James Cleave - Writer-Director

James Cleave - Writer-Director

Joining me this week, James Cleave James is a London-based Writer-Director and Associate Member of Directors UK [https://directors.uk.com/users/11036], whose work explores human connection through realistic, dialogue-driven drama, often with a sharp thread of humour running through the discomfort. His short films have collectively earned 21 awards, 30 nominations, and 31 Official Selections across national and international film festivals. His debut sci-fi drama Sometime Else [https://www.jamescleavefilms.com/sometimeelseshort], which screened at the BAFTA Cymru-qualifying Carmarthen Bay Film Festival, was described by UK Film Review as sitting "amongst any of Charlie Brooker's best and darkest [Black Mirror] episodes." His BIFA-Qualified comedy-drama MAFIA [https://www.jamescleavefilms.com/mafiashort] was praised by Film Carnage for its "clean edge" and "intimate and focused" directorial style. His latest BIFA-Qualified comedy SELF+TAPE [https://www.jamescleavefilms.com/selftapeshort], is currently on its festival run following its premiere at BIFA-qualifying Unrestricted View Film Festival. A third-culture kid [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_culture_kid] born in the UK and raised in Limassol, Cyprus, James has over 15 years of industry experience across 86 productions within the AD department, including serving as Kenneth Branagh's on-set Director's Assistant on A Haunting In Venice and on-set Cast Assistant on A Thomas Crown Affair, with further credits on Cinderella, RED 2, Black Mirror, and the BAFTA-winning Pride, to name a few. Outside of his AD career, he has produced close to 100 non-broadcast productions, managing end-to-end delivery across animation, post-production, and multi-language packages, writing and directing a number of them, earning 24 international awards including the WorldMediaFestival's intermedia-globe Grand Award. He is currently developing his first feature film. James' Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/jamescleavedirector] James' Website [https://www.jamescleavefilms.com/] My letterboxd: [https://boxd.it/6K6jl%20] My film Reel Terror [https://youtu.be/XQv66805FHM]: Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2538780/support]

Tim Auld - Filmmaker

Joining me this week, Tim Auld Tim is an award-winning filmmaker with over 15 years of experience across directing, screenwriting, and post-production. He has created work for leading brands including FujiFilm, Foundry, and Blackmagic Design, delivering compelling visual stories across commercial and creative projects.  As a screenwriter, Tim's work has earned multiple international awards and attracted producer options, reflecting his ability to craft distinctive, cinematic narratives from concept to completion. Tim's YouTube  [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO0ha15lTefss2oIoQ3Mzcw] Tim's Website [https://www.timauld.net/] Juicer [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPnclsiUmW8&t=170s] My letterboxd: [https://boxd.it/6K6jl%20] My film Reel Terror [https://youtu.be/XQv66805FHM]: Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2538780/support]

Felicity Wren - Development Executive at the ISA (International Screenwriters' Association)

Joining me this week, Felicity Wren Felicity is a development executive, producer, and award-winning actor working in London and Los Angeles. After earning Honors and Master’s degrees, she co-founded Unrestricted View, a London-based production company and theatre (unrestrictedview.co.uk [http://unrestrictedview.co.uk/]) now in its 29th year. The company also curates three (one BIFA-accredited) film festivals, spotlighting bold new voices in Independent Film at UVFF.co.uk [http://uvff.co.uk/]. They have recently launched a publishing company and are supporting independent filmmakers through an initiative they founded: Open Screen London, and with the UVFF Film Fund hosted by Genera Films. Felicity has produced nineteen film projects and won five performance awards. She currently serves as VP of Development at both Creative Screenwriter Productions and the International Screenwriters’ Association (ISA), where she supports top-tier screenwriting talent and cultivates meaningful industry connections. She now splits her time between London & LA, and is interested in fostering partnerships and making introductions between UK filmmakers and Producers and her LA contacts. Networkisa.org [http://networkisa.org/] Unrestrictedview.co.uk [http://unrestrictedview.co.uk/] Uvff.co.uk [http://uvff.co.uk/] Awrenbird.com [http://awrenbird.com/] My letterboxd: [https://boxd.it/6K6jl%20] My film Reel Terror [https://youtu.be/XQv66805FHM]: Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2538780/support]

Daniel Stafford-Clark - Director of Photography

Joining me this week, Daniel Stafford-Clark Daniel grew up in a filmmaking household (his father is a producer, and his mother worked with my dad on Honey magazine) and since he could pick up a video camera has been shooting with any family members and friends he could enroll.  He has worked as a director of photography since 2009 when he graduated from the UK’s National Film and Television School. As well as working extensively in commercials he’s shot a number of acclaimed television series including Catastrophe, Industry, Extraordinary and Big Mood which has just been released.  He’s also shot a couple of award-winning features.   He’s worked with Disney+, Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO as well as Channel 4 and the BBC in the UK.  He has a passion for photography that is immersive, emotionally powerful and always in the service of the storytelling. Daniel's Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dannersscdop/] Daniel's Website [https://www.stafford-clark.com/] My letterboxd: [https://boxd.it/6K6jl%20] My film Reel Terror [https://youtu.be/XQv66805FHM]: Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2538780/support]

Tim Willrich - Producer

Joining me this week, Tim Willrich Tim is a UK-based producer dedicated to bold, distinctive, and genre-driven storytelling. With a background rooted in independent cinema, Tim has built a reputation for nurturing projects that combine strong creative vision with commercial appeal.    2025 saw Tim & Limbo Produce action horror 'For the Good of the Herd' in association with Screen Anthology, as well as World War II action drama 'The Ghost and the Gun', a feature filmed on location in Bali, Indonesia. 2026 will see multiple projects in development, with at least two advancing into production in the latter half of the year. At the heart of Tim’s work is a deep commitment to supporting original voices and cultivating genre films that surprise and engage audiences. Through Limbo, he continues to champion projects that blur the line between independent spirit and global reach, with a vision to bring daring new stories to screens worldwide. Tim's Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/timwillrich/] Tim's Website [https://www.limbopictures.com/] My letterboxd: [https://boxd.it/6K6jl%20] My film Reel Terror [https://youtu.be/XQv66805FHM]: Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2538780/support]