A short film about fear, masculinity and the lengths that those in power will go to maintain control over others.

Welcome to the funding page for Gaffer.

Gaffer is a visceral drama set in the world of low-stakes amateur football. As the manager of an unruly Sunday League team, the Gaffer lives for the 90 minutes every week where he’s in total control. But when Ryan - his best player and surrogate son - goes missing just minutes before the most important game of the season, the Gaffer’s fragile authority begins to crumble.

Director’s Statement

This is a story about men and fear - fear of failure, of irrelevance, of each other. The Gaffer clings to outdated ideals of masculinity, which corrupt every inch of his life. Through this lens, the film explores how toxic behaviours are passed down, and how even small communities aren’t immune to deep emotional fallout.

This is not a football film.

But the grubby melting pot of amateur football is the perfect place to find all the conflicting versions of masculinity under one roof and provides an ideal backdrop to the tension between Ryan and the Gaffer.

Why Now?

As our cultural understanding and conversations about masculinity continue to evolve, Gaffer explores how toxic behaviours still take root in everyday spaces. Men like our main character aren’t just extreme cases - they’re familiar figures found across all parts of society. This film asks what happens when that kind of influence goes unchecked.

Gaffer channels the frenetic, high-pressure energy of Good Time, The Bear, and Boiling Point to immerse us in the Gaffer’s world. Through long, handheld takes and a tight 1.66:1 frame, we stay locked in his perspective: tense, reactive, cornered. 

Shabby set dec, naturalistic lighting, overlapping dialogue and a pounding synth score all working together amplify his spiraling mental state and put the audience at the heart of the storm.

Think gritty British realism meets heightened emotional storytelling.

You can view snippets from our treatment below.

Writer/Director - Will Dennies - www.willdennies.com

Will is an experienced director with many years working across commercials, short films and music videos. His previous short “Fuse” screened in film festivals all over the world, including the prestigious FrightFest. His work in commercials and charity films has been recognised at award shows globally. His narrative work focuses on messy, imperfect characters trying to make sense of the world they inhabit. 

Producer - Adam Watts - www.adamjohnwatts.com/

Adam has been producing narrative films, music videos and commercials for many years. He's worked with some of the most well-respected talent in the world and his videos continue to rack up millions of views. His most recent short film has just started its festival run and has received several selections at BAFTA and BIFA-qualifying festivals.

Director of Photography - Jack Worrall - www.jwworrall.com/

Jack is an award-winning cinematographer with a keen eye and a tasteful, energetic approach to shooting films. He's worked with big brands and bigger stars across years of dedicated work. Taking inspiration from legendary DPs such as Darius Khondji, Bobby Müller and Robert Elswit, he’ll be looking to bring that same kinetic energy to Gaffer.

Assistant Director - Margo Roe

Margo has worked in the Assistant Director department for nine years. She began on short films in Nottingham before moving into commercials, features, and TV. Her credits include Shane Meadows’ The Virtues, Warp’s Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, and Fox/BTV’s Super Bowl LIX commercial featuring Tom Cruise.

Production Designer - Violette De Laet - www.violettedelaet.com/

Violette De Laet is a London-based Production Designer for Film and TV, originally from Belgium. She has contributed to multiple high-end productions across the UK and Europe. Recently she designed a sci-fi TV mini-series and her second feature film. Her work has been nominated for Best Set Design at the Berlin Fashion Film Festival. 

Costume Designer - Jack Clements - www.jackclements.co.uk/

Jack is an accomplished costumer designer with a tasteful eye and keen sense of style. He's designed and assisted on countless short films, commercials and music videos - bringing an infectious energy and determination to every job.

We're adding to this amazing team all the time, so keep an eye out for more updates on crew and casting coming soon!

Our total production budget is £15,500. 

Over half of that budget is already secured, so we're reaching out to raise the remaining £7,500. 

This will help us secure casting, crew & kit hire, location hire, craft services (gotta keep that crew fed), expenses, travel, wardrobe, production design and all those extra little details that help a production run smoothly. 

We're looking for backers who first and foremost want to invest in the story we're looking to tell, you'll also be backing a team of filmmakers continuing to hone their craft and build their careers in the narrative world. 

And as an extra little incentive, everybody who donates over £25 will also be automatically added into our raffle for 2x Category 1 tickets to see England v Wales at Wembley on 9th October 2025! The winner will be drawn live 14 days after the funding window closes. 

Thank you so much for reading through our page and considering a donation to Gaffer - it really means the world.

If you'd like any more information about the project, our production plans or current release schedule then feel free to contact either Will (will@willdennies.com) or Lloyd (info@lloydwrubio.com) directly.