Laura Hastings-Smith
Background
Laura Hastings-Smith was an established documentary director and producer before founding Dazed Film & TV with publishers Jefferson Hack and photographer Rankin. Between 2000 and 2005, she produced a broad slate of innovative projects for TV, internet, mobile phone, live concert and theatrical platforms, ranging from the short film PERFECT and the multi-platform film project STOP FOR A MINUTE for Film4, to a spoof-documentary featuring the cartoon band Gorillaz plus their creators Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. In 2005, Laura produced the award-winning feature film THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS, written by Tony Grisoni, directed by Rankin and Chris Cottam - her final project with Dazed Film & TV.
As an independent producer, Laura has worked on HUNGER with fellow producer Robin Gutch, directed by Turner Prize winning artist Steve McQueen and written with the award-winning Enda Walsh, starring Michael Fassbender and Liam Cunningham. The feature opened the Un Certain Regard section in Cannes 2008 and won the Camera d'Or Award followed by over 40 international awards and nominations. Laura is developing a major new project with writer-director Steve McQueen.
Laura was the lead producer, with Alison Owen and Paul Trijbits, on the Ruby Films' production of the Hideo Nakata film CHATROOM written by Enda Walsh to be premiered shortly. Laura is producing the Warp Films' Horror THIS LITTLE PIGGY, and attached to produce the Australian-UK co-production NOBODY NOWHERE written by Donna Williams, director Garth Davis. Laura has a first-look development deal with Warp Films.
Selected Films
THIS LITTLE PIGGY, in development
(Warp X)
THIS CHARMING MAN, in development
(EM Media)
SAY YOU LOVE SATAN, in development
(Warp Films)
CHATROOM, 2010
by Hideo Nakata
HUNGER, 2008
(with Blast! Films)
by Steve McQueen
Camera d'Or Award, Cannes 2008
Top Prize at the Sydney Film Festival 2008
European Discovery 2008, EFA Award
and about 20 international awards
THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS, 2005
(with Dazed Film & TV)
by Rankin and Chris Cottam
International Competition, Locarno 2006
PERFECT, 2003
(short, with Dazed Film & TV)
by Rankin
THE LOVE DOCTOR, 2002
(TV Drama, with Dazed Film & TV)
by Jon Sen
STOP FOR A MINUTE, 2001
(with Dazed Film & TV)
by 31 directors
(31 one minute films for the web & broadcast)