Stacha Hicks

Wrote, directed and co-produced short film Dys is Me. A sensory experience that aims to give a sense of how challenging it can be to navigate the world we live in for a person with Dyspraxia, a little known or understood neurodiverse condition. Played by actors with Dyspraxia, we journey through the worlds of Charlie Chaplin, Kung Fu, Mocap and the galaxy. A thrilling, dark and dangerous ride.

• Led a crew of 20 production staff, 3 actors and 36 SA's, ensuring a safe, inclusive and collaborative working environment.
• My first time directing both a fight scene and Mocap, given the nature of dyspraxia and the physical demands of both scenes, I worked with the actors and movement coaches extensively in the prep, including conducting a rehearsal day with camera. Supporting them in this way for the crew to better understand their needs, thus ensuring that everyone could deliver their best on the day.
• Communicated with the team the look and design of the film via media decks, storyboards plus individual and group meetings.
• Collaborated closely with the DOP and planned shots that supported the action and the storytelling.
• Currently collaborating on post-production activities, including editing, sound production, color correction, and musical score.

Developed, directed and produced a film told through crossword prose revealing the life of a couple living with the effects of dementia. tarring Rita Tushingham and Paul Barber.

Qualifying for BAFTA and BIFA, Winner of Best Short Film at Carmarthen Bay International Festival and Best Director Nomination at NYOFF and Winner at The London Director Awards.

• This shoot was particularly challenging as we were shooting with senior actors during lockdown, a challenging time to shoot. It was however our younger actors who would fall ill and the stop in production would mean that we would have to pay for equipment hire again. To ensure we could complete I also took the producer role overseeing the production overall, including raising funds, booking crew, and overseeing all elements of post production, plus scheduling for the second leg of the shoot and overall project timeline, and festival run.
• Secured named talent, Rita Tushingham for this project. And worked with a casting director to make approach to Paul Barber. The younger cast I conducted a round of zoom and then in person meetings.

Selected by Told By An Idiot as one of the seven filmmakers for their next film project - The Seven Deadly Idiots I wrote and directed Gluttony - The Ardent Consumption, an absurdist macabre look at the most socially acceptable sin of our time, with Meghan Treadway.

Winner of Best short at Rwanda Film Festival, Winner at Latitude Film Festival

• I wrote, shot and edited within a 7 week period as were the rules of the commission.
• Collaborated closely with Told By An Idiot as they supported the vision for the piece, producing shotlists, storyboards, briefs and communicating clear to the both them and the production team working on the film.
• Rehearsing with actors both aiding their understanding of both the physical and technical comedy elements of the script.

Wrote, directed and produced a selection of scenes for a TV series proof of concept, LIVING, Dying from cancer Beth makes plans to attend her own funeral before she dies. A comedy drama.

• I directed, shot and co-edited this ten minute proof of concept. I also acted the role of Beth.

I wrote, directed and produced TV series proof of concept, 88 Nate Street (working title) . Assassins wanted. No Experience necessary. A dark Comedy

Facilitating a group of comedians and actors, working and learning from each other, I realized the potential of creating something beyond sketches.

• I raised funding and sponsorship from a local radio cooperative, and support form locals arts and charity organizations to provide space and time for us to work.
• Leading improvisation sessions to devise the script.
• Scheduling, shot lists , story boarding alongside fund raising, production management and producing contracts, production admin and overseeing post production, including co -editing using Devinci Resolve.

• Teaching MA Acting for Screen
• Conducting the room in a professional working lab style environment, the students are supported as they develop screen craft skills through a series scenarios of selftaping, in person meetings, shooting styles and script(genre) styles, whilst deepening and honing their approaches to character approaches and the technical and collaborative requirements needed on a Film and/or TV set.

• Masterclasses and workshops in Screen Acting for The Actors Centre, Gloucester University, The Actors Ensemble and developed an adult program for Rose Arts
• Created a video series for students in Ghana to support their education in acting for screen. Ghana has only one film school and access for most is unattainable. A new school in Ghana trying to change that. I created, shot and edited the series with reading materials and offered it for free on behalf of the school.

• Throughout acting and directing work, I have always had a day job: Mostly as a project managing international projects of small through to large scale global teams, in science, public and creative sectors, including but not limited product roll outs, content media creation, large scale international events. creation of a virtual library for university collective, creation and producing four seasons of a highly popular podcast with highly respected guests from the science community.

Nominated Best Short - Aesthetica Film Festival

Nominated Best Director - NNYOF

Winner Best Experimental Short - Latitude Film Festival

Winner Best Short Film - Carmarthen Bay International Film Festival

Qualified for both BIFA and BAFTA

Winner - London Director Awards