May Miles Thomas

{{Infobox person

| name = May Miles Thomas

| image =

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| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1959|1}}

| birth_place = Glasgow, Scotland

| death_date =

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| othername =

| occupation = filmmaker, film director, screenwriter

| years_active =

| partner =

| awards = Nipkow Fellow, NESTA Fellow, Pioneer to the Life of the Nation

| website = {{url|https://www.elementalfilms.eu/}}

}}

May Miles Thomas is a film director and screenwriter.

Biographical details

Born in Glasgow, May Miles Thomas was educated at Hillhead High School and the Glasgow School of Art, graduating in design and photography.

May Miles Thomas has worked as a production designer, sound designer, editor, director of photography, writer, producer and director.{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12218517.In_a_feature_length_career/|title=In a feature length career|date=25 January 2010|newspaper=The Herald|location=Glasgow|access-date=27 July 2015}} Her career in television and filmmaking began in the mid-1980s at BBC Television London where, from 1984 to 1990 she moved from production design to directing music and arts documentaries.{{cite web|url=http://www.biff.no/2000/show.php3?counter=44&vari=Fantasy|title=Bergen International Film Festival|accessdate=2008-09-06|archive-date=2 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502232746/http://www.biff.no/2000/show.php3?counter=44&vari=Fantasy|url-status=dead}} Resigning from the BBC in 1990, as a freelancer, she made music videos and commercials in the UK and internationally.

In 1995 she founded the production company, [https://www.elementalfilms.eu Elemental Films].

Her first produced script, The Beauty of the Common Tool, directed by Owen Thomas, was awarded funding by the British Screen/Scottish Screen/Scottish Television short film scheme, Prime Cuts. It won Best Short Film at the Palm Springs Film Festival 1996.

In 1997 Miles Thomas became a Fellow of the Nipkow Programm, Berlin, where she wrote the screenplays for Ringing the True and One Life Stand,{{Cite web|url=http://nipkow.de/participants/|title=Nipkow Programm Participants|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141127133505/http://nipkow.de/participants/|archive-date=2014-11-27|url-status=dead|access-date=13 October 2017}} and was selected by the European Film Academy to attend [https://www.europeanfilmacademy.org/A-Sunday-in-the-Country.29.0.html A Sunday in the Country] at the European Film College, Ebeltoft, Denmark.

In 1998 she attended the Arista Screenwriting Workshop in Hamburg, Germany.

Since 1999 Miles Thomas has worked as a writer and director of narrative feature films and non-fiction works.

She is married to Owen Thomas and lives in Glasgow, Scotland.

The British Film Institute Filmography identifies May Miles Thomas as one of the 10 most prolific British women directors.{{Cite web|url=https://filmography.bfi.org.uk/people?filters=ZFswXT0xOTExJmRbMV09MjAxNyZkWzJdPTEmY1twMV1bdF09V2hvIGlzIHRoZSBtb3N0IHByb2xpZmljIGZlbWFsZSBmaWxtIGRpcmVjdG9yPyZjW3AxXVtsZl1bZ109ZmVtYWxlJmNbcDFdW2xmXVtyXT1EaXJlY3RvciZjW3AyXVtsZl1bZ2JdPWhpZ2gtY3Jldw==|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030021326/https://filmography.bfi.org.uk/people?filters=ZFswXT0xOTExJmRbMV09MjAxNyZkWzJdPTEmY1twMV1bdF09V2hvIGlzIHRoZSBtb3N0IHByb2xpZmljIGZlbWFsZSBmaWxtIGRpcmVjdG9yPyZjW3AxXVtsZl1bZ109ZmVtYWxlJmNbcDFdW2xmXVtyXT1EaXJlY3RvciZjW3AyXVtsZl1bZ2JdPWhpZ2gtY3Jldw==|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 October 2020|title=BFI Top 20 Women Directors|date=9 December 2018|website=British Film Institute Filmography}}

Films

Source:{{cite web|url=http://www.britfilms.com/britishfilms/directors/?id=D5FD9B440ed1f280CAWnY18DEF4A|title=British Film Council Directory|accessdate=2008-09-06|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061110170812/http://www.britfilms.com/britishfilms/directors/?id=D5FD9B440ed1f280CAWnY18DEF4A|archivedate=10 November 2006}}

1997 The Beauty of the Common Tool (short)
1999 Colentina (feature documentary)
2000 One Life Stand (feature)
2003 Solid Air (feature)
2009 The Devil's Plantation (interactive)
2013 The Devil's Plantation (iOS Application)
2013 The Devil's Plantation (feature)
2017 Voyageuse (feature)

''One Life Stand''

In 2000 Miles Thomas completed her debut feature film, One Life Stand.

Shot on miniDV in black and white, the film is an exemplar of micro-budget production and the first British digital feature film. Miles Thomas is credited as screenwriter, director of photography, director and editor. The film was favourably reviewed by numerous media outlets including Variety, Screen International, The Guardian, and The Daily Telegraph.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2000/aug/26/books.guardianreview|title=Guardian newspaper article|last=Romney|first=Jonathan|date=26 August 2000|work=The Guardian|accessdate=2008-09-06|location=London}}

One Life Stand won five Scottish BAFTAs{{Cite news|url=https://www.screendaily.com/one-life-stand-sweeps-board-at-scottish-baftas/404342.article|title=One Life Stand sweeps board at Scottish BAFTAs|last=Hunter|first=Alan|date=2000-11-27|work=Screen|access-date=2018-03-17|language=en}} and a British Independent Film Award (BIFA) and was selected for numerous film festivals including Rotterdam International Film Festival, New York Silicon Alley, Dublin International Film Festival, Edinburgh International Film Festival, HOF International Film Festival, Hamptons International Film Festival, Galway Film Fleadh, Bergen International Film Festival, Raindance Film Festival and Festival International de Film de Femmes.

''Solid Air''

In 2003 Miles Thomas followed up One Life Stand with her second feature film Solid Air starring Brian McCardie, Maurice Roëves, Kathy Kiera Clarke and Gary Lewis.{{cite web|url=http://www.britfilms.com/britishfilms/catalogue/browse/?id=d5fd9b420eeaf2e8faovxyceef69|title=British Film Council Directory|accessdate=2008-09-06|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829232909/http://www.britfilms.com/britishfilms/catalogue/browse/?id=D5FD9B420eeaf2E8FAoVxYCEEF69|archivedate=29 August 2007}} Financed by Momentum Pictures, Scottish Screen and the Glasgow Film Office, the film was shot on location in Glasgow in 2002.

Shot on HDCam and released on 35mm, the film was the culmination of Miles Thomas' research into and development of optimal methods of creating an aesthetically viable alternative to native film acquistion.

Solid Air premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2003 and was selected for numerous other festivals including Cinequest, Mannheim International Film Festival, Festroia International Film Festival, Gijón International Film Festival, Festival International de Film de Femmes and Britspotting Berlin.

''The Devil's Plantation''

In 2007 Miles Thomas won the Scottish Arts Council Creative Scotland Award{{cite web|url=http://www.creativescotland.org.uk/ProjectDetails.aspx?ProjectId=105 |title=Creative Scotland Award Project Details |accessdate=2008-09-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010065112/http://www.creativescotland.org.uk/ProjectDetails.aspx?ProjectId=105 |archivedate=10 October 2007 }} to create The Devil's Plantation,{{cite web|url=http://www.devilsplantation.co.uk/|title=The Devil's Plantation|accessdate=2008-09-06}} an interactive website and multi-media project that reveals the secret geometry and ancient paths of Glasgow.{{cite news|url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/interview-may-miles-thomas-filmmaker-1-479504|title=Interview: May Miles Thomas, filmmaker|author=Peter Ross|date=28 November 2010|newspaper=The Scotsman|access-date=27 July 2015|location=Edinburgh, Scotland}}{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12774239.City_apos_s_Da_Vinci_Code_wins__pound_30_000/|title=City's Da Vinci Code Wins £30,000|accessdate=2008-09-06|work=The Sunday Herald|location=Glasgow|date=8 March 2007}}

In 2013 the project was re-worked as an iOS Application and a feature film for presentation at the Glasgow Film Festival and cinemas throughout Scotland.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bafta.org/scotland/awards/news/bafta-scotland-launches-cineworld-audience-award-2013|title=Cineworld Audience Award 2013|access-date=13 October 2017}}

The iOS application received a five-star review in The Guardian.[https://www.theguardian.com/technology/appsblog/2013/mar/08/best-iphone-ipad-apps-real-racing-3-marvel-unlimited 30 best iOS apps], Stuart Dredge, The Guardian, 2013

''Voyageuse''

In 2014 Miles Thomas embarked on Voyageuse, a feature film based on the life of her late mother-in-law, Erica Thomas. Born in Hungary in 1933, Erica came to the UK in 1938, became a scientist during the Cold War{{Cite news|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/family-relationships/mother-laws-stash-attic-inspires-12098012|title=Mother-in-law's stash in the attic inspires woman to tell her amazing life story|last=Burnside|first=Anna|date=2018-02-28|work=Daily Record|access-date=2018-03-17}} and died in 2004. Shot from 2014-2017 in the UK, Spain and the United States, the film stars Dame Siân Phillips. Completed in 2018, the film premiered at the Glasgow Film Festival in March 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/secrets-from-the-grave-lqcftzj3s|title=Secrets from the grave|last=Synnot|first=Siobhan|date=2018-03-11|work=The Sunday Times|access-date=2018-03-17|page=28|language=en|issn=0956-1382|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/culture/film/glasgow-film-festival-round-up-1-4700615|title=Glasgow Film Festival round-up|last=Harkness|first=Alistair|date=2018-03-25|work=The Scotsman|access-date=2018-03-17|language=en}}

Voyageuse won the Raindance Discovery Award at the British Independent Film Awards and was selected for a 'Braddie' by The Guardian's chief film critic, Peter Bradshaw, as one of his best films of the year.[https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/dec/10/braddies-peter-bradshaw-films-of-the-year The Braddies], Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian, 2018

Awards

Best Film (Palm Springs International Short Film Festival 1997, The Beauty of the Common Tool)
Best Live Action Short shortlist (Academy Awards 1998, The Beauty of the Common Tool)
Nipkow Fellowship (Nipkow Programm Berlin 1997)
Best Film, Best Actor (New York Silicon Alley Film Festival 2000, One Life Stand)
Best Film, Best Director, Best Writer, Best Actress (BAFTA New Talent Awards 2000, One Life Stand)
Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature commendation (Edinburgh International Film Festival 2000, One Life Stand)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Scottish Screen 2000){{cite web|url=http://www.netribution.co.uk/features/interviews/2000/may_miles_thomas/1.html|title=Interview with Netribution|accessdate=2008-09-06}}
Best Achievement in Production (British Independent Film Awards 2000, One Life Stand){{cite web|url=http://www.creativescotland.org.uk/ArtistDetails.aspx?ProjectId=105|title=Creative Scotland feature|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080525110340/http://www.creativescotland.org.uk/ArtistDetails.aspx?ProjectId=105 |archivedate=2008-05-25|accessdate=2008-09-06}}
NESTA Fellowship (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts 2000){{cite web|url=http://www.nesta.org.uk/may-miles-thomas/|title=Nesta Press Information|accessdate=2008-09-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080804235433/http://www.nesta.org.uk/may-miles-thomas/|archive-date=4 August 2008|url-status=dead}}
European Screenplay Finalist (Sundance Institute/NHK International Filmmakers Awards 2001, Ringing the True)
Best Director, Best Cinematography (Festroia Festival Internacional de Cinema Portugal 2003, Solid Air)
Pioneer to the Life of the Nation (by HM Queen Elizabeth II for Services to British Cinema 2003)
Creative Scotland Award (Scottish Arts Council 2007)
Best Interactive Project (BAFTA New Talent Awards 2010, The Devil's Plantation website)
Cineworld Audience Award nomination (BAFTA Scotland Film and Television Awards 2013, The Devil's Plantation)
The Raindance Discovery Award (British Independent Film Awards 2018, Voyageuse)

References

External links

[https://www.elementalfilms.eu Elemental Films website]
[https://www.onelifestand.co.uk One Life Stand website]
[https://www.solidairmovie.com Solid Air website]
[http://www.devilsplantation.co.uk/ The Devil's Plantation website]
[https://www.voyageuse.co.uk Voyageuse website]
{{IMDb name|0587042}}
[http://www.nesta.org.uk NESTA website]
[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20010715/ai_n13961303/pg_1?tag=artBody;col1 Article written by May Miles Thomas]
[https://archive.org/details/AdventuresInDVMakingOneLifeStand Video of the making of One Life Stand]
[https://archive.org/details/MayMilesThomasOneLifeStandPreview Video preview of One Life Stand]
[https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117788168.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0 Review of One Life Stand in Variety]
[https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/radioscotland/2010/12/shereen-may-miles-thomas.shtml Interview with Shereen Nanjiani, BBC Radio Scotland]
[http://www.scotsman.com/what-s-on/film/interview-may-miles-thomas-on-searching-for-glasgow-s-soul-1-2801303 Interview by Susan Mansfield, The Scotsman]