Syd Heather Freelance Filmmaker

WRITING


Alongside directing and producing, I am often involved in the writing process of all my projects in some capacity, either as the screenwriter or part of the team helping develop characters, concepts or script editing.

As a dedicated storyteller and prolific idea generator who enjoys exploring relatable and authentic human experiences with a mixture of empathy, heart, and a natural sense of humour, I have built an impressive portfolio of versatile, genre-blending projects that have screened at prestigious BAFTA, BIFA, and OSCAR qualifying festivals worldwide, and been distributed by Shorts International, Peccadillo Pictures, Alter, Omeleto, London Live and Amazon Prime. 

My passion for creating and distributing Kent-based stories is also evident in my current and future work, and this commitment has been recognised by industry leaders as I was recently selected for the newly-announced BAFTA CONNECT programme for future creative leaders and continuing to develop a regional production/distribution company for Kent-based projects with the HI3 NETWORK, a research scheme part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund for innovative businesses that connect them with emerging technology, research and support.


In development:


"Hush Little One"


A young woman returns to her estranged family's isolated town to discover that her long-presumed dead brother has returned home under mysterious circumstances.

Status:
Advanced Treatment, First Draft
Type: Feature Film
Genre: Supernatural, Thriller, Folklore

Role: Writer & Producer
Co-Writer: Alexander Lincoln
Producer: Sean Scott Griffin



"Little Dickie"

When a sexually confident man loses his mojo after a medical circumcision, he decides to reclaim his prized possession. 

Status: Script
Type: Short Film
Genre: Dark comedy, Horror

Role: Writer, Producer, Director
Co-Writer: Ardon Taylor
Producer: Sean Scott Griffin


"Beyond the Moonlit Waves"

A car ride becomes a journey of emotional discovery for two friends, as they confront their unspoken romantic feelings and surreal imagery brings their subconscious thoughts to life.

Status: Script
Type: Short Film
Genre: Drama, Experimental

Roles: Writer, Co-Producer
Director: Alexandros Kotanidis
Producer: Marek Litchtenberg 


Completed Projects (chronological):



"Peachfuzz"
(2022)

A desperate father and son resort to drastic measures to boost their respective lack of body hair. Filmed and edited in camera with no postproduction for the Straight8 2022 competition.

Type: Short Film
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Role: Director, Producer & Writer (story, screenplay)
Writer: Katie McDonnell (screenplay)




"Frogahhh!" 
(2021)

When a seemingly inanimate frog toy terrorises an unsuspecting man in the bathtub, he must find a way to pull the plug before it's too late. Filmed and edited during the Covid-19 Lockdown in 2020.

Type: Micro Short Film
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Role: Writer, Producer & Director



"Dot"
 
(2021)


A simple spring clean goes disastrously wrong when an obsessive clean freak tries to remove a speck of glitter from her spotless house. Filmed and edited during the Covid-19 Lockdown in 2020.

Type: Micro Short Film
Genre: Comedy
Role: Writer, Producer & Director



"On Air"
(2021)

In a recording studio, a young sound engineer (Mandip Gill) discovers her mixing board has mysterious abilities, putting her in a position of power over the obnoxious recording artist (Marnie Baxter) who is making her professional life hell. 

Type: Short Film 
Genre: Supernatural thriller
Role: Director, Producer, Writer (concept, development - uncredited)
Writer: Zara Symes (screenplay, story)

Selected Festivals:
Nevermore Film Festival, FrightFest, Unrestricted View Horror Film Festival, TweetFest Film Festival, London Short Film Festival, British Shorts Film Festival, Wench Film Festival, Korea International Short Film Festival, Skiptown Playhouse International Film Festival, Halloween Horror Film Festival, Earls Court International Film Festival & Horsham Film Festival.

Awards & Nominations: 
WINNER: BEST ACTRESS: Mandip Gill - TweetFest Film Festival
NOMINATION: THE SI SPENCER AWARD: Unrestricted View Horror Film Festival
NOMINATION: BEST ACTRESS: Marnie Baxter - TweetFest Film Festival
NOMINATION: BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Korea International Short Film Festival
NOMINATION: BEST DRAMA: Horsham Film Festival




"Earwigger" (2020)

When a nosy neighbour accidentally overhears an intriguing phone call, she decides to investigate and get all the juicy details. Made by participants in BFI NETWORK X BAFTA Crew during the Covid-19 Lockdown for the Depict! 2020 challenge.

Type: Micro Short Film
Genre: Comedy
Role: Director, Producer, Writer (screenplay, story)
Writer: David Frias-Robles (original concept)



"Sodabikes" 
(2020)

Tensions re-emerge at a wake when two sisters and their younger brother race around their childhood town on homemade "motorbikes" to decide who gets to give their late mother the send-off she deserves.

Type: Short Film
Genre: Adventure, dark comedy, drama
Role: Director, Producer & Writer (story, concept, script editor)
Writer: Darren Rapier (story, screenplay)

SODABIKES is distributed in Europe, the USA, and Latin America by Shorts International and is available to watch via Amazon Prime Video with a Shorts TV subscription.

Selected Festivals:
Andaras Travelling Film Festival, Dorking Film Festival, Tri Rivers Film Festival, 7th Siding Film Festival, Adventure Cinema: Food & Film Fest, Katonah Classic Stage Film Festival, Cut International Short Film Festival, Busan New Wave Short Film Festival & Korea International Short Film Festival.

Awards & Nominations:
WINNER: BEST FILM - Katonah Classic Stage Film Festival
NOMINATION: BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - Korea International Short Film Festival
NOMINATION: BEST ACTRESS (Sarah Langrish-Smith) - Busan New Wave Short Film Festival




"Micropubs: The New Local" 
(2020)

As traditional pubs continue to close at astounding rates across the UK, a dedicated number of small one-room pubs known as ‘micropubs’ are shunning all technology, encouraging real human conversation and most importantly, promoting real ale to their customers in a bid to bring their local communities back together.

Type: Feature Documentary
Genre: Uplifting, inspirational
Role: Co-Writer, Co-Producer & Co-Director

This project was an equally shared creative collaboration between filmmakers Daniel Eycott, James Coyne and myself.

Festival Selection:
The Paus Premiere Festival, Crystal Palace International Film Festival, Barcelona Beer Festival, Wales International Film Festival, Romford Film Festival, Lane Doc Fest, Pompeii Street Cinema Festival, Skiptown Playhouse International Film Festival, New York Odyessy Film Festival and Las Cruces International Film Festival.

Awards & Nominations:
WINNER: The Paus Premiere Festival
WINNER: Best Documentary Feature - New York Odyessy Film Festival
SEMI-FINALIST: Pompeii Street Cinema Festival
NOMINATED: Best Documentary Feature - Wales International Film Festival
NOMINATED: Best Documentary Feature - Romford Film Festival
HONOURABLE MENTION: Lowestoft Film Festival

TV Broadcasts:
London Live

Distribution:
Cinema For All

Streaming channels:
Amazon Prime (UK & USA), Vimeo-on-Demand, GuideDoc, Tubi TV, PLEX, Filmzie, Filmocracy, Xumo, Fearless, Hoopla, Kanopy, Rlaxx TV, Typhoon-on-Demand, My Movies Plus, EIFTV, The Timeless Network, Mometu, Box Brazil Play and Cinedigm.



"The Deal
 " 
(2019)

Tired of living sheltered 9-5 lives, Fran, Lou and Derek are looking to get high. However, when their plan comes together too easily, they decide to swindle the dealer of his drugs and money instead.

Type: Short Film
Genre: Comedy, crime caper
Role: Director, Producer & Writer (development, script editor - uncredited)
Writer: Sarah Langrish-Smith (story, screenplay)

Selected Festivals:
The Shortest Night of the Year, Dam Short Film Festival, London Rolling Film Festival, London Independent Film Festival, New Renaissance Film Festival, Iceland Comedy Film Festival, Trí Rivers Film Festival, CannaTopics Film Festival, FIFES Comedy Film Festival, Film 4 Fun - International Comedy Short Film Festival, Longless Film Festival, Forest Film Club and London Underground Film Festival.

Awards & Nominations:
WINNER: London Rolling Film Festival - AUDIENCE VOTE // RUNNER UP
WINNER: Worldwide Comedy Short Film Festival - SILVER MEDAL
WINNER: London-Worldwide Comedy Short Film Festival - HIGHEST COMMENDATION
NOMINATED: New Renaissance Film Festival- BEST COMEDY SHORT
NOMINATED: Deep Focus Film Festival(Brooklyn, USA) - FINALIST



"Sticks" 
(2018)

War breaks out when two friends start hunting each other using only guns, wands and spears made from sticks.

Type: Short Film
Genre: Comedy, Abstract, Improvised
Role: Writer, Producer & Director

Festival Selection:
Horsham Film Festival

Awards & Nominations:
WINNER: BEST COMEDY - HORSHAM FILM FESTIVAL



"Textual Relationship" 
(2015)

It's a match made in heaven when Uniquetalent_33 and DarkDemon92 meet each other online but when the time does come to meet IRLit becomes painfully clear that their physical connection doesn't quite live up to their online one...

Type: Short Film
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Role: Director, Producer & Writer (story, screenplay)
Writer: Tom Glover (original play, story)

Selected Festivals:
BFI Future Film Festival, Garden State Film Festival, Fling! Film Festival, Shorts of the South, Rob Knox Film Festival, New Cross & Deptford Film Festival, New Filmmakers Los Angeles, Cambridge Strawberry Shorts Film Festival, Screen Social, The Monthly Film Festival, South Shorts Film Festival and Camelot International Film Festival.

Awards & Nominations:
WINNER: FILM OF THE NIGHT - Limelight Film Awards
WINNER: BEST COMEDY - Limelight Film Awards
WINNER: BEST ACTOR - Rob Knox Film Festival
WINNER: BEST FILM - South Shorts Film Festival
WINNER: VIDEO OF THE WEEK - Awardeo.tv
NOMINATED: BEST FOREIGN SHORT FILM (COMEDY) - Best of NFMLA Awards
NOMINATED: BEST FILM - Camelot International Film Festival



"Sleep Around The Clock" (2013)

Inspired by the track “ Sleep the Clock Around” by Belle & Sebastian, this impactful documentary project was commissioned by Dr Anita Simonds of the Royal Brompton Hospital to support the opening of a groundbreaking new sleep centre at the hospital.

Type: Documentary Short
Genre: Uplifting drama
Role: Writer, Producer & Director



"Cluck" 
(2013)

A family dog destroys a rubber chicken toy’s dream of flying.

Type: Short Film
Genre: Comedy
Role: Writer, Producer & Director

Awards & Nominations:
Selected for the Virgin Media Shorts Competition championing undiscovered talent.


"Crumbs" (2013)

Loveable dog Poppy just wants some of mumma's homemade bread pudding... why won't anybody give her a little piece?

Type: Short Film
Genre: Comedy
Role: Writer, Producer & Director

Festival Selection:
Rob Knox Film Festival 

Awards & Nominations:
NOMINATED: BEST FILM UNDER 5 MINUTES - Rob Knox Film Festival (Runner-Up)