directorsnotes

"I am always scared that social cause films, or ones with a certain message, can take away from the actual art of it all, but that isn’t true." We speak to writer/director @jessbarrpdx about embracing the art in social cause filmmaking for her disturbing short 'Tight' about a woman who has her sexual agency stolen from her by those she trusts. // Credits // Writer/Director: @jessbarrpdx Producers: @jessbarrpdx, @wilcox.Kelly.50, @sarahmakesmovies, @comayvisualmedi Starring: @fabianne.gst & @elliotgross w/ @don.dipaolo, @lill_lionn, @chrisakasteve, @clairemannning, @Kayla.forde, @gonoelle Cinematographer: @sarahmakesmovies Production Designer: @kelly.wilcox.50 Composer: @melguerison Sound Designer: Natalie Huizenga Colorist: @waltervolpatto Film Processing: @fotokem_la Film Scans: @thom_kuo, @company_3 Gaffer: @ryankunadp Grips: @dirt_mangurt, @eythanmaidhof 1st AC: @akankshashyam Loaders: @verreviolet, @Carter.burk 1st AD: comayvisualmedia 2nd AD: @matan__alter Sound Mixer: Patrick Kenned Food Stylist: @bluuulu Set Dressers: @ary.behyan, @tama_lama_dingdong, @erikkramer96 Poster Artist: @kevin_william_flynn Special Thank You: @Katieo.grady, @nvisionate, @wartimepickle, @lip_szervice, Uton, Lewis Barr #Tight #JessicaBarr #WeAreDN #motherhood #betrayal #sex #revenge #shortfilm

// Premiere // "I found that using the heightened sequences as bookmarks at the start and the end helped define them." Writer/Director @irisbreward explains how she crafted the dual realities of her comedy drama short 'Sidney' - the story of an optimistic aspiring performer who unexpectedly finds himself dragged into a pitched battle of masculinity during his first children's party booking. Watch the short and read our full interview over on DN ⏯️ // Credits // Sidney: Martin Bassindale George: Kieran Dee @kieranldee Bobby: Sam Squire sam.squire007 Clara: Jaeden Paige Boadilla @jaeden.paige Writer & Director: Iris Breward @irisbreward Director of Photography: Daniel Perales @neilperales Producers: X Cohen, Holly O’Brien @hollyroseobrien Associate Producer: Chloe Huybens @chloe.huybens 1st AD: Reece Bagrowski @reece.aaron_ Script Supervisor: Kaja Brzezinska @kajabrzezinska Production Design: Beatrice Karpovic @b.karpovic Set Assistants: Chiara Formato @chiaraformato, Teresa Magalhaes @teresamwork Sound Design & Recording: Cooper Roy cooper._roy, Lewis Monckton @lewismonckton 1st ACs: Emily Marquet @emilymarquetfilm, Izadora Schoninger @izadorasch 2nd AC: Tom Foden @tomfoden MUA: Alicia Erskine @looks_by_liss Costume Design: Callum Anderson @callum_bespoke Movement Director: Zoe Villiers @zoerosevilliers Gaffer: Carlos Sola Viñas @sola.raw Runner and 3rd AD: Charlotte Hall @charlottejamie_ Unit Stills Photographer: Jessica Sansom @jessicasansom_stills Colourist: Adrian Aragonés Garcia @adrianaragones Composer: Harry Winstanley @hkwmus Editors: Iris Breward and Paul Hicks #Sidney #IrisBreward #WeAreDN #premiere #comedy #drama #clown #toxicmasculinity #childrensparty

// Premiere // "The film also presented an amazing chance to shoot in the open gate format seeing as we were shooting on the Arri Mini LF and really wanted to push the sensor in such a low light environment." @hipsince1980 talks about achieving lush, detailed night time close-ups when shooting their macabre micro short 'The Lure' where a lone nocturnal fisherman is surprised to discover he's not the only one hoping to hook something. // Credits // Starring @johnnyvivash Written/Directed - @hipsince1980 Producer - @caloconnell DOP - @stevenwyattdop AC/Sound - @stewartsparke Costume/Props - @carly_broon Sound Design - @sammasonsound Colourist - @oneboymedia Sponsored by @centerframeclub Shot Full Frame on @arri ALEXA MINI LF + @dzofilm Vespid Primes Big thanks to York Railway Pond for the location + @annaonthepage for the inspo #TheLure #ToniHipwell #WeAreDN #premiere #horror #darkcomedy #microshort #fishing

🎧 On the latest episode of the Directors Notes podcast @bifa_film Best British Short winner @ninagantz takes us inside the extraordinary craftsmanship of 'Wander to Wonder' her stop motion short which offers a unique and poignant exploration of the reactions of a trio of diminutive children's TV stars following the death of their show's creator. Available now in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts and wherever fine podcasts are found. #NinaGantz #WeAreDN #podcast #BIFA2024

Interview with writer/director @amirzargara on @directorsnotes by @mamesjaitre "Telling any story invites criticism, but when you’re telling a story about your own people, it’s a whole different challenge." Full interview via story. ♥️🙏🕊 #FYC #liveactionshort #shortfilm

// Premiere // “We wanted to lean into pastels, with peachy tones being dominant and pink is often thought of as the colour of love, so it seemed perfect for this.” Writer/Director @julie_magnaudet_ breaks down the colourful, warm and subversive visual language of her @thelondonfilmschool romantic comedy ‘Broken Hearts’ which tells the story of a hopeless romantic who's prescribed a rebound after yet another romantic mishap. Watch it & read our full interview over on DN now ⏯️ // CREDITS // Cast: @evmdickson @blakepatrickauk @angeeats John Nayagam Crew: Writer & Director: @julie_magnaudet_ Producer & 1st AD: @nathanmlegger DoP: @bogiesen_ Production Designer: @utace Editor & DIT: @rling_95 Sound Recordist: @malvamalve.mp4 Sound design: @csarnold10 Original score by @bendohertymusic Casting Director: @leahharrisoncasting Script Supervisor: @terriex27 Production Manager: estevetomas Production Assistant: @dograham.b Camera Operator: @kellydiapere 1st AC: @anbo_wu @max_cutting 2nd AC: @max_cutting @clio.l Gaffer: @ravivadar Sparks: @fuxiao_1999 Eloise Amos, @dovydas.draksas Art Director: @sonfinik Art Assistants: @barnsey._ Federico Trezzi, Rory Baynham Costume Designer: @emily.pieters Costume Assistant: Clementine Alexander HMUA: @ggiorgia.mua Boom Operator: Yuge Zhang, Yanting Chen, Hazel Magnoni Grade: @colour_by_emily Sound Mix: @_inesadriana_ Graphics & Poster: @santiago__olmos SAs: @clairescoresbybarrow @laulindaatriz Tony Manders @roberteharold @alexclery Special thanks @onsight_ukltd @thelondonfilmschool #BrokenHearts #JulieMagnaudet #WeAreDN #premiere #romcom #romanticcomedy #gradshort #LondonFilmSchool

2.5M VIEWS IN 21 DAYS 🧨 @aaalexqin's powerful debut short about addiction and sisterhood @thirstygirl.film has been blowing up over on the DN YouTube channel. Didn't know we had one? Follow the link in our bio to watch it there & subscribe for more ⏯️ #WeAreDN #YouTube #ShortFilm

“I always have so much fun mixing scripted things with non-scripted stuff in the edit and to me it's the most fun because the film can really take a new shape and life.” @leadprotagonist talks us through the challenges of post-production after a frantic six and a half hour shoot on his sketch comedy short ‘His Parents Never Taught Him’, about the chaos that arises when an Airbnb with a pool is double-booked. You can watch the film & read our full interview over on DN now ⏯️ // CREDITS // Starring @liamcullagh_ @kylefornow @veronika_iscool @haleyuka @DelaneyRowe @itsmaddykelly @natevarrone Directed by @leadprotagonist Written by @haleyuka and @leadprotagonist Produced by @bombvest Director of Photography @adriannieto__ B camera operator / first AC @jakewolfert Production Sound by Memo Adli & Mladan Jukovic HMU @triplekream Color by @bfederman.xyz Sound design and mix by @chaseverettsound Edited by @leadprotagonist & @alexsovoda Assistant editors @maddyvanburen & @austinfrosch Special thanks to the Richardson Family #HisParentsNeverTaughtHim #MichaelRees #WeAreDN #Comedy #ShortFilm #swimmingpool

Happy @bifa_film Awards night one and all 💙 We've really enjoyed getting into the behind the scenes production weeds with this year's nominees. Can't wait to see you all on the dance floor later! Head to DN to Read - Watch - Listen to our interviews with: @ben.lankester - Delivery @naughtystep - Kneecap @ninagantz - Wander to Wonder Christopher Andrews - Bring Them Down @themausoliam - Housewarming @deathpunkbaby - Sister Midnight @elaheesmaili__ - A Move @ijamesfloyd - @unicorns.movie @erosv.xyz - @meatpuppetfilm @triggerrrrrrrrrrrr - @satuyearoftherabbit Sandhya Suri - Santosh #BIFA2024 #WeAreDN

"We didn't see any of the footage until we finished shooting because we couldn't send dailies back and I didn't even have a monitor for the first 10 days, it was just all through the viewfinder." A nominee for @bifa_film's @raindancefilmfestival Maverick Award, DN speaks to @satuyearoftherabbit director @triggerrrrrrrrrrrr about hitting the road in Laos with limited film stock, non-professional lead actors and minimal crew for his self-financed 16mm coming of age feature debut. // Credits // Director/Writer/Producer: @triggerrrrrrrrrrrr Cinematography: @jameschegwyn Sound: @ema_s_pics #satuyearoftherabbit #JoshuaTrigg #WeAreDN #BIFA2024 #debutfeature #comingofage #16mm

"Stylistically, I wanted there to be no edge to the frame so you feel that you’re immersed, that you’re leaning forward into the story." A film firmly seated in the pernicious nature of toxic masculinity @bifa_film nominated director Christopher Andrews speaks to us about using a shifting visual language to ratchet up the tension throughout his bold feature debut 'Bring Them Down' and why he was disappointed that Ireland didn’t deliver its typical barrage of wind and rain during the shoot. Watch/Read our full interview over on DN now ⏯️ #ChristopherAndrews #WeAreDN #BIFA2024 #debutfeature #toxicmasculinity #revengethriller

"The whole film is about having no manual to be an adult, to be a partner, to be a man, to be a woman, to be a husband or to be a wife." A film for all the misfits who have also misplaced their instruction manuals for life, we sit down with DN alum Karan Kandhari (@deathpunkbaby) writer/director of the @BIFA_film nominated feature 'Sister Midnight' for a chat about following his characters’ lead in the writing process, the pushback he faced trying to make the film 10 years ago and why if @radhikaofficial hadn’t accepted the role that could well have been the end of the project. Watch/Read the full interview over on DN ⏯️ // Credits // Writer/Director Karan Kandhari @deathpunkbaby Starring Radhika Apte @radhikaofficial & Ashok Pathak @ashokpathakt With support from @chhaya.kadam.75 @smitatambe Produced by @wellingtonfilms, @anna_griff & the mighty @suitablepictures @amcalexx Backed by @film4 & @britishfilminstitute Co-produced by @filmgatefilms & @filmivast Co-producers @wendy.griffin.395 & @wheelan.sean Supervising Producer #HeeralGandhi Line Producer @adhvikacharoosankalp Production Co-ordinator @tarunima_jaiswal Cinematographer @sfsordal Production Designer @shrutiguptedesigns Costume Designer @sagarikaapillai Hair & Make-up designer @soamaagoswami Casting Director #DilipShankar Animation Director & Animator @honor_price Animation Producer @thijmegrol Editor napostrato Composer @bankspaulbanks Post Production Supervisor @veritywislocki Sales @protagonistpictures Film stock @kodak_shootfilm @samclark260 #SisterMidnight #KaranKandhari #WeAreDN #BIFA2024 #debutfeature #marriage