Blue Short Film

Aim

We are making a film about creatives, human connection, the ways we influence and inspire one another. We would love your support.

About the Project

This project, Blue, is a cinematic short film that explores love, memory, and the quiet moments that define a relationship.

We are very excited to say Creative Scotland will match-fund this project! Meaning if we hit half the target, they will match the rest! Read more about this at the bottom of the page! Check out the rewards tab which has a variety of perks for supporters, actors, writers and even a day on set! All for your highly appreciated support! 

The story follows a couple on a single-day journey to an event, which becomes a reflective and emotional exploration of their relationship. Through shared memories, moments of connection, distance, and growth, the film meditates on who they’ve been, who they are, and who they are today.

At its heart, it’s about human connection. The unspoken moments, meaningful glances, and memories that define us. Grounded in realism, the film aims to feel lived-in, honest, and quietly powerful, with the one-day structure reflecting the characters’ inner emotional journey in real time.

Vision and Ambition

Executive Producer and writer Joe Dingwall has a clear and passionate vision for this project: to create a film that feels truly cinematic while remaining real  human. From the outset, the intention has been to elevate this story beyond a simple short film and treat it with the same care, craft, and ambition as a feature.

A key goal for the project is to submit the finished film to this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival, positioning it as a locally made Scottish independent film. The project aims to celebrate and promote Scottish independent filmmaking and highlight the wealth of creative talent living and working here, both in front of and behind the camera.

By supporting this film, you are directly supporting Scotland’s creative community and helping bring locally made, artist-led cinema to wider audiences.

Influences

The film draws inspiration from emotionally driven, character-focused works such as Past Lives, Normal People, Close, and Portrait of a Lady on Fire.

These films share a sensitivity to performance, silence, intimacy, and emotional realism. This project takes influence from their restraint and honesty, allowing audiences to connect through subtlety and emotional truth rather than spectacle.

Meet the Characters

Sam is an inspiring and driven individual. An actor who knows what he wants creatively and personally, but who has not yet reached full confidence in himself. He exists in a space of ambition and uncertainty, still finding his footing.

Kate is an artist who is grounded, intuitive, and deeply rooted. She is a sage, confident, caring, and nurturing, with a deep emotional awareness of the world and the people around her. She offers stability and insight, often seeing things more clearly than those around her.

Together, they represent two creatives at different emotional stages, navigating love, identity, and ambition.

The Team

Joe Dingwall is the Writer, Executive Producer, and lead Actor on the project, with over ten years of experience working across acting and independent filmmaking. He has appeared in feature films, short films, and series, and has built a strong track record as a writer and creator. His recent short films have achieved notable success at the Edinburgh 48 Hour Film Project 2025, with Epoch receiving nine nominations and two awards, and The Party’s Over, which Joe also co-wrote, earning six nominations and two awards in 2024. These successes have helped solidify his commitment to creating meaningful, independent cinema. Joe wrote Blue and is the driving creative force behind the project, leading it both creatively and practically from development through to production. Blue builds naturally on the success and progression of his recent work, and Joe will also play the lead role of Sam.

John P. Arnold is the Director of the film and an established actor with experience across feature films, short films, television, theatre, commercial work and voice overs. Some of his on camera credits include Damaged, Shetland, Taggart, River City, Outlander, The Angel’s Share, Berlin Station, various BBC children's shows and many more. Alongside his directing work, John is a professional acting coach and regularly directs and develops showreel scenes for professional acting students. His background in theatre and film acting strongly informs his directorial approach, with a clear emphasis on performance, emotional authenticity, and collaboration. He brings a strong visual sensibility and a deep understanding of character-led storytelling to the project, making him the ideal director to draw the best performances from the cast on this performance-led film.

Chris Watt is Script Editor. He is an award winning screenwriter & script consultant. A member of BAFTA Scotland, he is best known for writing the screenplay for the feature films STALKER (2022) & THE MIRE (2023), along with the forthcoming THE BROOK, and the multi-award winning short film BRUISE. As a consultant, he has worked with the BFI Film Labs & numerous screenwriting competitions, as well as a number of independent filmmakers around the world.

Jaime Tod is the Director of Photography on the project. Shooting on a cinematic RED camera, Jaime brings a strong visual eye and a passion for expressive, story-driven imagery. He is a highly creative cinematographer whose work focuses on mood, composition, and emotional texture, helping to give the film its cinematic look and visual identity.

Taylor Stevenson is the Colourist for the film. Dynamic and detail-focused, Taylor’s work centres on finding the right tones and visual balance to support the story emotionally. Through colour and texture, Taylor helps shape the final look of the film, ensuring the visuals feel cohesive, intentional, and true to the film’s emotional core. He has recently been working on feature The Backdater.

Jade Sylvester will be playing lead Kate. She is a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and an accomplished stage actor. Alongside her theatre work, she has been cast in the feature film Sebastian and the television series Black Doves. Jade brings a strong emotional depth and presence to the role of Kate, making her an exciting lead for the project.

Maciej Wojcik as Gaffer. His extensive experience working on many short films. He specializes in creating mood and atmosphere through lighting, which will be a key element in shaping the look and feel of this film.

Tatiana Szapary as Production Assistant. She is an emerging talent in film production, eager to break into the industry. She has previously worked on fashion projects in London, bringing organization, energy, and creative support to the team to help the production run smoothly.

Alister Wales as Production Assistant. He is an experienced production assistant who recently worked on the feature Guardians of Loch Ness. He will help in pre production and brings practical knowledge and hands-on support to the set, helping the team keep the production running efficiently and smoothly.

Amy Bryson as Costume Designer. She has worked on numerous short films, bringing a keen eye for style and detail. Her costume design will be essential in this film, using colour and texture to define characters, enhance storytelling, and create a visually striking world.

We also have support from local artists Constantine and Fee Scroggie, who are part of our creative process. It was important to us, to connect with the creative community with this project.

How Your Support Helps

The money raised through this Crowdfunder will allow us to create a cinematic and professional independent film to the standard it deserves. Your support will help ensure that cast and crew are paid fairly for their work, while also covering essential production costs such as locations, equipment, production design, sound, post-production, and other key filmmaking requirements. This funding is vital in allowing the project to be made responsibly, collaboratively, and with genuine care for everyone involved.

All locations are fully secured for a 4–5 day shoot. Following an overwhelming response of over 500 applicants for the female lead, the role has now been cast, with the talented Jade Sylvester set to play Kate. With cast and crew in place, the team is prepared and excited to bring the film to life.

Creative Scotland's Match Funding

Our project is part of the Creative Scotland Crowd-match Fund. 

To receive match funding, the following pledge conditions apply:

1. For every donation made to your campaign, Creative Scotland will match it £1 for £1, up to a maximum of £250 per individual donation.

2. Only one donation per supporter will be matched.

3. The campaign must receive donations from at least 25 unique Supporters to qualify for match funding.

4. Match funding counts towards the overall crowdfunding target – so the combined total of public donations and Creative Scotland match funding must reach 100% of your target for you to keep the funds.

5. If your campaign does not reach 100% of its target before closing, the match funding will be withdrawn, and no funds will be paid out.

6. Creative Scotland match funding will only be available for 8 weeks from the "live" date of the project or the approval date of the application, whichever is more recent.

Thank You

Thank you so much for donating and supporting this project. Your contribution directly helps bring this story to life and supports independent filmmaking, creative collaboration, and Scottish talent. We are incredibly grateful to have you as part of this journey.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made