Cast and Crew Screening Held for BFI NETWORK Short Film 'Chokehold'

Last week QUAD in Derby hosted the cast and crew screening of BFI NETWORK funded short film Chokehold, bringing together collaborators, supporters, and invited guests for an evening celebrating the completion of the project. The private screening of our latest short, produced by camakel productions in association with YSP Media, marked the first opportunity to screen the film to an audience.

The screening was exceptionally well attended, with a full house creating a vibrant and celebratory atmosphere. Following the screening, a Q&A was held with producer Catriona Kelly, writer-director Christopher Bevan, and cast members Eddie Coates, Philip Bedwell and Lis Hipkiss.

The discussion which was hosted by Ciaran Shea provided insight into the development and production of the film, from its initial concept through to filming and post-production. The panel also reflected on their creative collaboration, working with the support of Film Hub Midlands and BFI NETWORK, and their experience bringing the script to the screen. Chokehold tells the story a young teenage boy Lucas who, in a desperate attempt to escape his troubled home life, runs away to seek out his estranged father Cash, a once-famed professional wrestler still working on the independent wrestling scene in the UK.

A complicated catch-up between father and son. Lucas (Eddie Coates) and Cash (Philip Bedwell)

The team behind Chokehold the film would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to the making of the film. This project would not have been possible without the dedication, creativity, and hard work of everyone involved. We are also deeply grateful to Film Hub Midlands and BFI NETWORK for their support and funding, and to Derby QUAD for hosting the screening and providing such a welcoming space for the event. Thanks also go to the team at Pursuit Pro Wrestling and all of the wrestling talent for their support in bringing to life such an important element of our story.

Finally, thank you to everyone who attended and supported the screening. It was a fantastic opportunity to share the film with an audience for the first time, and we look forward to announcing future screenings and developments soon. You can watch the trailer and find out more about Chokehold at our dedicated page for the film here.

Anarchy (Mike ‘Wild Boar’ Hitchman) paces in the ring

Arriving at PPW, Lucas (Eddie Coates) searches for his father

Best Supporting Actor Win at Five Lamps Film Awards for 'The Other'

This year’s Five Lamps Film Awards held in Derby brought together independent filmmakers, local audiences and short film supporters for an evening celebrating creative talent. During the event held at Dubrek Studios on 26th November, Dani Tonks was named Best Supporting Actor for her performance as Ruth in thriller short film The Other.

The award was accepted on her behalf by director Christopher Bevan, who congratulated Dani and thanked the cast, crew, and team at Five Lamps Films for their support.

Produced by Dreamfusion Productions in association with YSP Media, The Other tells the story of a serious and meticulous young chef Marcus who begins to experience increasingly strange and unexplained events that challenge his sanity. Over the past 18 months the film has screened at festivals across the UK and received several nominations and awards, including Best Film at the Midlands Movies Awards.

As the film approaches the end of its festival run, we are grateful to receive this recognition for Dani from Five Lamps Films. To find out more about The Other and watch the trailer, head to the link here.

BIFA Qualifying Beeston Film Festival Nominates 'The Other' in East Midlands Focus

The Other has been officially selected for the BIFA-qualifying Beeston Film Festival! We’re incredibly proud that this film, produced by Dreamfusion Productions in association with YSP Media, will be screening as part of the East Midlands Focus programme, which showcases the creative talent emerging from our region. This is a wonderful opportunity to share our film with a wider audience and stand alongside a vibrant lineup of regional short films.

We’re also honoured to announce that The Other has received a B’Oscar Award nomination in its category – a fantastic recognition that means a great deal to everyone who has contributed to the project.

A heartfelt thank you to the Beeston Film Festival team for this recognition, and to the cast, crew and crowdfunding backers whose dedication, talent, and passion brought this film to life. It has certainly been a journey – one full of creativity, challenges and unfortunate delays, but most importantly collaboration.

The Other follows serious and meticulous young chef Marcus as he begins to experience increasingly strange and unexplained events that challenge his sanity. With his mindset spiralling into paranoia his desperation is intensified by sightings of a familiar figure. The film, produced by Belinda Basson, directed by Christopher Bevan and written by Ben Errington, has received several festival screenings and nominations over the past twelve months and it is great to be able to bring the film to screen back in our home of the East Midlands. To view the full festival line up, head over to the Beeston Film Festival programme.

Best Actor Nomination for Adam Horvath in 'The Other'

The Other has been officially selected to screen at the Birmingham Film Festival 2024! We’re honoured to be part of this fantastic and supportive festival, which celebrates a wide range of independent filmmaking talent from across the UK and beyond.

We’re especially proud to announce that Adam Horvath has been nominated for Best Male Actor for his powerful performance as Marcus in the film – a well-deserved recognition of his incredible work and commitment to the role.

The Other will be screening as part of Block L on Sunday, 10th November at 6:00 PM, and we can’t wait to see it come to life on the big screen alongside an amazing selection of films. As part of the festival, we're also in contention for the BFF Bull Award as well as the Audience Award which will decided by those attending the festivals many screenings of shorts and features. A huge thank you to the Birmingham Film Festival team for selecting our film, and to all of the cast, crew, and supporters who helped make this possible.

The Other follows serious and meticulous young chef Marcus who begins to experience increasingly strange and unexplained events that challenge his sanity. With his mindset spiralling into paranoia his desperation is intensified by sightings of a familiar figure. Produced by Belinda Basson of Dreamfusion Productions in association with YSP Media, the film was written by Ben Errington and directed by Christopher Bevan. The cast includes Adam Horvath, Dani Tonks, Liz Leonard, Christopher Tajah and Phil Molloy.

YSP Media Collaborates With Junction Arts for 'Bolsover Partnership' Film

The Bolsover Partnership is a dynamic and collaborative network that unites key service providers, local authorities, community organisations, and public agencies operating within the Bolsover District. Its core mission is to drive forward local regeneration, enhance public services, and foster sustainable development tailored to the needs of the community. By pooling resources, expertise, and local knowledge, the Bolsover Partnership ensures a more coordinated and impactful approach to addressing the social, economic, and environmental challenges facing the area.

To showcase the tangible outcomes of this collaborative effort, a documentary-style film was produced by YSP Media in collaboration with Junction Arts. This film serves as a compelling narrative of the Partnership’s achievements and the real difference it has made in people’s lives. It highlights a range of successful initiatives that have improved cultural engagement, broadened educational opportunities, expanded access to employment and training, and promoted health and wellbeing across the district. Through personal stories, project highlights, and community voices, the film aims to illustrate how collective action can lead to meaningful and lasting change in local communities.

We are incredibly proud to have been involved in the creation of this film and to play a part in celebrating the achievements of the Bolsover Partnership and its vibrant community. It has been fantastic to help tell the story of a district that is rich in resilience, creativity, and a deep sense of local pride. Working alongside passionate individuals and organisations who are dedicated to making a real difference has been truly inspiring. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to a project that not only showcases the positive transformation happening across Bolsover but also highlights the power of community spirit and collaboration. You can now watch the full film produced by YSP Media below.

Lytham International Film Festival Screens 'The Other'

The bank holiday weekend of 23rd-25th August saw the return of the annual Lytham International Film Festival which featured a jam packed three days of screenings, previews and Q&A’s with filmmakers.

Our short film ‘The Other’ produced by Dreamfusion Productions in association with YSP Media was an official selection and screened as part of the outdoor After Dark programme. The stormy weather only added to the experience, with an eclectic line up of short horror and thriller films entertaining and spooking the audience in attendance. 

The entire weekend proved to be hugely enjoyable thanks to the warm welcome from the LYIFF team and excellent quality of short films from the UK, local region and around the world. It was great to meet and connect with other filmmakers through the organised welcome event and post-screening. The highlights of the weekend also included getting chance to check out a curated selection of phenomenal BFI Film Hub North funded films and the regional filmmaker programmes. There was some truly stunning work here. 

A huge thank you must go to the festival team, staff and volunteers at Lytham Pavilion for a well organised weekend. We hope the festival continues to grow and look forward to attending again in the future!

BFI Midlands Directors Lab 2024 Selection Announcement

BFI Film Hub Midlands have released their announcement of the twelve directors selected for the first Midlands Directors Lab. We are thrilled to say that YSP Media’s Christopher Bevan has been chosen as one of the filmmakers in the region to receive this incredible opportunity.

In their official announcement posted earlier today, BFI Film Hub Midlands said, ‘Our class of 2024 will be joining us for a weekend of learning and networking at Broadway Cinema, Nottingham as they develop their directorial skills and gain insights to support them in the next steps of their creative journey. Over the weekend we will be joined by established directors from television and film, as well as other industry experts to share their insights on taking those next steps into high-end television and feature films. They will also be joined by members of the cohorts for Creative Producers Lab 2023 and Stories to Shorts Script Development to help build their networks.

The selected directcohort brings together a wealth of directorial experience from across the region, each bringing different perspectives and backgrounds to the weekend. We have been enjoying their work already and we can't wait to see what is in store for them next.’

This first ever Directors Lab will be held at the Broadway Cinema between 9th-10th March and will be allow for new connections and networks to be formed, as well as a shared learning environment from experienced directors, producers and writers from across the world of film and TV. The full announcement from BFI Film Hub Midlands is available online here along with details of the full cohort of selected directors from across the region.