I was thrilled to be asked to appear in Dead Air (2020), directed by Jordan Dean and written by Duncan MacLeod. Shot just before lockdown, the short film follows Lester, a late-night radio presenter on local station Cosmic FM whose routine overnight shift takes an increasingly surreal turn when he starts receiving calls from panicked first-time listeners. Playing Lester gave me the chance to combine acting with live radio presenting, two things I thoroughly enjoy, while exploring a character stuck somewhere between monotony and madness...
Produced by Fishbulb Films and Crosscut Media, Dead Air is a British independent dark comedy-horror short which went on to win Best East Midlands Short at the White Deer International Film Festival, alongside further festival selections and nominations. Fishbulb Films are known for creating original independent films with a distinctive cinematic style, championing emerging UK filmmaking talent and character-driven storytelling.
Check out the behind the scenes of the film here:
Ahead of the release of Dead Air, I spoke with Fishbulb Films about stepping into acting in a short film for the first time, working alongside the cast and crew, and how my background in broadcasting helped shape the role of Lester.
“Playing a character and learning lines are definitely skills I didn’t realise I had.”
“Because I’m a presenter by trade, the broadcasting scenes already felt natural to me.”
“The whole experience was a joy from start to finish.”
“Jordan the director was so clear in his vision that it made the shoot so enjoyable.”
“It still blows my mind to find myself acting in a film.”
“Dead Air will perhaps be the catalyst for some new adventures.”
“Everyone on set was so focussed and professional that it all went smoothly and stress free.”
“It was great to be part of a team that worked so well together.”
Read the full interview here.
