STORY

On Call begins in an overwhelmingly busy London, far from the comforting countryside our couple call home. TRAPPED IN AN UNFAMILIAR PLACE. Danni sits opposite Ray with a feeling that matches no other sickness. Her stomach is turning in on itself, waiting for the call from the hospital, not only for fear for her daughter, but for a secret she holds from Ray. She aimed to give their child away, being consumed by her worth as a mother. Watching a seemingly ‘perfect couple’ with a balloon kick-starts her brain, pushing her consciousness into a daydream.

On Call drifts, as Danni’s mind does, through a non-linear narrative to unearth the tragic yet beautiful moments in the couple’s relationship, all of which brought them to this café.

Each memory provides the audience with context as to why they are here and the complexities of their relationship, pushing Danni closer to overcoming her fears as a mother. We pass through memories of love, anger, and fear, all within the couple’s relationship with parenthood and one another.

Danni looks back at each memory with us, a ghost reflecting, before being brought back to the café, with Ray’s eyes on her. What is she to do? What will she do when the couple comes for her daughter? Is she the mother her daughter deserves?

DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT

This story, at its heart, comes from my brother and my parents. MY BROTHER was born with Pulmonary Atresia. Pulmonary Atresia is a condition in which the valve in the heart that controls the flow of blood from the heart to the lungs does not form. Therefore, my brother’s blood had trouble flowing to his lungs to pick up oxygen for his body, ultimately starving his brain of oxygen.

This condition causes new born babies to turn blue (cyanosis).

Soon after he was born, he had life-saving surgery in London, far from home for my parents. It meant long journeys, time spent in an unfamiliar city, and facing terrifying uncertainty while staying away from everything and everyone they knew. 

The toll it takes on a relationship and a family going through experiences like this is immense, full of hardship and struggle. But within it, there are moments of joy and humour in the darkest times. I want to explore this blend of pain and joy, representing couples who are clueless when navigating these tragic moments. How are they to move forward when crushed by these unplanned bombs? What decisions are they forced to make? Many do not have support and are unprepared for parenthood, let alone for understanding a condition like the one my brother was dealt. This film seeks to explore those relationships.

The relationship between the two characters is the most important aspect of this story. They are struggling in isolation instead of together and use each other to take out their emotions. Silent pain has broken down their relationship and allowed secrets to be kept from one another. Their journey to let each other into their hurt is what will capture the audience.

There is a mysterious ambiguity within the story. Opening in black and white, the audience unravels information as Danni lets them in, with pockets of joy and sadness along the way. This is a sad story, but throughout it runs love, hope, and humour, balancing the tragedy to create a calming resting spot that the audience will sit within, leaving them with their own interpretation of the truth.

On Call is a story about the vulnerability of being a parent, but more importantly, about being a mother. This film aims to capture the feeling of never believing you are ready, but pushing through the struggle despite it.

THE FUTURE OF ON CALL

Through this film, I hope to raise awareness for those who are unaware of congenital heart diseases and shine a light on the work of charities like British Heart Foundation, Little Hearts Matter and Ronald McDonald House. Too few people fully understand both the impact of these conditions and the support available to families facing them. The film will be submitted to UK and international festivals, offering opportunities to screen to live audiences and generate discussion. Through screenings, online engagement, and community conversation, I believe the film can create a meaningful impact. 

VISUAL LANGUAGE

On Call will explore each memory in its own visual language. I intend to work with our Cinematographer, Hsien Yu Niu, to understand Danni’s interpretation of their relationship.  

The film draws inspiration from the works of Martin McDonagh in his ability to balance the complexities of life through dark dramatic themes with humour and beauty in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri; from Manchester by the Sea for its gritty realism, complex character relationships, and calming cinematography; and from Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag for its whimsical story beats even in the darkest moments. Many scenes are also inspired by Taylor Swift’s All Too Well: The Short Film in the way it portrays the relationship between Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien.

Opening outside the café with a lack of colour is used to leave the audience in the dark. Understanding the couple’s situation is not as clear without context. I want to take them on a journey to discover the bigger picture through Danni’s mind.

The ugly fights, the moments of pure love, and the deeply tragic. The story is set in her world. These are her memories, and she is choosing each for a specific reason. On Call uses the camera as a portal into Danni’s mind. She is a fly on the wall of her own experiences and is there to understand her own insecurities to get through the tragedy that is her story. When she fights with Ray, it is dark, and we are constantly moving. Neither one is listening to the other, the camera darting back and forth. It is not until they say what they truly feel that we stay with them and they break their distance.

Until the moment Danni fears most, in the hospital. She is isolated and alone, surrounded in cold colours. We do not cut away, leaving her only option being to face herself, to face her decisions and her fears. Before we return to the present, the audience understands each memory as a whole, understanding Danni after each memory.

Only then do we travel with Danni’s physical form to those memories, but as an observer with the narration of her thoughts. The memories are frantic shapes moving around in light, blurs whilst Danni is static and still. These memories now contain a new perspective, now that Danni understands her purpose as a mother.

MEET THE TEAM

Director: Will Mayhew is an experienced film maker working in the AD department on projects such as House of Dragon, Slow Horses, The Diplomat as well as working on Commercials and Music Videos. Working on many short form projects as a 1st AD, including the BAFTA and Holly short London winning short Rock, Paper, Scissors. After many years of helping other directors bring their filmmaking voices to the screen, he is now ready to bring his wealth of knowledge to this project.  

Cinematographer: Hsien Yu Niu (Sunshine) is an emerging Taiwanese cinematographer based in London and Taiwan. Graduating from the National Film and Television School (NFTS) and London Film School with the Panalux Award for Outstanding Cinematography for the Hong Kong Short film ‘Underneath (2020). She believes that Cinematography is a tool for translating emotions, environment, and senses through images. Sunshine’s work has been screened at various international film festivals. Most notably, Rock, Paper, Scissors which won at BAFTA 2025 for Best Short film as well as best student film at the Sony Picture awards. Bubble Boy (2024), a stop motion animation that she lensed, has been shortlisted for Bafta Student Award (2024). Maeve in the Dark (2020), was screened at Cameraimage Film Festival 2021

Producer:  ZARA TROTT is a short film producer based in London. In 2023, her short film PULP BY RIND won ‘Best Cinematography’ at the Royal Television Society Awards and gained recognition at the London Lift-Off Film Festival as a ‘Trendsetter Nominee’ (2022). Zara’s most recent finished film, SALT LINE, starring Sean Delaney (KILLING EVE) and Adam Ali (BABBA) is currently undergoing its festival circuit being recognised at the BAFTA qualifying Flicker Rhode Island Film Festival. After attending Westminster Film School Zara went on to work in the film industry on various projects including Sky’s MARY AND GEORGE and Blue Print Pictures WICKED LITTLE LETTERS. She recently worked in production on Apple’s SILO and has since started in-house at DROOL PRODUCTIONS. 

1st Assistant Director: Yasmin Evans is an experienced 1st Assistant Director working across short films, music videos, and commercials. She trained in Assistant Directing & Floor Management at the National Film and Television School (NFTS), where her graduate film, Trouble, directed by Sarah Blok, screened at the London Film Festival and was shortlisted for a Student Academy Award. Yasmin has recently collaborated with Travis Alabanza on their debut short film Choked as well as on Say Now’s Supermarket Music Video. She is particularly drawn to projects that amplify underrepresented voices and bring diverse perspectives to the screen.

BUDGET

Every bit of support truly means the world to us. Your contribution allows us to bring this project to life in the most effective, efficient, and supportive way possible. Below, you’ll see how we plan to use our budget to make this film while prioritising the wellbeing of our cast and crew, something I believe is essential to creating our best work. 

Thank you for being part of this journey. We genuinely couldn’t do this without you, and I can’t wait to bring this story to life with your help.

THANK YOU

Thank you for taking the time to look at our project!

This film means so much to me. If you feel like reaching out to ask any questions, please do! I'm extremely passionate about this project and love talking about it, as well as the real story it's based on. 

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