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About the Author /

Obsessed with film, the internet and WordPress, Directors Notes is the place Rob gets to brings all his interests together and really geek out. When not writing for DN he can be found on Short of the Week or Vimeo.

Animation, Awards

Breakfast With “A Room Full of Bald Men”: The Unlikely Inspiration Behind Nicolas Keppens’ ‘Beautiful Men’

Director Nicolas Keppens walks DN through his journey into stop motion animation and the inspiration behind his Oscar-nominated short about male insecurity.

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Animation, Awards

How a Theatre Full of Disgusted Kids Inspired Loïc Espuche to Create the Oscar Nominated Short ‘Yuck!’ (Beurk!)

Director Loïc Espuche joins us to discuss how he brought a little lip-tingling magic to his Oscar-nominated tale of hidden desires and first kisses.

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Animation, Awards

José Prats Reminds Us To Honour Our Parents With His BAFTA Nominated Short Film ‘Adiós’

When BAFTA recognition means your grandma finally understands your job: José Prats on bridging personal filmmaking and professional acclaim.

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Animation, Awards

Robin Shaw on the Pressure of Adapting Beloved ‘Mog’s Christmas’ for His BAFTA Nominated Animated Short

Robin Shaw discusses the art of creating family-friendly films, the challenge of staying true to source material and replicating the tactile intimacy of books.

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Film Festival

The 11 Short Films You Can’t Miss at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival

Evil messiahs, feeding tubes, and talented locksmiths - the 2025 Sundance short film lineup delivers yet another eclectic viewing experience.

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Animation

How Abandoning Filmmaking and Embracing Rural Life Inspired Pernille Kjær’s Short Film ‘Forår’ (Spring)

Filmmaker Pernille Kjær talks to us about playing with light and sound in her black & white animated exploration of place 'Forår' (Spring).

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Animation, Awards

How Nina Gantz Found the Perfect Balance Between Sadness and Humour in Award Winning Short ‘Wander to Wonder’

Nina Gantz takes DN inside the extraordinary craftsmanship of her stop motion short which offers a poignant exploration of loss for its diminutive stars.

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Podcasts

Meat Puppet Director Eros V on Possession, Practical FX & the Power of a Great Title

DN caught up with Eros V to learn how a conversation with The Jim Henson Company inspired his surprising man-child possessed by a puppet comedy-horror short.

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Awards, Live Action

Talking Practical FX and the Power of a Great Title With Eros V Director of BIFA Short ‘Meat Puppet’

Eros V reveals the lo-fi techniques used to bring a possessed puppet to life for his BIFA nominated short about a man-child who desperately need to grow up.

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Animation, Film Festival

Manchester Animation Festival 2024 Preview

Manchester Animation Festival returns for its 10th edition and we've selected 8 must-see short films from the programme that we're sure you'll love.

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Documentary

Hervé Demers Tackles Themes of Deindustrialisation and Community in Documentary Short ‘Once the Dust Has Settled’

Hervé Demers returns to DN to discuss his new doc short set in Asbestos, a former mining town in Quebec, which explores notions of community and identity.

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Animation, Premiere

How a Desire for Environmental Harmony Led Emily Halaka to Create Animated Fever-Dream Short ‘Organic Matter’

Emily Halaka joins DN to discuss how she used animation to promote harmony between humanity and the Earth in her delightfully surreal ecological short.

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