Spine-tingling synopses sought

Would-be Stephen Kings were today offered the spine-tingling chance to bring their nightmares to life on the big screen.

Film bosses are offering £10,000 (€14,400) to the writer with the most imaginative idea for a new British horror film.

All they have to do is strike fear into experts at the UK Film Council with a plot synopsis of 25 words or fewer.

From home-grown hammer horror to the Blair Witch Project, Britain has produced chilling cinema hits.

They are a thriving part of the movie market, with 22 horror features taking 5% of the British market and £39.8m (€57.2m) at the box office in 2003.

Low budget lottery-funded smash 28 Days Later took £38m (€54.6m) around the world while spoof Shaun of the Dead scooped more than £7m (€10.1m) in the US alone.

Creep, the new release with posters so frightening they were banned from London Underground stations, was also made with lottery funding from the UK Film Council.

Now those with a similarly terrifying idea could receive £10,000 (€14,400) to turn it into a screenplay.

“We want to identify fresh blood and breathe new life into British horror,” a spokesman said.

“It’s truly chilling to see just how successful horror films can be at the box office and British filmmakers have proved they can scare with the best of them.

“The success of 28 Days Later and Shaun of the Dead shows how popular spine chillers can be at the box office.”

Writers with an agent or guild membership have until February 1 to apply for the next round of funding.

Ideas for an animal adventure such as Call of the Wild, Born free, Babe and 101 Dalmatians or the so-called “fish out of water category” – Beverly Hills Cop, Crocodile Dundee, Legally Blond – are also eligible.