Compact is the coming together of BAFTA-nominated Producer Laura McBride, and BIFA Breakthrough Producer John McKay. Compact recently co-produced international feature film FALLING INTO PLACE with Weydemann Bros (The Outrun, System Crasher) which won the FIPRESCI Critics Prize on its debut at Tallinn, and has had worldwide release.

A successful evolution of Compact Productions, Emmy and Prix Europa-winner John McKay’s start-up production company based in Glasgow, and BAFTA-nominated Lothian Films based in Edinburgh, Laura McBride’s company at the forefront of an emerging generation of diverse talent in Scotland, Compact’s work is based on our passion for and direct relationships with the next generation of female, diverse and underrepresented film-makers from Scotland, and beyond.

As well as THE SILENCE BEFORE YOU SPEAK, a next feature in development with Aylin Tezel (Falling Into Place) and Weydemann Bros, we are working with Scots-Egyptian novelist Rachelle Atalla on the screen adaptation of her tense bunker novel THE PHARMACIST (development supported by BFI); James Ley’s sparkling gay romcom about the founding of Edinburgh’s first gay bookshop LOVESONG TO LAVENDER MENACE, with Flare-alumnus Savvas Stavrou attached as director (development supported by Screen Scotland); PRICKER, the feature debut of Scots drama powerhouse Cora Bissett, whose short THE SINGER was nominated for best short at LFF (development supported by Screen Scotland and BFI); and GIFT FROM GOD, a tense psychological drama from writer-director Catriona McInnes which was selected for Less Is More 2024.

John McKay has had a long and successful career as a writer and director on films such as Crush, starring Andie MacDowell and Imelda Staunton, and Piccadilly Jim, starring Sam Rockwell. His 2012 film about Jean Shrimpton and David Bailey, We’ll Take Manhattan, which he wrote and directed, won him the prestigious Prix Europa for Best Drama. TV credits include iconic BBC series Life on Mars, starring John Simm and Philip Glenister, Lip Service with Laura Fraser and Fiona Button and ITV’s Bobby Moore biopic, Tina and Bobby, starring Lorne MacFadyen and Michelle Keegan in the title roles.

Laura McBride is an Edinburgh-based Producer who previously founded Lothian Films which has now merged with Compact. She was Associate Producer on TORNADO, John MacLean’s 2nd feature, produced by Tea Shop Productions and distributed by Lionsgate. Laura has produced four BFI Network and Screen Scotland commissioned short films: SCUZZ (Alia Ghafar) which premiered at EIFF, BAFTA nominated GROOM (Leyla Coll- O’Reilly), LFF Short Film Award nominee THE SINGER (Cora Bissett & Jamie Rea) and Iris Prize Nominee SLEAZY TIGER (James Ley) starring Alan Cumming. Laura has been selected to participate in IFFR Producer’s Lab, NFTS Producer’s House, Solace 23 Script Circle, Less Is More, Inside Out LGBTQ+ Lab and has attended PFM New Talent Stand with two projects. Laura has 10+ years of working within production in the Scottish film industry and regularly mentors new talent producers for several Scottish universities and talent development organisations.