Author

About the Author /

MarBelle has a strange compulsion to watch as many films as he can get his hands on and find jobs that give him a legitimate excuse to drill filmmakers about their work. Directors Notes is the multi-decade incarnation of this disorder and remains so much cheaper than film school.

Live Action, Premiere

Gregory Shell Manifests the Destructive Nature of Violence and Trauma in His Emotionally Charged Short ‘Fire’

Gregory Shell explains why he was determined to work with non-actors for his film about a young man struggling with life after returning from military service.

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Animation, Awards

How Legendary Animator Daisuke Nishio Joined Toei Animation & Directed the Studio’s First Oscar Nominated Short

From 'Dragon Ball' to 'Magic Candies', Daisuke Nishio reflects on his storied career and the creative journey behind his Oscar-nominated animated short.

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Animation, Awards

The Art of Minimalism: Shirin Sohani & Hossein Molayemi on Oscar Winning Animation ‘In the Shadow of the Cypress’

We learn how Shirin Sohani & Hossein Molayemi battled against the headwinds of filmmaking in Iran all the way to the Academy Awards with their animated short.

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Animation, Live Action

Private Island’s ‘Meme, Myself and A.I.’ Dissects the Human Condition Through a Satirical Synthetic Nightmare

Private Island director Chris Boyle take us inside the intentions, toolset and techniques behind his mixed-media dissection of AI and the human condition.

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Article, Awards

BAFTA Film Committee Chair Anna Higgs on the Awards, Membership and Building an Equitable British Film Industry

In anticipation of the upcoming nominations, Anna Higgs joins DN for a discussion about BAFTA’s Awards and its key role as a champion of British filmmaking.

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Podcasts

‘Kneecap’ Director Rich Peppiatt on Jokes as Molotov Cocktails in His Multi-BIFA Winning Feature Debut

Rich Peppiatt takes us inside the making of his multi BIFA winning anarchic, riotous, rule breaking fictionalised biopic of Belfast hip-hop trio 'Kneecap'.

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Awards, Film Festival

WeAreDN Awards Winners Announcement

And the WeAreDN Awards winning films are...

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Article

Directors Notes Top 20 Filmmaker Conversations of 2022

From an exhilarating year of DN interviews, this selection of 20 favourites epitomises the rich, insightful conversations we had with directors in 2022.

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Art & Fashion, Asides

Live to Love

Director Adi Halfin celebrates the joyous all-encompassing pleasure of love and freedom in her intuitively made dance short.

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Film Festival

Reading & Leeds 2022 Cinema Tent….The Return

What do you do when the music stops at Reading & Leeds...head over to the Cinema Tent where we'll be screening a killer programme of shorts & music videos.

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Animation, Art & Fashion, Documentary, Live Action, Music Video

Directors Notes Top 20 Filmmaker Conversations of 2021

Here are 20 of DN's favourite filmmaker interviews from 2021 which exemplify what continues to excite us about the craft of filmmaking.

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Art & Fashion

Nature, Movement & Fashion Coalesce in Felicia Manning’s Restorative Dance Film ‘The Best Ain’t Happened Yet’

Director Felicia Manning takes DN inside the creation of her joyous experimental dance ode to the liberating sensations of freedom, nature and lightness.

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