Production Type
Run Time
Genre
Production Budget
Language
Filming Origin
Format
Short Film
17 Minuets 4 Seconds
Coming of age Fantasy
£1145
English Wales, UK
1998x1080 (1.85/Flat) 25
FPS, 5.1 Surround Sound, .MOV
Premise & Synopsis
Saplings (2025) Offical Trailer
"A girl born from a tree venture's out experiencing the wonders of humanity for the first time, but when the cracks start to show in a not-so-perfect world, how will she cope?"
A magical seed sprouts a Sapling, a mythical creature of the forest. Our unnamed protagonist, bright-eyes and naïve, sets out to experience this new world set before her.
The sapling makes her way around the city experiencing the day-to-day activities of life with great enthusiasm; clothes shopping, dancing with street performers, getting coffee and stealing her name from the barista serving her – Pia.
Pia is noticed by a man sat in the café and in a meet-cute fashion he pays for her drink. The two sit and the man talks to her. When Pia asks if she may speak, the mood changes, and the man insults her. She runs out into the street, hurt and afraid. The new world becomes too much.
Pia returns to her birthplace and begins to dig. As she digs, she finds another Sapling. This new Sapling runs off to witness the world for the first time but is horrified by what she sees. Pia, thinking of the good times she had, pulls her into the city and shows her the wonder that is still there. After their adventure, the two return to their birthplace one last time with a watering can and seeds and stare upon around them at all their friends the trees.
A coming-of-age fairytale on finding light within each other among the darkness in the world.
Trailer
Directors Statement
‘Saplings’ is about a girl born from a tree finding her way in the world. This brings about many questions, about why we made this film and what it entails. While first and foremost, I hope the film speaks for itself, I as the Director always hoped that the film would particularly relate to a female audience. Set deep in the British countryside, ‘Saplings’ explores the connection between nature and girlhood through a coming-of-age journey that puts a modern twist on the classic form of a fairy tale. The two girls at the centre of the film aim to embody an internal perspective on the emotional turmoils of young women. These characters were constructed with the aim to portray characteristics of nature within the human experience. This can be seen particularly through the sensory connection Pia has to her environment and the entwined and fast paced friendship and sisterhood held between the girls, much like trees in a forest, at the end of the film. The magic in the ‘Saplings’ world is grounded in reality and in turn, we hope the film encourages you to notice the magic around you after watching.
- Merin Ellis Daniels
Posters
Crew Bios
Producer: Kirstyn McPherson
Director:
Merin Ellis Daniels
Kirsty specialises in producing and has sound recording skills with the zoom f4 She has a passion for fantasy and rom-com films, hopefully to bring back the aesthetic from the late 90s and early 00s films such as Clueless, Legally Blonde etc..
She is aiming to join the industry to specialise in the production department in both Film and Tv.
Merin is a director and artist exploring multiple mediums. Her work looks at the natural world and the experiences of women through printmaking, photography and film.
Currently based in South Wales, ‘Saplings’ is the longest and most ambitious film she has directed to date.
Writer:
Charlotte Warren
Editor:
Jesse Young
Charlotte is an aspiring screenwriter who found inspiration from Enchanted and Frankenstein for Saplings.
She started her film journey in front of the camera, exploring theatre throughout her early education which eventually led her onto film sets.
She writes so she can bring a little bit of joy into somebodies' life - specialising in character-driven, comedy and fantasy film.
Jesse is an aspiring editor and digital artist with an interest in historical fiction and nonfiction.
He recently picked up editing during his time at the University of South Wales and has developed a knack for it over the three-year course.
‘Saplings’ will be his first published piece of work to date.
Director of Photography:
Innis Major
Set Designer:
Stanley Dearson
Innis is a cinematographer and photographer that enjoys tackling complicated issues and unique ideas through both forms of media. He finds gritty themes to be interesting as they can often open up the more nuanced side of humans and their shared experiences.
He aims to become a cinematographer after graduating so that he can continue to express and expand on his creative visions.
Stanley is an aspiring concept artist, with an interest for 'cheesy campy' 80s horror films.
Working on Saplings has been a huge change to his interests however has worked incredibly well from concept drawings to making the seed and the saplings.
Set Designer: Summer Turnbull
Summer has always had a love for sets and props especially in Doctor who. Saplings is the first film she's worked on which allowed her to do what she loves - which is being creative and making things by hand such as the amazing book that helps set the set the story.
Pia:
Belle Jennings
Cast Bios
Stephen:
Ben Joesph-Davies
Belle is on the acting course at the University of South Wales, having been in some student films and worked on Immerse festival.
She enjoys being creative and working on Saplings allowed her to explore that creativity even more.
Ben is an actor specialising in immersive experiences and has appeared as an extra in a variety of shows ranging to Doctor Who to The Crow Girl and performed reconstructions for Sky History’s Gunpowder Siege and the BBC’s Crimewatch Live. He recently made his stage debut at Bristol’s Alma Tavern & Theatre in the original comedy “Three’s a Coven” and looks forward to hopefully reprising his role over the summer. A graduate of USW’s MA Film course, Ben is currently planning to get back behind the camera for a series of passion projects later in the year.
Bea: Grace Isobel-Nanji
Grace has attended different acting classes and schools since a young age, in England and Wales. She appeared in several musical productions as a child.
However, she always loved to be in front of a camera and enjoys acting. She has done extra work for Casualty and Y Corridor as well as other productions.
Main Cast
Credits
Pia Belle Jennings
Bea Grace Isobel-Nanji
Stephen Ben Joesph-Davies
Mother Nature Fiona Smith
Supporting Cast
Barista Maddison Young
Busker Ieuan Denton
Couple Deryn Allen
Alfie Keno
Extra's Naomi Magallanes George Whitehead
Crew Producer Kirstyn McPherson
Writer Charlotte Warren
Director Merin Ellis Daniels
Cinematographer Innis Major
Editor Jesse Young
Set Designers Stanley Dearson Summer Turnbull
Assistant Set Designer Ethan Roberts
1st AD Alexander Griffiths
Assistants Camera's Owen Davies
James Bush
Erik Bernd
Camden Assure Joe Evans
Sound Recordist's
Emily Powis
Ella Morgan
Manon Jones
Sound Engineer Luke Parker
Sound Editor Jacob Meadowcroft
Composer Jo Gendle
Lighting Louis
Miles Hannah Maiden
Runners Cerys Hills Amy Loweth
Social media & Contacts
Saplings Instagram
Saplings TikTok
Saplings YouTube Channel
Kirstyn McPherson LinkedIn
Kirstys Instagrams Page
Jesse Young LinkedIn
Jesse's Instagram Page
Merin Ellis Daniels LinkedIn
Merins Instagram Page
Innis Major LinkedIn
Innis's Instagram Page
Charlotte Warren LinkedIn
Charlottes Web Page
Charlottes Instagram page
FAQ
Did the crew work well together?
Yes, we did. Considering it was the first time most of us worked together we worked collaboratively to create this film.
Is there potential for a follow up film?
No, it’s a contained short story so sadly we won't see Pia and Bea in another film.
What drew everyone to the project?
We'd say the experimental, fantasy aspect of the film – it's different to any other student films we've seen and got to explore creatively throughout the project.
What was it about the project you loved the most?
Getting to film in different locations such as a forest, a café, clothes shop etc.. And meeting new people and having fun whilst getting the job done. Is the whole film set in a forest?
Nope, we had multiple locations such as two different forests, Barker Tea House, Ethical Boutique, a beautiful city street in North Cardiff. It’s a mixture of locations showing our main characters journey.
Special Thanks
Thank you to all those who have donated:
Rachel Smith, Leanne McPherson, Daniel Gomery, Jerry Genge, Rose Genge, Ilena Harvey, Jean Sturtivant, Melissa Willoughby, Micaela Castanheira, MJ Tia, Robert Mehen, Lux McBride, Samantha Holland, Sian Sturtivant, Isobel Daniels, and to everyone who wish to remain anonymous.
Thank you to everyone who has helped and supported us throughout the project, especially: Rachel Smith Barker Tea House Ethical Boutique by The SAFE Foundation
