When Elias, a forlorn cinema clerk, encounters a mysterious figure who claims to know him, the pair embark on an emotional odyssey through memory and illusion. As the line between past and present fractures, and the distinction between the real and the surreal becomes ever-more blurred, Elias must confront the truths he's long avoided - and the self he's tried to forget.
CAST
Elias Luca Stojanovic
Lucid Liam Prince
Isobella Neve Lofthouse
Young Elias Taylor Morgan
Elias' Sister Summer Morgan
Elias' Mother Natalie Morgan
CREW
Director Noah Read
Producer Hannah Blackwell
Producers Noah Read & Peter Miller
Executive Producer Jane Barnwell
Screenplay by Noah Read
Edited and Coloured by Noah Read & Peter Miller
Director of Photography Noah Read & Peter Miller
Production Manager Peter Miller
Production Designer Noah Read & Peter Miller
Assistant Directors Hannah Blackwell & Peter Miller
Creative Advisors Noel Read, Jane Barnwell & Zak Peric
Graphic Designer Noah Read
Camera Operators Noah Read, Peter Miller & Hannah Blackwell
BTS Photography Peter Miller, Oliver Sherwood & Noah Read
Effects Make Up Peter Miller
Sound Engineer Ellie HolmesMix Engineer Ellie Holmes & Noah Read
On-Set Catering Nicola Read
On-Set Drivers Luca Stojanovic & Noah Read
Gaffer Vanya Kozlov
Runners Callum Watson & Destiny Robertson
MUSIC & SOUND
"Incomparable" by Prana
Written and performed by Rod Espino
Used with permission
Foley Audio Recordist Ellie Holmes
ADR Audio Recordist Noah Read
Additional audio from Pixabay, created by The Free Sound Community, SoundReality, Dragon Studio, Black Kumuzhi, Youssef Mizani, SoundsForYou, Scottish Person
THANK YOU
To the Ignite Fund Jane Barnwell Ellie Holmes Rod Espino Noel Read Nicola Read Nelly Read Nicholas McIerny Paul Calver Oliver Sherwood Natalie Morgan Taylor Morgan Summer Morgan Margaret Haywood Derek Read Zak Peric Chris Fry Julie Marsh Johnny Titheridge Jonny Fuller-Rowell Hasan Matar Mo Lopes Phillip Miller Evana M Melisa Egbeme Ana-Maria Ivan Tess Cerciello Jaime G Brian Miller Delphine Foggo Charlie Brindle Paul Rowden Gillian Miller Dave & Ang Taylor Kevin Cundale Boyan Dragomirov Vanya Kozlov Callum Watson Destiny Robertson
Cathy, Ali, and all at The Talbot Inn
Ying, Stefan, and all at Regent Street Cinema
Stewart, and all at Stantonbury Leisure Centre
All at The White Horse
The man with the dog on Joss Bay
Following a successful first screening at the In Medias Res Private View at Ambika P3 in Marylebone, Sunspots is currently going through film festivals submissions.
As such, Sunspots cannot yet be viewed publicly or via online platforms, although private screenings may be held throughout the year; please contact us for more information.
Alongside the trailer and various social media content, we are delighted to be able to share behind-the-scenes content, photographs, and overviews.
T H E D A R K R O O M
Pull back the curtain on Sunspots, with exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
Still frames from 'sunspots (2026)'. Sony FX6 / NIKON ZR, 100mm / 200mm / 500mm. © Desktop Studios 2026.
DECEMBER 2025.
MARGATE, KENT — When we were first scoping locations, Joss Bay in Kent jumped out as an obvious choice: the mid-December sun rose centrally over the sea, giving us the beautiful orange glow from our poster. About three hours from London, we set off around 2AM for our recce shoots, enabling us to get to and set up at the bay in time to catch first light. When it came to shooting, we knew we had basically two options: golden glow, or cool, looming blues. The ideal solution was half-and-half — one setting for Elias, and one for Isobella.
The ultimate solution was to traverse down to Kent for two entirely separate shoots: a morning sun-rise, and an evening -set.
'Sunrise #2', Margate, Nikon D800, 300mm. © Desktop Studios 2026
'Hannah and Peter on Joss Bay', Margate, Nikon D800, 500mm. © Desktop Studios 2026
MARCH 2026.
For the ethereal blue-green scenes, we headed down to Margate for a three-day run of early-morning shoots at the beginning of March. It was significantly colder than any previous time we'd visited, which meant we had to minimise takes so we could make sure Luca and Liam were only de-coated for a few minutes at a time.
On the final day, this was especially prevalent, as this was the day Luca would get wet. We had a plan: once we wrapped, Luca and I rushed back to basecamp in my car to get out of our wet clothes, while Hannah, Peter, and Liam packed up into Luca's car. By the time that was done, we were back to divide and conquer, heading back to base in both cars with our full crew and kit.
(Our shoes survived; barely.)
'Noah and Luca, Sunspots BTS', Margate, Nikon ZR (still frame), 70mm. © Desktop Studios 2026
Morning shoots, three hours from recognisable company, meant we had a fair amount of spare time, once the rushes were backed up and we were all showered, changed, and mediocrely-slept.
This allowed Luca and I to conduct a low-light test on a new camera: the first collaboration between RED and Nikon, the ZR.
Wanting to avoid wasting time as much as possible, we planned to shoot the café scene at a location not far from where we were staying in Margate. With the mugs acquired and coffee brewed, we set up lights, cameras, and started rolling on Luca's genuine first taste of coffee — somehow.
'BTS Elias at the Cafe', Margate, Nikon ZR, 70mm, 2026. © Desktop Studios 2026.
'Contemporary Renaissance', Regent Street, Nikon ZR, 70mm, 2026. © Desktop Studios 2026.
MARCH 2026.
REGENT STREET CINEMA, LONDON — We were incredibly lucky to be able to shoot at the first cinema in Europe, in the heart of London. We only had one day to shoot our principal location, bookending the film and acting as a central frame of reference for our characters, so we had to make every second count.The shoot flew by, as usual; except this time, there was no second chance. We started inside the auditorium, shooting transition scenes first and then rolling on the longest scene, and really the climax of Elias' emotional turmoil: his conversation with Isobella.
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'SUNSPOTS BTS (SET)', Regent Street, iPhone, 2026. © Desktop Studios 2026.
'Pointing!', Regent Street, Nikon ZR, 70mm, 2026. © Desktop Studios 2026.
Once we'd wrapped on INT. CINEMA AUDITORIUM, we moved outside to the main foyer. It was dark enough now to shoot Lucid's entrance, so Peter and I headed out to the street to shoot our B-roll, and then brought Liam outside. Hannah manned the FX6 inside, pulling focus as Lucid walked through the doors to the foyer.
Finally, at the very end, we moved outside of the cinema. We positioned Luca inside, started rolling, and radioed to Hannah to give Luca his cues. The biggest battle burgeoning here was the general public, meaning we had to be on constant red alert to make sure nothing went wrong (or worse...). With almost everything shot (just one pick-up shoot required), we wrapped, packed, and headed home for the night.
'REGENT STREET' (From 'Sunspots') [still frame] , Regent Street, Nikon ZR, 70mm, 2026. © Desktop Studios 2026.
'LUCA AND NEVE, STANDING!', MILTON KEYNES, Nikon ZR, 50MM, 2026. © Desktop Studios 2026.
MARCH 2026.
MILTON KEYNES, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE — The Talbot Inn, in Milton Keynes, very kindly allowed us to film on their patio. We spent two days here, shooting the establishing scenes and some of the flashback moments with Isobella.
The pub contained some of the most logistically challenging scenes of the whole film, with multiple shots overlapping and being masked in post. This meant we had to be rock solid on our framing, camera settings and focal point, with no room for error.
'Slating!', MILTON KEYNES, Nikon ZR, 50MM, 2026. © Desktop Studios 2026.
'Elias Looks Down', MILTON KEYNES, Nikon ZR, 50MM, 2026. © Desktop Studios 2026.
Day two consisted of the first half of the pub scenes, and, most excitingly, Elias' fall. This was an interesting challenge, and we tried a few different methods. Try as he might, Luca was not allowed to "just firm it" and collapse backwards onto the concrete. The final take is comprised for five shots, with subject, foreground, and background all being separated out, and then with a separate clean background slate that had to be masked frame-by-frame to comp out Luca being caught just before hitting the floor. Interestingly, not the only time Luca had to be caught while collapsing to the floor for a shoot...
MARCH 2026.
UNDERWATER, MILTON KEYNES — On a commercial shoot a few weeks earlier, I met Paul Calver, a photographer and director based in London to whom, in passing, I mentioned wanting to shoot underwater for a short film. Extraordinarily kindly, he offered to let us borrow his underwater rig, meaning all we had to do now was confirm a location. Once confirmed, we headed back up to Milton Keynes, where Oliver Sherwood let us borrow his camera, to fit Paul's rig.
'Elias Sinks, (From 'Sunspots')' [Still frame]', MILTON KEYNES, Canon R5, 24mm, 2026. © Desktop Studios 2026.
'Isobella Arcade (from 'sunspots')' [still frame], Neve Lofthouse. Nikon ZR, 50mm, 2026. © Desktop Studios 2026.
APRIL 2026.
MARGATE, KENT — Elias' memories of Isobella had to be visually distinct from the rest of the film: this is where the warm, sunset hues come in. We took Neve down to Margate about a month after our initial shoot there, aiming to shoot memory material before heading back to the bay for Isobella's final scene.
MAY 2026.
HARROW, LONDON — After we'd wrapped on most of Sunspots, we just had a few stragglers left to shoot. We returned to Regent Street Cinema just for a few exterior shots, and then ended up in the Harrow campus car park for some final shots (and the second time having to catch Luca falling to the ground!).
A few weeks-worth of final editing, and we were ready with a gallery cut for our exhibition.
'Sunrise #4', Margate, Nikon D800, 300mm. © Desktop Studios 2025.
P R I V A T E V I E W
Held at Ambika P3 during the In Medias Res exhibition.
JUNE 2026.
BAKER STREET, LONDON — After a three-day set up, erecting and painting walls, installing speakers, projectors, and seating, and designing catalogues last-minute, the In Medias Res exhibition opened on 5th June with a three-hour Private View. The exhibition displayed work from other BA Contemporary Media Practice students from the University of Westminster, as well as work from the BA Photography course.
Click here to walk through a 3D scan of the gallery!
We had a screening room in the centre of the gallery, made up with our posters and a list of show times.
We were incredibly lucky to be able to have almost our entire cast and crew at the PV, along with friends, family, colleagues, and industry professionals, for a successful first screening.
See more about In Medias Res here.
O N S U N S P O T S
A retrospective.
JULY 2026.
Sunspots became a project defined as much by adaptation and experimentation as by its original concept. Despite significant technical and logistical challenges, the film never lost sight of what first drew us to it: creating dreamlike, psychologically unstable atmospheres through fragmented storytelling and non-naturalistic transitions between scenes.
Without Hannah and Peter, this film would not have happened. The indefatigable approach both of them bring to each day is second-to-none, and their creative input and logistical analysis are often all that stood between us and Disaster Village. Equally, Luca, Neve, and Liam were the keystone that held everything together. Their tireless commitment and unparalleled characterisation were instrumental in bringing everything together. Every one of them left their mark on the film, and without their talent, creativity, and willingness to embrace the strange, cold, early, and 'sometimes' chaotic nature of the project, Sunspots would be a very different film. Nothing I can ever do or say will even begin to scratch the surface of how grateful I am for the time and talent from everyone involved in any way.
The project also reinforced the importance of sound, not only as a narrative device, but also as utterly essential for audience comprehension. Through ADR, Foley recording, and layered sound design, it became increasingly clear that audio often determines the emotional believability of a scene more than visuals alone. The combination of distorted ambience, fragmented dialogue, and recurring musical motifs became essential in reinforcing the unstable psychological perspective of the film. At this point it would be remiss of me to not also mention the exceptional work from both Rod and Ellie, without whom this project would likely look very different and sound significantly worse! They were invaluable in shaping the audience's experience in ways the visuals alone never could. In the same vein, Vanya, without whom, most of the pub would've been pretty dark; Callum and Destiny for their support, set transportation, and just generally putting up with us; and Natalie, Summer, and Taylor, who not only trekked across Kent at the crack of dawn for us, but also braved the windswept sub-zero temperatures of the early-March 5am beachfront. As a university project, this would also not have been possible without Jane's expert guidance, advice, and roadmapping, leading us towards an attainable albeit ambitious goal. Equally, Zak, Chris, Julie, Jonny, and Johnny were crucial, with pre- and post-production guidance, and in helping us set up our section of In Media Res (not to mention Johnny and Eliana's extremely fast-paced help in getting catalogues ready to print within 24 hours).
More than anything, Sunspots reaffirmed my love of psychologically driven visual storytelling and experimental cinematic techniques — I want the film to leave audiences with the same uncertainty that defines Elias' experience: unsure of what is memory, what is reality, and what might imply be wishful thinking. Sunspots also reminded me that filmmaking is rarely about executing a plan exactly as imagined. Films have a tendency to reveal themselves gradually, shaped by circumstance, collaboration, mistakes, and discovery. Looking back, many of the moments that now define Sunspots emerged from uncertainty rather than certainty.
If there is a lasting impression from the project, it is that experimentation and collaboration are not obstacles to a clear creative vision, but often the very things that allow it to emerge.
Noah Read
Creative Director
JULY 2026.
