalist in world’s
top screenplay contest

The Nicholl Fellowship, run by the Academy
of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has named
Island Wedding as one of their semi-finalists
- the top 100 or so scripts from some 5,500
entries. The competition is the most prestigious
screenwriting contest in the world.

June 2001

Brendan Foley featured in Screentalk
Magazine

A feature on how to make progress in
screenwriting, wherever you are.

February 2001

The Riddle is top ten prize-winner in
Final Draft Contest

The Final Draft International competition
attracted more than 2,000 entries. It has
chosen The Riddle as one of ten winning finalists.
The script will be read by industry execs
and the finalists will be awarded a range
of prizes including publicity and software.

January 2001

Foley $1000 prize-winner in Australian
International Awards two years running

For the second year running a script by
Brendan Foley is a finalist in the Australian
International competition. This year, The
Riddle became a finalist, winning US$1000.

October 2000

Brendan Foley in Hollywood Scriptwriter
magazine

Hollywood Scriptwriter reports on the growing
success of one of its readers.

August 2000

Island Wedding chosen for EU MEDIA’s Euroscript
development award

Euroscript, funded by the European Union’s
MEDIA programme, has chosen Island Wedding from
among several hundred entries for its development
initiative. The writer is given industry advice
on story and structure over a sixth month
period.

January 2000

The Rising names $1000 prize-winner in
Australian International contest

Brendan Foley and Shelly Goldstein have
been named as $1000 finalists in a major screenplay
contest, run by Producer Allan Hawley Jacobs
and sponsored by Mandalay films. The script
will be shown to a range of industry executives
in LA and Australia.