THE TALENT
On the set of a luxury car commercial, an overlooked assistant seizes his chance to get noticed by the star.
A live-action short film by Second Name Productions, written and directed by Thomas May Bailey.
Starring Emma D’Arcy and Leo Suter, The Talent is a tense exploration of masculinity, ambition and desire.
So far, The Talent has screened in-competition at Oscar-qualifying festivals Clermont-Ferrand 2024 (France), Busan International Short Film Festival 2024 (South Korea), Palm Springs ShortFest 2024 (USA), deadCenter Film Festival 2024 (USA), and ShortShorts Film Festival 2024 (Japan). Additionally, it has screened at BAFTA-qualifying including Iris Prize Festival 2023 (UK), Brest European Short Film Festival 2023 (France) and Aesthetica Film Festival 2023 (UK).
In 2023, the film was one of five nominees for the ‘Best British Short’ BIFA.
The Talent is distributed by Premium Films. In the UK, it was broadcast by Channel 4 and is available on Channel 4 streaming. It will be available to stream outside of the UK when it has finished its festival run.
Follow @secondnameproductions for festival and broadcast updates.
Written & Directed by Thomas May Bailey
Produced by Ellen Spence and Emma D’Arcy
Executive Producers Marco Alessi, Ray Okudzeto & Matt Hichens
Director of Photography Anna MacDonald
Music by Tom Foskett-Barnes
Edited by Rosie Lakin at Intermission Film
Production + Costume Design Frankie Bradshaw
Sound Design by Matt Waites at Goldcrest Film
Colour by Joseph Bicknell at Company 3
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Tommy — Emma D’Arcy
David — Leo Suter
Stella — Rhianne Barreto
Host — David Mills
Lee — Karl Queensborough
Miles — Andrew Bone
Brian — Robert Rapoport -
Production Manager Lewis Coates
1st AD Rose Lucas
2nd AD Molly Hunter
Production Assistant Arianna Rabin
Set PA Fauve Fauve Bickerstaffe
Script Supervisor Berit Mjaugedal
HMU Designer Alice Howlett
Art Dept & Wardrobe Assistant Loe D’Arcy
Costume Assistant Male Arcucci
HMU Assistant Kayla Dixon
Casting Director Kharmel Cochrane
Environment design by OxygenCube3D
Virtual Production Consultant Laurien Ash
1st AC Oliver Munks
2nd ACs Louse Tse & Esther Collins
B Cam Operator Chelsea Bernard
Camera Trainee Elena Carciog
Gaffer Ramzey Sabbagh
Sparks Jacob Campbell & Joe Dabbs
Grip Warwick Drucker
Sound Recordist Clement Harper
Sound Recordist Bogdan Mecea
Boom Op Rajan Thandi
BTS Videographer Sam Doyne
Post Sound Sound Services Goldcrest Films
Re-Recording Mixer Conor Kelly
ADR Editor Sean Miller
ADR Recordist Harry Foley
Visual Effects by Covert
VFX Producer Benjamin Pearce
VFX Supervisor Calin BogdacencoTHE TALENT was shot on and around the Virtual Production Stage at Garden Studios:
Head of VP Mark Pilborough-Skinner
VP Supervisor Sam Kemp
VP Technician Mara Rosianu
Junior VP Technician James Furr
Head of Talent & Community Leone Buncombe
Garden Studios CEO Thomas Høegh