Biography

With a Masters in Directing & Screenwriting and an MFA in Advanced Film Practice AJ's short films have screened at over 30 international festivals, receiving over 40 nominations and gaining 15 awards. She is working on several features and short film scripts and two television projects, one of which was chosen to go forward to Gabriel Silvers from Sky TV at the 2021 Edinburgh International TV Festival. Her feature script 'A Perfect World' was selected as best feature script at the 2023 Lift Off Film Festival at Pinewood. Her short film 'The Biscuit Tin' has recently started an already successful festival run, gaining several nominations & 5 wins including 'Best Director' at the Monza Film Festival in Italy. She was hired by Akram Films to direct their shot film 'Regrets' which went on to win 5 awards and 15 nominations including BAFTA Accredited Festivals. She directed the music video 'Heard', for the world's first augmented reality album by Travelled Music. AJ has also gained unparalleled experience shadowing her mentor director Douglas Mackinnon on the first series of 'Good Omens' as well as shadowing directors on the BBC/STV's 'Shetland' and on STV news. In 2018 she was shortlisted for the BBC's Rivercity Directors Scheme. As well as the practical side of film making, AJ has run screen writing workshops for Film Festivals in Milan, London, Nice and Amsterdam, from which she was commissioned to write the feature script 'Dandelion' which she was also supposed to direct but the world went into Lockdown. During Lockdown AJ filmed remotely, with actors in America, Spain, Finland, England, Scotland and Switzerland, for the Covid inspired 'Project 19'. She also holds a DSMS in Stage Management and Television Production from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and previously worked as an award winning actress as well as exhibited her own self developed, black and white, medium format photographs. AJ is currently part of the 2023/24 BAFTA Connect cohort. 27 June 2024

- IMDb mini biography by: AJ Sykes