In this Bafta Special episode of The Directors' Take podcast, your hosts Oz Arshad and Marcus Anthony Thomas are joined by BAFTA nominees Yasmin Afifi and Elham Ehsas. Yasmin is an award-winning writer/director based in London and her her grad film Jellyfish and Lobster has gone on to receive widespread industry acclaim, screening in festivals all over the world, including the BAFTA/BIFA Qualifying Underwire, Encounters, LFF among others.

Elham is a BAFTA nominated and Oscar shortlisted writer/director and Actor working in Film and Television. His latest short film Yellow was BAFTA nominated in 2024 and longlisted for the Academy Awards in the same year.

This episode is a goldmine for insights how to create a successful short film, the dreaded festival circuit, overcoming production challenges, the importance of authenticity in storytelling, and practical advice on film conception and success.

This conversation includes:

Diverse career paths into filmmaking.
Choices around film education.
Creating personal and authentic stories. Visual storytelling and creative processes.
Challenges in low-budget filmmaking.
Conceptualisation of films.
Navigating film festivals and marketing.
Reactions to receiving BAFTA nominations

Yasmin, celebrated for her use of comedy and magical realism, and Elham, known for his human-centric narratives, share their unique journeys in the film industry, from educational choices to the crafting of personal and impactful stories. This is an educational episode.

Nuggets of the week

Yasmin: Spike Lee Quote - Write the ideas that you’re embarrassed about.

Elham:

Oz: Godfather DVD Commentary with Francis Ford Coppola

Marcus: Watch the BAFTA nominated films, they’re up on the BAFTA YouTube channel for a short time, so you can watch both of these incredible films. https://www.youtube.com/@bafta/videos

Additional links

- Gangs of Wasseypur Part 1

- Gangs of Wasseypur Part 2

- Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

- Dil Se

Credits

Music by Oliver Wegmüller

Socials

Elham: Instagram

Yasmin: Instagram

The Directors' Take: Twitter (X) & Instagram

Marcus: Twitter (X) & Instagram

Oz: Twitter (X) & Instagram

If you have any questions relating to the episode or have topics you would like covering in future releases, reach out to us at TheDirectorsTake@Outlook.com.

E141 - How We Made a BAFTA Nominated Short

The Directors Take Podcast