Reel Development Room
A Story Studio - From Page to Screen
A creative studio bringing stories to life — on the page, on screen, and in print. Books • Films • Journals
This space is our creative workspace — a place to share ideas in development, early concepts, research sparks, and the inspirations shaping future books and films. A quiet look behind the scenes at the stories we’re exploring next.
Our Screenwriting Slate
Building on our publishing foundation, Reel Productions now develops original feature screenplays rooted in the same values: character, history, courage, and emotional truth. Our current slate includes:
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Duke — a character‑driven drama inspired by the life of John Wayne and based on our best-seller, John Wayne: A Giant Shadow
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The Forgotten Army — a powerful historical story of resilience and sacrifice
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Chinthe Women (coming soon) — a new screenplay exploring women’s wartime roles in Burma
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Our scripts are actively submitted to major international competitions — including the Austin Film Festival, PAGE Awards, and the Academy Nicholl Fellowship — as part of our strategy to bring Reel Productions’ stories to the global stage.
What We Believe
At Reel Productions, we believe:
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Stories shape culture
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History deserves to be told with integrity
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Character is the heart of every narrative
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Great storytelling bridges generations
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Books and films are two expressions of the same creative purpose
Whether in print or on screen, our mission is the same: to honour the past, illuminate the present, and create stories that endure.
Looking Ahead
(Forward momentum, confidence, and growth.)
2026 marks a new chapter for Reel Productions. With a growing competition slate, new screenplays in development, and our publishing catalogue returning to print, we are expanding our creative reach while staying true to our roots.
This page will continue to evolve as our projects progress, new titles are released, and our stories move further into the world.
From historical drama to character‑driven stories, each project reflects our commitment to courage, craft, and emotional truth.
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
The story of Thomas Andrews — the man who built the Titanic.
A character‑driven historical film exploring the life of Thomas Andrews, chief designer of the RMS Titanic. More than a disaster story, this is a portrait of a visionary engineer, a quiet leader, and a man whose integrity shaped one of the most ambitious ships ever built.
IVY
A dancer’s journey from Manchester’s cobbles to the bright lights of the Tiller Girls.
Ivy is a character‑driven period drama inspired by Carolyn’s great‑aunt — one of the earliest Tiller Girls to come out of Manchester. Set between the wars, the film follows a young woman whose talent, grit, and instinct for performance lift her from the industrial streets of the North to the precision, glamour, and discipline of John Tiller’s world‑famous troupe.
This is not a nostalgic musical. It’s a story about ambition, identity, and the cost of stepping into the spotlight at a time when women’s independence was only just beginning to take shape. Ivy’s journey is framed against the rise of modern entertainment — from clog dancing on cobbles for returning soldiers to the synchronised spectacle that defined a generation of British theatre.
Themes:
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Female resilience and artistic self‑determination
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Working‑class creativity and aspiration
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The birth of modern performance culture
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Family legacy and the women history forgets
