Talent

Self taught writer and director Beth is an alumni of Screen Yorkshire ‘FLEX”(2021-22), BFI “Scratch me” (2020-21) and was a semi-finalist for 2023 BBC comedy director’s bursary.

In 2018 she was mentored by director Shane Meadows, who went on to be Executive Producer her BFI-backed short “Bury the Dogs”. “Bury the Dogs” received its International Premier at Clermont Ferrand 2024. Produced by Hollie Bryan (Cosmosquare Films) and starring Frank Harper it has shown at BAFTA & BIFA qualifying festivals including Norwich and Bolton where it was nominated for Best Made up North.

This year her comedy script “Boscos” was nominated for 2024 Women x Script competition. Beth’s next short “End Calling” is currently in post for next year’s festival circuit and she is developing black comedy feature “Dog Gods” and mockumentary TV series “Vance” with writing partner Paddy Rowan.

Emma is a current BAFTA Connect director, and previous selected director for the BFI weekender 2021, for working class creatives. She has directed short form comedy for C4, BBC, and BFI Scratch Me. Emma secured a development producer placement with Tiger Aspect comedy through North East Comedy Hot House, and subsequently worked in scripted development for Fulwell73 across their TV and Film slate.

Emma began in theatre, first as an actor, then as a director. She has directed main house new writing for regional theatres including Live Theatre and Northern Stage. She also participated in the Young Vic Jerwood programme, commissioning Sabrina Mahfouz to write for Tamara Lawrance. She has a performance led approach to screen work, she loves working with actors and performers. She's experienced in talent development, and currently lectures acting part-time at Northern School of Art.

Francesca is a Welsh theatre director and Associate Director of Theatr Clwyd.

She trained at The National Theatre Directors Course and The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. She was the first recipient of the Carne Traineeship for Directors in Wales under Artistic Director Tamara Harvey and was the former Trainee Director of The Other Room Theatre in Cardiff.

Francesca creates multi discipline, non-naturalistic theatre that champions unheard voices (predominantly women). She is interested in extraordinary real life stories from everyday people. Her work incorporates music and movement.

Selected credits include; “Rapunzel” (Liverpool Everyman). “Rope”, “Sleeping Beauty Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto”, “A Pretty Sh*tty Love,” (Theatr Clwyd). “Sorter” (Swansea Grand Theatre). “Faustus : That Damned Woman ”(Storyhouse Theatre). “Shout! The Mod Musical” (Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool.)

In 2025 Francesca will be the revival Co-Director of “Nye” alongside Rufus Norris starring Michael Sheen at The National Theatre and Wales Millennium Centre.

Meng Han Hsieh is an award-winning writer/director from Taiwan, currently based in Manchester. As an East Asian woman, she is dedicated to telling stories that amplify the voices of women and minority groups, aiming to challenge audiences to think critically and empathise with the complexities of human nature. Her short films “Bleeding Lies” and “HOME”, along with her commercial “Kindness Takes You Forward”, have been selected for multiple international film festivals, earning both nominations and awards. Her latest BFI funded short film “THE TEST” has just begun its festival circuit.

Meng Han has accumulated 18 years of experience in writing and directing across stage plays, short films, and commercials. In 2017, she moved to the UK to pursue a master’s degree in Film Directing at Arts University Bournemouth. Since then, she has worked as a Video Director at THG Studios, where her passion for creativity, attention to detail, and commitment to high standards have enabled her to deliver for major clients, including Disney, DFS, ASDA, and others.

Meng Han considers herself fortunate, but she also works hard to achieve her goals. She values kindness while maintaining firm boundaries, listens to others’ opinions without downplaying her own, and finds immense satisfaction in problem-solving. To her, filmmaking is a collaborative journey, and she finds joy in working alongside talented teams who share her vision, elevating projects to levels she could not achieve alone.

Writer/director Michelle Wheatley tells stories that find hope in the most desperate situations. Her short films have screened in UK and international festivals. Michelle combines an art school sensibility with more than 20 years of practical on-set experience. Working her way up from floor runner, her credits range from very large to micro-budget films, commercials and BAFTA-winning television productions.

Her first directing credit on “Coronation Street” will broadcast on 20th December 2024. In the last 12 months Michelle was selected for BBC Studios’ Talentworks Casualty Director’s Scheme, Raising Films’ Creative Residency, and the Directors UK Inspire Mentorship scheme 23/24. Her short film “Amber”, commissioned by The Maggie Oliver Foundation, was a semi-finalist in 2024 Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival.

She is currently adapting a Sunday Times Bestseller and is in discussions to turn this into a limited drama series, which she intends to co-write and direct.

Manchester-born Vanessa is an award-winning writer/director and RTS- and NTA-nominated actress, with recognisable leading roles in “Waterloo Road”, “Heartbeat”, and, most recently, “Coronation Street”.

After two decades in front of the camera, Vanessa returned to her first love of directing and, in 2019, founded BossLady Films. Her first short, Secret Santa, received international acclaim, earning screenings at BAFTA, BIFA, and Academy-qualifying festivals, and won Best Comedy at the Uptilt Festival.

Her next horror short, “Cuckoo”, made waves on the global festival circuit and caught the eye of Sister Pictures, who subsequently commissioned and optioned Vanessa’s debut TV series, “Unlucky”, about a woman falling in love with a 6ft, hunky, wish-granting leprechaun. “Unlucky ”is currently being shopped in the US.

Vanessa is a BAFTA Connect Member and is represented by The Haworth Agency in the UK and WME in the US.