E111 - Em Gilbertson: 2nd Unit Directing on ITV’s Malpractice

In this episode of The Directors' Take podcast, your hosts Oz Arshad and Marcus Anthony Thomas are joined by Director Em Gilbertson, a recent National Film and Television School graduate who is currently making their way as a 2nd Unit Director for TV, most recently working on Malpractice which is directed by Philip Barantini and stars Niamh Algar. So we thought we'd bring them on for a chat to explain exactly what 2nd Unit Directing is! This chat covers:

 

-How they got into the film industry

-Entering the NFTS as someone who is from a working class background.

-The process of making their graduation film Requiem and working with Bella Ramsey.

-What is 2nd Unit Directing?

-What are the roles and responsibilities of a 2nd Unit Director?

-How do you make sure you are making the same show?

-How do you work with high level cast and crew?

 

Em J. Gilbertson (they/them) is a writer/director from Liverpool, working across film, television and music videos. Em is represented by the Independent Talent Group and currently working towards their first feature film. Their previous work has explored gender roles and the pressure to assimilate into dangerous environments but new projects are exploring non-binary identities and freedom. Em likes to draw upon personal experience to create complicated queer characters that examine the human condition. They have a passion for creating work that champions dance, spoken word and music whilst featuring it in innovative and unorthodox ways.

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A recent graduate of the prestigious NFTS' Directing Fiction course and a Channel 4 Scholar. Their graduation film: Requiem starring Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us and Game of Thrones)  was the Winner of Best Postgraduate Drama at the Royal Television Society Student Awards 2022 and has been selected at multiple BAFTA qualifying film festivals. 

Since graduating, Em has done some second unit directing on BBC's Silent Witness and ITV's Malpractice. Previously Em shadowed BAFTA nominated Phil Barantini and the legendary Mary Harron. Em has also directed multiple music videos that have featured on MTV and in Kerrang! 

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Em's previous work: Crashing Waves saw a lot of success on the festival circuit and was Broadcast on Channel 4 as part of Series 5 of Random Acts. The film was nominated for the Iris Prize, gained a Vimeo Staff Pick and was an official selection for #fivefilmsforfreedom presented by the British Council and BFI Flare in 2019.

 

Nuggets of the week

Marcus: Artist - Miles Johnston

Oz:  Creativity, Inc: an inspiring look at how creativity can - and should - be harnessed for business success by the founder of Pixar by Ed Catmull

Em: Veneno

Credits

Music by Oliver Wegmüller

 

Socials

Instagram: @TheDirectorsTakePodcast

Twitter: @DirectorsTake

Em's website: https://www.emmajgilbertson.com/

 

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.