Greatcoat Films signs Dylan Holmes Williams
Williams also releases powerful short Stilts, part of Channel 4’s Random Acts.
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Production company Greatcoat Films has signed award-winning British writer and director Dylan Holmes Williams to its UK roster, marking the partnership with the launch of new indie amusing short, Stilts.
Stilts was commissioned by Channel 4 as part of their renowned and boundary pushing series, Random Acts. The film will premiere on UK television as part of Film4’s 2019 Halloween season. Stilts follows the story of a father and son, who live in a dystopia where everyone must wear ginormous, inconvenient and irremovable metal stilts. We watch their tense, yet humble relationship unfold as the son fights for his freedom to leave his dreary fate.
Dylan is an instinctive filmmaker in total command of his craft. His stories are as complete as they are distinctive and characterised by his darkly comedic tone. Drawing on authentic human behaviours, his intriguing narratives and absorbing characters inhabit multiple planes and realities, creating a unique visual language. His work centres around, what Dylan likes to describe as ‘grounded supernaturalism’, portraying an art of telling supernatural stories that live effortlessly in relatable modern worlds.
“I try to tell fun, relatable human stories with dark, idiosyncratic twists. I like taking a simple, commercial idea and coming at it sideways to deliver something surreal and new.”
An ambitious and determined craftsman, Dylan’s creative journey has taken many unusual turns through studying art history, song writing and freelance editing.
Dylan has a deep understanding of music and sound design; having previously wrote songs and played bass in a successful festival touring band as a teenager. His experience rings true, as his work often employs heightened music and sound design elements for dramatic effect.
Driven by plots, Dylan has always had a connection to drama with an extensive background in editing, a craft which he learnt entirely by teaching himself. He edited feature comedy film ‘Chubby Funny’ which was nominated for Most Promising Newcomer at BIFA 2017 and received a four-star review in the Guardian. He subsequently edited Screen Yorkshire-backed feature film Ilkley starring Roger Allam and Derek Jacobi.
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His first short film, The Nightmare On Deskteeth Street, premiered at BFI London Film Festival 2017. The comedy follows Harold Miller, a lonely thirty-something with a bizarre obsession — boots. After a mysterious intruder steals his favourite pair, he sets out on a journey across West London.
His second short film The Devil’s Harmony won Best UK Short at Raindance 2019, a Best Director award at Fantastic Fest 2019, has qualified for seven Oscar and Bafta-qualifying festivals and was recently nominated for Best British Short Film at the 2019 BIFA’s. The drama follows lead protagonist Kiera, the captain of a high school a cappella club, who falls victim to bullying from her peers. However, the club conceals a secret: when they sing Devil’s Harmony, a melody written by Dylan himself, all listeners are plunged into a catatonic state. Dylan is currently developing a feature script off the back of the short’s success.
Simon Oxley, Founder & MD, Greatcoat Films said: “Dylan is a super driven, intelligent filmmaker, who has the determination to make something happen no matter the obstacles. His inimitable style adds something different to our roster, with his comedic sensibility combined with his eye for bold set design and idiosyncratic casting. We’re really excited to see what we can achieve together in the UK commercial scene.”
Dylan concluded: “I’m delighted to be joining the team at Greatcoat Films. They foster such a collaborative and creative environment, and they’re also just a lovely group of people. I can’t wait to see what we make together
