BEFORE YOU READ ANY FURTHER - GET THIS PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUUM27T38IE

Marnie and her two brothers, Jack and Bill, have come to visit Nan for the weekend. The weather is glorious, so what better way to enjoy their time together than outside creating an epic Gnome-scape?

However, not all is as it seems, as there is a fox amongst these pointy-hatted chickens…

Exploring the joyous relationship between a grandparent and grandchildren, this silly and heartwarming adventure sees Marnie use her novice detective skills (and a little help from the internet!) to find out just what lies at the end of her Nan's garden and save the day…

…or does she?

This script was nervously gifted to me by Lily earlier this year and it was the first time she had ever shared a piece of creative writing with me. What a gem it was. For the last few months, I have been honoured to be the first port of call for each new version and each new development.

For me, THERE’S A BOMB IN NAN’S GARDEN goes beyond its title and beyond its expected story trajectory. It is a story that physically manifests the moment of a pause. A pause that we forget we have nearly all experienced, that is born and created only when you are in the safety of parental figures. That allows us to feel both magic and protected in our immediate reality, where anything is possible and all that surrounds us has a life of its own.

This will be my directorial debut and therefore is something I am not taking lightly. I have already broken down the script and created storyboards to establish how we’re going to create the exact tone this short requires. I have taken visual reference from films such as Paddington, Where The Wild Things Are and Secret Garden, getting me closer each time to achieving the experience I am aiming to create -  the magic line between make-believe and reality. While this film has roots in reality and in the mundane, it also has an important message about memories, imagination and how deeply surprising life can be in its most innocent moments.

I am not approaching this as a small film and definitely not as just a directorial exercise. I am approaching ‘There's a Bomb in Nan's Garden’ as a film that lives beyond its moment of creation. A film that can be watched again and again and act as a source of comfort for people reflecting on their own pasts. A source of comfort, in particular, for those reflecting on the people who have left their lives but who live on in the memories of their childhoods.

- Camille Tanner Smith, Director

The purpose of Nan’s Garden is to explore the joy that lies in the relationship between us and our grandparents (or grandparental figures). There’s a safety that often lies there that, combined with the sense of escapism being away from your parents, leads to adventure, danger and discovering more about yourself. It allows you to test the boundaries of your comfort zone, all whilst remaining firmly within that zone. 

We want Nan’s Garden to be a beautiful and warm piece. It should not only be about Marnie, Nan and her brothers, but also about the garden and its ability to be a character in its own right. There is so much life that lies just outside of our doorsteps, something that we probably don’t connect with as much as we would all like! This short will amplify those small moments we actually do spend out there, hopefully encouraging you to get back out there - as soon as you’ve finished watching the short, of course.

Simple, warm and comforting. Just like… a lovely weekend at Nan’s?

ELEPHANT'S NEST

Elephant's Nest Productions was founded this year by Lily Papworth and Camille Tanner-Smith. Two Production Office bods who, having worked on the likes of Man Like Mobeen, You & Me, The Completely Made Up Adventures of Dick Turpin and We Are Lady Parts, are now seeking to break free from the world of spreadsheets and taxi bookings to sink their teeth into matters more creative. (Perhaps with the odd spreadsheet thrown in, for good measure…)

Elephant’s Nest is a venture that aims to amplify stories from voices unheard, as well as seeking to celebrate femininity, wildness and silliness wherever possible. Whilst developing their own projects this year, Camille and Lily have already also started cultivating relationships with other upcoming industry talents, allowing Elephant's Nest to showcase a rich and fresh example of what the Film & TV Industry currently has to offer - beyond what you see of these creatives on set!

LILY PAPWORTH / Producer

Lily has worked in the wonderful world of telly for the last six years, starting her career in Fact Ent Development and eventually moving across to Scripted Production. It was in the Production Office that she found her feet amongst the organised chaos, although eventually it was the draw of Producing that stole her away. 

For Lily, Nan’s Garden is her first opportunity to combine the organised with the creative and explore Producing on her own terms. It’s also her debut writing project, so she is very excited to her words come to life on screen!

CAMILLE TANNER-SMITH / Director

After quite literally running away from the circus three years ago, Camille has had the great fortune to work on some incredible shows within the world of television. Although Camille’s career so far has been concerned with the craziness of the production office, writing and directing is where her dream truly lies. 

Camille’s aim for Elephant’s Nest is to not only write and direct personal stories, but to also create a broad, inclusive platform that makes space for unheard stories and like-minded creatives. Above all, Camille wants to tell stories that celebrate femininity through a lens of wildness and silliness, the likes of which she has seen within the work of French and Saunders, Ellie and Natascha and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, to name but a few of the formidable women who inspire her.

MAX HODGKINSON / Director of Photography

Meet Max, the wonderful DOP-to-be of There's a Bomb in Nan's Garden. Having worked in the industry for close to six years, Max has made quick work of showcasing his talent. His proudest achievement so far has been designing the lighting for Boiling Point, both the feature and the BBC TV Series. With other credits spanning across Channel 4, ITV, Netflix and beyond, Max is now keen to channel his love of lighting into taking the lead behind the lens as a whole.

SUE TANNER / ART DIRECTOR

Sue Tanner is the wonderfully talented Art Director on There’s a Bomb in Nan’s Garden. Sue has been in the industry since the age of  23 and has worked shows that are now considered culturally defining pieces of television. Starting in-house at the BBC in the early 80’s, Sue’s CV includes (but is not limited to!) Doctor Who, Eastenders, Last of the Summer Wine, To Play The King and, more recently, Downtown Abbey and The Dresser. 

Not only is Sue bringing a wealth of experience with her onto set (alongside her trusty BBC box!),she is yet another woman who inspired Camille to dive into the industry. It was watching Sue on such iconic TV sets that Camille knew this world was for her. Here’s to you, magical Sue!

ZINA WIN-LEMMERS / 1ST AD

Zina has been producing, directing and starring in her own short films for the last three years. A standout project for her was the short film I Close My Eyes to See which she produced and that went on to win at the Los Angeles Film Awards back in 2021, as well as achieve multiple nominations at other festivals worldwide..

An unstoppable force of creative nature, Zina has worked non-stop in the Shorts world over the last few years, all whilst getting a Law degree, launching a singing career, writing a poetry anthology and still finding time to also make her way onto HETV and Feature Film sets! Lily and Camille are so excited to have Zina on board (plus hope some of her boundless energy rubs off on them?)

Whilst our stellar crew is fully assembled, we are still in the process of casting this wonderful short. Should you choose to support us, you would be amongst the first to know who will be on the billing for ‘Nan's Garden’.

As our first short, we're trying to keep our budget low and really test our creative mettle.

One of our top priorities for our two day shoot is paying and feeding the team. This is a significant part of our budget, as we know we can draw upon existing resources to find locations / costumes / props. 

That being said, we have still allocated a small portion of the budget to the latter three categories as contingency. Although we can source items sustainably and economically (costumes especially), there are certain hero props that we know need to be given time and money to get right - yes, we're talking, in part, about the Gnomes!

As our first short as the newly formed Elephant's Nest Productions, Nan's Garden is a vessel to get our name out into the world, to show who we are, what we love and how we make things. With our long-term goals for the Company in mind (producing award-winning television series and feature films), we aim to enter Nan's Garden into as many festivals and showcases as possible, including the likes of Short of the Week, keeping our supporters informed and recognising them every step of the way!

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit our page and learn about ‘There’s a Bomb in Nan’s Garden’. We’re so grateful for any and all donations made and hope you enjoy the lovely incentives that you’re rewarded with!