Film FastTrack – Interview

Ken Petrie is a Scottish producer and founder of independent production company 27 Ten Productions, with a commercially minded approach to developing film & TV projects for global audiences. In 2026, Ken and 27 Ten appeared in Screen International’s “Brit 50: Ones to Watch” list.
Prior to producing, Ken spent more than a decade working internationally as a Special Effects Technician and Explosives Engineer on major studio productions including WORLD WAR Z, WAR HORSE, ROBIN HOOD and WHITE HOUSE DOWN, leading large teams and managing multi-million-dollar SFX budgets.
He went on to produce the award-winning short THE GIFT, WWII feature ENEMY WITHIN and George Jaques’ debut feature BLACK DOG, which was nominated for the Sutherland Award at the BFI London Film Festival. The pair most recently reunited on SUNNY DANCER, starring Bella Ramsey and Neil Patrick Harris.
Ken is now building 27 Ten around a clear ambition to become one of the UK’s most trusted independent producers of commercially successful films with global reach, partnering with exceptional directors and world-leading talent to develop ambitious, distinctive films with international appeal.

I thought it seemed like a very forward thinking, pioneering programme. I first heard about it from Kieran Hannigan at Cannes 2023. Producers don’t often get this kind of incubator – there are programmes for meeting international co producers, and lots of talent development for writers and directors, but producers are often just expected to know what they’re doing. And to an extent, I do, but the idea of spending time purely focused on producer specific skills was really interesting. The stipend also helped – we’re all trying to build sustainable careers and companies, so any support is welcome.
Having that support lets you focus more on the projects you’re developing.

It’s been helpful to look at the specific sessions. I think all of us came in with a decent skill set, so it was nice to dial things in – like the negotiation session, hearing different strategies and ways of engaging with people. Having dedicated sessions to focus on creativity, and learning how to protect that time, has been really helpful. I definitely prioritise creative time more now.

The Colin Savage sessions on creativity and unlocking creative thinking were extremely helpful. I use some of those processes regularly now. His approach is a real catalyst for me when I’m doing creative work. I’ve even had extra sessions with him.
There was also a moment early in pre production on Sunny Dancer when we were doing a session in Glasgow. The camaraderie of the group – the four of us and Julia – was great. It gave me a sounding board for decisions. Producing can feel isolating when big decisions come up, so having that closeness and trust was really valuable.
And with the small group size, it really created a sense of community – not too many people, but enough to build real relationships.

I felt I had a solid skill set to build on. The challenge was visibility. When you’re early to mid career, you might not have that breakout hit yet, so why should people pay attention to your projects or the talent you’re working with? I wanted to push my career forward, develop my reputation, and work towards higher profile projects.
The visibility from FastTrack has been hugely helpful. It’s been a catalyst for conversations with partners in Scotland, the UK, and internationally. There are so many incubators for writers and directors, but not for producers – so having a national body essentially saying, “This is someone worth paying attention to” has helped me cut through in conversations.

I think having the space to develop my slate has helped. My slate is quite commercially skewed, and I’ve gained confidence that that’s okay. I’m more confident in early development – generating ideas in house and bringing them to writers. That process is clearer for me now. I feel more confident in what I want to develop for the company, the projects we want to make, and the audiences we want to serve.

The small cohort has been amazing – Amy, Reece, Paul, and Julia. The WhatsApp group is active, and we can ask each other questions or share experiences. It’s also nurtured my relationship with Screen Scotland, which is great. Any contact time with your home funding body is helpful. Screen Scotland came onto Sunny Dancer with production funding, and I’m sure that’s partly because of FastTrack – they’ve been able to see me up close and believe I’ll deliver the film.
I’ve also continued working with Colin Savage, and had conversations about other projects. I don’t know if there’s a specific collaboration that’s emerged, but multiple project discussions with the cohort and the strengthened relationship with Screen Scotland definitely count.
And even my mentor relationship – that was encouraged by Fast Track, and it’s grown because of it. So that’s another important connection.

For me, it’s growth. It’s reaffirmed that I have a strong skill set, good taste, and the ability to build projects for the market. Not to be too twee, but it’s like the butterfly emerging – realising my process is sensible and aligned with the strategy of the company I’m building. It’s been reassuring and reaffirming that I’m taking the right steps.
It’s more confirmation and refinement than a total transformation. We all came in with strong ingredients – it’s about making them work to our benefit.
Film doesn’t move quickly, so having a long programme allows continued conversation, revisiting things, adjusting strategy, and charting the right course over two years instead of a condensed timeframe.
I felt really supported by TRC – by Julia, and by Screen Scotland. There’s been funding for more bespoke training for each participant, not just group sessions. That’s allowed me to have extra sessions with Colin, more time with John Letham, and support for business development strategy.