E137 - 10 shorts to Doctor Who with Annetta Laufer

In this episode of The Directors' Take podcast, your hosts Oz Arshad and Marcus Anthony Thomas are joined by Annetta Laufer, a Writer/Director who has directed episodes of Dr. Who and the upcoming HBO series Get Millie Black. Annetta, like many of us, was stuck in an endless loop of directing short films, but remained true to her taste and principles, whilst waiting for the TV and Film industry to reach the place where her voice is situated. We dig down into her journey and talk about the following:

 

-Why did you begin directing?

-Do you think schemes are helpful?

-How did you get your break in TV directing?

-What is the biggest difference between shorts and TV?

-How do you prep when working in TV?

-What is a script supervisor?

-What are the most difficult challenges a director faces when working in TV?

 

Biography

Annetta is a Writer/Director and the founder of Roman Candle Productions, a film production company focused on black and female–led films.

Her short films have screened at national and international film festivals including Encounters Film Festival, London Short Film Festival, Aesthetica Film Festival, Pan African Film Festival and Uppsala Film Festival.Her short films have earned her the Best Film award at the BFM International Film Festival/Screen Nation for WINNIE AND THE DUPPYBAT, which was also a finalist for the HBO Short Film Award at the American Black Film Festival. She won the Best Screenwriter award at the Indian Cine Film Festival in Mumbai for SCARLET, Best Short Film award at the Black International Film Festival for AFRO PUNK GIRL and was BAFTA long-listed for her last short film THE ARRIVAL.

Annetta is currently developing her feature film COLONY ROOMS, a drama set within the Caribbean community in 1960s Soho London, with the BFI and producer Joy Gharoro Akpojotor (Blue Story, Boxing Day). She is also developing her 2^nd feature film WILD SWIMMING (RIVER MISTRESS) with producer Yvonne Isimeme Ibazebo (Netflix/Top Boy, Fox Searchlight/Rye Lane) and Film4, and developing her first TV series LEMON FISH with Buccaneer Media.

As a director, Annetta directed the 2022 New Years Special of the British TV Series DOCTOR WHO for BBC Studios. She is also attached to Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s upcoming film adaptation of her Laurence Olivier Award winning play EMILIA, based on the life and times of Renaissance poet and Shakespeare contemporary Emilia Bassano. Manon Ardisson (God’s Own Country) and Chiara Ventura from Ardimages UK are producing.

Annetta is represented by Josh Varney and Hannah Linnen at 42 Management.

 

Nuggets of the week

Annetta: The Last of Us

Oz: Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson

Marcus: How Michelle Yeoh Threatened 'Everything Everywhere' Directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert.

 

Credits

Music by Oliver Wegmüller

 

Socials

Annetta: 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.