Case Studies 

Iain B Macdonald

Directed ‘Billy’s Day Out’ Digital Shorts 2003
• Won Best British Short at Edinburgh International Film Festival 2004
Iain gained an agent off the back of Billy’s Day Out (it was his first drama). His credits since then:
Teachers (Ch4), Bodies (BBC), Hotel Babylon (BBC), Mansfield Park (TV Movie for PBS USA), The Last Enemy (BBC/PBS USA), Bonekickers (BBC), Survivors (BBC).
Iain was the 2nd Unit director on The Duchess (Qwerty Films/Pathe)
He is currently in development of his first feature ‘Jimmy Buddha’ (developed with UKFC) to be produced by Sally Hibbin/Parallax.

“Without a doubt it was "Billy's Day Out" which gave me my push in the world of drama, without making that short film I would still be stuck in the world of documentaries. After making that I got an agent and went straight onto "teachers". I worked non-stop, making a 5 and half hour mini-series for the BBC and PBS in the US "The Last Enemy" which starred Robert Carlyle.”


Emma Sullivan

Wrote, directed and produced ‘After Tomorrow’ Digital Shorts 2008
• Winner Best British Short at Edinburgh International Film Festival 2009
• Official selection for Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival 2009
• Selected for Brooklyn Film Festival
• Selected for CFC Toronto Worldwide Shorts Film Festival
• Selected for Expresion en Corto International Film Festival, Mexico
• Selected for Sao Paulo International Short Film Festival
• Selected for Warsaw International Film Festival
• Selected for The Times BFI London Film Festival
• Selected for Stockholm International Film Festival
• Selected for Athens International Film Festival
• Selected for Cairo International Film Festival
Emma was selected at one of Screen Internationals ‘Star’s of Tomorrow’ June 2009
Emma is currently in development of two features, Tread Softly, being developed in association with Screen East and Wilder Films, and ‘The Other Half of Me’ (as director) written by Tom Williams, being developed with Celine Haddad at Connection Films.

Jon Dunleavy

Wrote, directed and produced ‘The Technical Hitch’ Digital Shorts 2005.
• Nominated for Maclaren Animation Award at Edinburgh International Film Festival 2006
• Nominated for Best Newcomer at Soho Rushes 2006
• Won Best Voice Performance at British Animation Awards 2007
• Won best animation at Creative East Awards 2006

Wrote and produced ‘Mummy and Baddy’ Digital Shorts 2007

Wrote, directed and produced ‘Shadows and Dust’ Digital Shorts 2008
• Nominated for Maclaren Animation Award at Edinburgh International Film Festival 2009
• Winner Best Animation at Creative East Awards 2009

Jon gained an agent as a result of making The Technical Hitch (Matthew Bates at Sayle Screen) and is currently in discussions over an option agreement with Digital Rights Group to develop the idea into a television series. He is also working as a commercials director for Tandem Films. Jon was commissioned by 4Mations to make his comedy animation short series Hoodeez as well as the Screen East/UK Film Council/4Mations Animated Short Crash! Bang! Wallow?