Freeport, Bahamas – FLIFF On Location: Grand Bahama Island is pleased to announce that Ian Gregory Strachan, writer, producer and director of the television series, “Gippie’s Kingdom” will be offering a workshop during FLIFF for aspiring filmmakers called, “Stories That Matter” on 10:30am at the Pelican Bay Canal House on Saturday, October 27th. All participating local film makers in the three competition categories (high school, college and open) and anyone interested in film making are invited to attend (admittance by an All Access, Fast Pass or All Movies All Day pass).
“I’m very excited about this opportunity to share with aspiring artists,” said Strachan who is now hosting the current affairs television porgramme, “The Exchange,” on ZNS TV13. “Our world is getting smaller and smaller and we in The Bahamas are discovering that the world has many centres. We’re discovering that where you stand can be the world’s centre if you want it to be. I am happy to be a part of FLIFF in Freeport and happy to share my experiences. I really do believe The Bahamas is undergoing an artist revolution and that the world will want to hear and see our stories.
The Stories That Matter workshop is geared toward preparing writers to bring engaging stories to the small and big screens. “Drama is about conflict. The more difficult circumstances become for your characters the more interested your audience is in your story. And your characters ought to be people your audience can relate to; people they can root for or can dislike passionately. ‘Real’ characters, and ‘real’ problems equal real good drama,” said Strachan.
Ian Gregory Strachan is Associate Professor of English at The College of The Bahamas. He received a BA in English from Morehouse College (1990) and an MA (1993) and PhD (1995) in English from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a former Research Fellow at the Carter G. Woodson Institute at the University of Virginia (1998-1999) and a former Assistant Professor of English at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (1999-2001). He served as Chair of the School of English Studies at COB from 2004-2007.
His book, “Paradise and Plantation: Tourism and Culture in the Anglophone Caribbean”, was published in 2002 and discusses the politics of tourism in the region. He is a poet, playwright, novelist and filmmaker. His first novel, “God’s Angry Babies” was published in 1997.
He has written and directed a number of plays that have been performed nationally and internationally, including No Seeds in Babylon (1991) , which appears in the anthology Contemporary Drama for the Caribbean (2001) and Diary of Souls (1999). In 1996 he founded the Track Road Theatre Foundation and served as its director until 2006. In 2007 his poetry was included in the anthology New Caribbean Poetry (Carcanet 2007). He wrote and directed his first film, Show Me Your Motion: The Ringplay Games of The Bahamas in 2006. In 2007 this documentary was featured in the UNESCO Caribbean Traveling Film Showcase.
He is the author of the popular newspaper column “East Street Blues” which has appeared each week in The Nassau Guardian between 2006 and 2011. He was the host of the daily public affairs talk show, “The Nation Today” in 2009 on GEMS 105.9FM in Nassau. He is also a founder and member of the civil society advocacy group, the 1962 Foundation.
FLIFF On Location: Grand Bahama Island is a collaboration between the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board. The event has been made possible through the generous support of the following sponsors: Pelican Bay Hotel; TheBahamasWeekly.com; Mackey Media Ltd; Bahamas Celebration Cruises; Bahamasair; Balearia Bahamas Express; Grand Bahama Port Authority and Group of Companies; Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board; FLIFF; Ministry of Tourism and SkyBahamas Airlines.
The film festival will feature: Career Achievement Award presentation to Giancarlo Esposito; Independent Films from around the world; Films made in The Bahamas; Complimentary outdoor screenings; and VIP parties.
Tickets are now on sale at Pelican Bay Hotel, or Grand Bahama Ministry of Tourism office at Fidelity Financial Centre, Poinciana Drive. All festival information is available on TheBahamasWeekly.com
Book your travel now and receive a $250 Savings – Use Promo Code FLIFF250 (PDF)
Robbin Whachell
Caption: Bahamian Gregory Strachan, writer, producer and director of the television series, “Gippie’s Kingdom” will be traveling from Nassau to conduct a workshop for aspiring filmmakers called, “Stories That Matter” at FLIFF On Location: Grand Bahama Island at 10:30am at the Pelican Bay Canal House on Saturday, October 27th.
