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David Parfitt
Shakespeare in Love - the work of our 'Friendly Producer' David Parfitt
Joining us on our 'Friendly Producers' scheme in which participants on specific Script Factory training programmes have the chance to attend a development meeting with one of the UK's most prominent producers.
David Parfitt is a London-based independent film producer, responsible for producing the multi-award winning Shakespeare in Love, (winner of seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and four British Academy Awards including Best Film). His most recently made Chasing Liberty, a contemporary romantic comedy. Prior to this he produced an adaptation of Dodie Smith’s novel I Capture the Castle which was released in March 2003. In 2001 he worked at the Cinecitta Studios in Rome as production consultant to Miramax on Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York. Other producing credits include The Wings of the Dove starring Helena Bonham Carter, and the hugely successful, The Madness of King George. Both films were nominated for four Academy Awards.
Before moving into film production, David enjoyed a career as an actor and co-founded the Renaissance Theatre Company with Kenneth Branagh. Between 1987 and 1991, the company produced various celebrated theatre productions of Shakespeare including Twelfth Night, Much Ado about Nothing, Hamlet, As You like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, King Lear and Coriolanus. Contemporary works included John Sessions’ Travelling Tales and Kenneth Branagh’s Public Enemy.
In 1988, David Parfitt, Kenneth Branagh and business partner Stephen Evans joined together to form Renaissance Films. Parfitt was the associate producer on the Academy Award winning Henry V and producer of Peter’s Friends. Continuing Renaissance’s interest in the classics, he also produced the successful film version of Much Ado about Nothing and the Academy Award-nominated short Swan Song. He was co-producer of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and producer of the highly acclaimed film of Twelfth Night directed by Trevor Nunn.
In 2000, David formed Trademark Films and Trademark Theatre Company with other members of his regular production team. David is a Trustee and Chairman of Film at BAFTA and sits on the Board of Trustees at the Chicken Shed Theatre.
David is taking part in The Script Factory's Friendly Producer's Scheme during 2007.
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